In Columbus, talking transit and the Recovery Act

I went to Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday to let folks know that--through the Recovery Act--the Obama Administration was helping the people of central Ohio upgrade their bus and paratransit services. I also had the opportunity to talk about one or two other items, which I encourage you to read about at the Columbus Dispatch.

With Governor Ted Strickland, Mayor Michael Coleman, US Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, and COTA DIrector and CEO Bill Lohta, I toured the Central Ohio Transit Authority's Fields Avenue fixed route bus facility.

The Transit Authority (COTA) is using $5 million in Recovery Act funds from the Federal Transit Administration to renovate this facility. The $20  million project features new bus lifts, mechanics, energy-efficient lighting, washing facilities, parking for buses, sensors systems to check tire pressure, other technical upgrades. The renovated facility will also include a new wellness center for COTA employees.

Even better, the completed project is expected to bring LEED certification to the Fields Avenue facility. COTA is also building a new separate paratransit facility with $4.2 million in Recovery Act funding, and that project is expected to be LEED certified as well.

So, not only does COTA  take cars off the road and decrease emissions through excellent service; it also is helping the environment in its facilities. By building these facilities to conserve energy, Central Ohio Transit will save money and reinvest to maintain its high quality of service while offering the enhanced mobility that Columbus needs and deserves.

Combined with the wellness center, I think this really shows how transit is leading America's progress toward a true 21st century economy.

Thanks to the Recovery Act, bus service in Columbus is going to be greener, more efficient, and safer than ever. A fully modernized, state-of-the-art maintenance facility and brand new paratransit center will ensure that commuters, elderly residents, and people with disabilities who depend on the bus can expect more reliable service than ever.

I've said it before, and I'll gladly say it again: the Recovery Act is making a real difference in cities like Columbus--putting people to work during these tough economic times while making long-term investments in local transportation infrastructure is a win-win.

Comments

[Robert Pulliam]

Mr. Secretary, let us help you with these issues of jobs, climate and mobility, www.tubularrail.com
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Robert Pulliam
Tubular Rail Inc.
Houston TX
713 681 9501

[Michael E. Bailey]

The ARRA is the best thing to happen since the New Deal and is probably more effective. DOT funding is doing great things for transit across the country. But only a day or two after DOT announced the federal grants to transit agencies, OCTA sent a report over that I saw that has four strategies for cutting bus service 300,000 more hours by March 2010. One stragegy calls for eliminating 27 bus routes, the others call for eliminating 11 routes each on two while Strategy B calls for keeping some service on all routes but on the 11 stopping them before they get to what is now the end of their lines. One OCTA Board member asked the question, "Do we need transit in Orange County?" The question becomes how much can they cut out before people stop using the system because it won't get them to where they need to go. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[LEED Certification]

As a mass transit facility, I qould guess that it automatically qualifies for the LEED mass transportation points.
Also, the center would be a great place for educational displays and Innovation in Design points for exposing so many passerbys to LEED.
Good job pursuing LEED.