Walking and biking in Ohio should be… Safe! Easy! Improve Quality of Life! However, Ohio ranks 40th in the United States for overall health outcomes. With regard to mode share, we are also behind in walking and biking rates. This morning, I got to be a part of the conversation on how to play a part in and provide a remedy for some of these and related walking and biking needs in our great state.
I attended the third meeting for Walk. Bike.Ohio’s Steering Committee at the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Office of Statewide Planning + Research building in the Hilltop. Look at this massive building. There is actually another one of the same size directly next to it. The parking lot was HUGE, and it was extremely well designed for traffic flow, pedestrian safety, and easy access.
Some of the early findings of this group from the Public Perceptions of Walking and Biking in Ohio survey put out in 2019 with 8,669 responses that I believe are fascinating to share:
- 1 in 5 survey respondents has experienced a crash or close call when walking. The number increases to 1 in 4 while biking.
- There are clear differences in walking and biking perceptions across racial and ethnic groups with regard to reasons for participating (health and fun vs. carrying heavy things and transportation) and/or barriers (time, distance, high stress traffic), as well as desired destinations (recreational, trails, parks, shopping).
- Common issues relating to maintenance and preservation included sidewalks in need of repair, not cleared of snow/ice/debris/trash, and gravel paths difficult to ride on.
- Greenway trails was the top facility choice for walkers and bikers.
The leaders and stakeholders in my group were from all over Ohio including New Philadelphia, Cleveland, Cincinnati. We drafted and identified themes of what an ideal Ohio bike/walk/drive transit could look like with regard to planning, policy, education, data, funding, and collaboration. Here’s my group!
We then brainstormed goals and performance measures with regard to safety, equity, network connectivity, network utilization, livability, and preservation. This included thoughts on how to determine measurable ways to reduce bicyclist and pedestrian injuries and fatalities, ensure all ages, abilities, and incomes can travel equitably, and how to measure preservation and maintenance of critical existing infrastructure (AKA keeping roads/sidewalks/trails in good state of repair).
Importantly, our discussions talked about urban and rural areas, because one thing is for sure- we Columbusonians assume everything is “about us,” given the luxury of being the center of Ohio and the Capitol, and therefore often the meeting location for major events. It was refreshing to hear perspectives from folks in communities where the facilities don’t even exist for use! For example, think country roads with no shoulder and someone trying to ride their bike up to the store to get groceries…15 miles away. The highest bicycle crash rates were found to be in rural areas despite urban areas having the highest demand.
Overall, I found the meeting to be a fascinating display of collaboration and positive contribution. There was a buzz in the room about how to improve the livability of our towns and communities through this basic forms of transit. I look forward to attending the next meeting in a few months!
