This basically highlights the need for a commission or committee of urbanism, whichever one has bite to its bark, which would oversee transportation-related issues whether it be parking meters, adding lanes, implementing bike infrastructure, etc and all projects would require approval before going forward. It would consist of city planners, not traffic engineers, to have the final say on  how we design our streets. Here's the main point from my blog about the PSD.

 

The Public Service Department, aka, Transportation Division

 

The reason we're not seeing more urban-friendly roads is quite simply because the PSD caters to the sprawl surrounding the urban core first and foremost by adding more lanes, which has been shown to increase traffic. Polaris Pkwy has multiple lanes in each direction, but it certainly is not traffic-free and how many more lanes would it take anyway? Too many. Basically, the city's PSD is spending money to do nothing but make sprawling roads more hostile for pedestrians and cyclists, increase the cost of maintenance of these roads, in some cases by more than 50%, and encourage more sprawl.

 

Remember when Mary Carran Webster, the city's assistant public service director, said that there's "no money" for the Summit and 4th two-way conversion? And now the PSD has doubled the meter rate because the city wants money for a convention hotel? Look below to see where that money is currently being spent. This list does not include similar completed projects.

•     Alum Creek Dr - $31.4 million for three additional lanes
  
•     Emerald Pkwy - $8 million for two additional lanes (unknown amount shared by Dublin)
  
•     Hard Rd Phase C - $8 million (ODOT estimate) or $16.8 million (PSD estimate) fo three additional lanes (costs of phases A & B are unknown)
  
•     Hilliard-Rome Rd -$16.4 million for three additional lanes
  
•     Lockbourne Rd - $6.4 million for one additional lane
  
•     N High St (Flint Rd to Delaware County) - $6.8 million for two additional lanes
  
•     Parsons Ave & E Livingston Ave - $24.9 million for new left-turn lanes
  

Clearly, there is a problem and it is one of what the city government and its PSD prioritizes. It is more important to add lanes on sprawling roads and attract businesses out there and not important to re-urbanize our city and attract businesses here. Not only that, but the PSD is now punishing any and all visitors to the urban core with ridiculously high meter rates. Look above again to see where the bulk of the  future of Columbus is being invested.

 

http://columbus-ite.com/2009/12/10/the-public-service-department-aka-transportation-division/

I'd like to know where all this money comes from. It seems there really is no coherent city transportation policy, just "let's widen this road or that one" without any real thought. At the very least, there should be a rough parity between urban neighborhoods and the outer areas that get most of the funding.

 

If the bulk of this funding comes from parking meters or local property taxes, there should be no restriction as to where it's spent. Probably 10-15% of Columbus residents do not own a car and yet their property taxes goes to support more roads. Where is the justice in this? If we took 10% of the amount shown ($91.9 million), we'd have $9 million for sidewalks, etc.

 

Can you imagine if the center of the city got half this funding and it was spent on the first leg of a light rail line, bike/ped facilites or streetscaping? What a difference that would make. There many urban based groups out there who should be natural allies in this and I think Mayor Coleman and City Council needs to hear from those of us who want a choice. Anyone for putting together a call to do this?

I'd like to know where all this money comes from.

 

http://pubserv.ci.columbus.oh.us/transportation/PROJECT_OVERVIEWS.htm

 

Unfortunately, I could not access the PDF files, but I am thinking they had the various funding sources (federal, state, or city) spelled out in each of the project overviews.  My thought is that most of these projects are funded with federal funding.  As for a transportation plan, that would have to be for the city of Columbus to answer.  There are projects involving downtown - Rich Street Bridge, Main Street Bridge, RiverSouth Phases 1 & 2, Scioto Mile - all of which are aimed to provide a more pedestrian/bicycle friendly environment.