The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission is beginning its work with nine Central Ohio counties to develop a coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan — which includes Fayette County.
The 2022-2025 Regional Mobility Plan will identify local transportation needs of people with disabilities, older adults and those with low incomes. The plan will help to provide strategies for meeting those needs and prioritize transportation services and projects for funding and implementation.
Coordinated plans are required by the Federal Transit Administration for counties to be eligible for funding under the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program – Section 5310. MORPC is the designated recipient for Section 5310 funds coming to Delaware and Franklin counties.
“The Section 5310 program provides funding to assist organizations that support our community’s most vulnerable populations,” MORPC Modal Systems Manager Mary Ann Frantz said. “This plan will identify needs in order for the applied funding to have the greatest impact.”
The four-year plan on which MORPC is working applies to the Ohio Department of Transportation’s human service transportation coordination region 6, which includes Fayette, Delaware, Franklin, Fairfield, Licking, Logan, Madison, Pickaway and Union counties.
The goals of the plan include to:
-Identify community resources for transportation and mobility
-Understand the gaps and unmet needs within those resources
-Determine the approach to addressing those gaps and needs
“These plans are regularly updated and are required to involve input from public, private, and non-profit transportation and human services providers,” MORPC Mobility Coordinator Lexi Petrella said. “We’re looking forward to working alongside these organizations, as well as members of the public throughout the eight counties.”
Public Involvement:
The process of developing the Regional Mobility Plan includes upcoming opportunities for members of the public to offer thoughts that may be incorporated or addressed in the plan. These opportunities include:
-Transportation User Survey: this survey is designed to collect input regarding travel experiences from residents. The survey includes questions related to mode choice and the physical environment. The survey is now open and can be completed at www.surveymonkey.com/r/regionalmobilitysurvey. It will soon be available in Spanish and Somali.
-Virtual Public Meetings: members of the public are encouraged to attend an online presentation that will include a question and comment opportunity. No registration is required although each meeting has its own web link and will take place on Cicso Webex. These meetings will take place at the following times:
Meeting one: 12:30-1:30 p.m. Feb. 2
Meeting two: 7-8 p.m. Feb. 2
Meeting three: 6-7 p.m. Feb. 4
Meeting four: 12-1 p.m. Feb. 10
-Virtual Focus Group Meetings: members of the public may have the opportunity to participate in focus group conversations that will take place in March and April.
Those who would like to participate in a focus group or who prefer to offer input in another format may contact MORPC Mobility Planner Lexi Petrella directly by e-mailing [email protected], calling 380.235.1275, or mailing: Lexi Petrella, MORPC, 111 Liberty St., Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43215.
More information is available at www.morpc.org/mobilityplan where updates will be posted throughout the planning process. The Regional Mobility Plan is expected to be completed in October 2021.
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) is Central Ohio’s regional council with more than 70 members comprised of counties, cities, villages, townships, and regional organizations. The organization takes pride in bringing communities of all sizes and interests together to collaborate on best practices and plan for the future of the growing region.
