Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Buses

Columbus Just Launched a Completely Redesigned Bus Network

A before-and-after look at bus routes in Columbus with service at least every 15 minutes. Maps: COTA

This week, Columbus, Ohio, became the latest city to flip the switch on a redesigned bus network, changing a decades-old route map in a bid to jump-start flagging ridership. The updated routes bring huge numbers of people and jobs within closer reach of frequent transit service.

In a matter of hours, old bus routes were replaced with new ones, with commuters adjusting Monday morning. While the changes took effect overnight, the effort took years of planning.

In 2013, the Central Ohio Transit Authority hired consultants including Jarrett Walker, who also worked on Houston's bus network revamp, for its Transit Schedule Redesign project. The consultants helped the authority develop a plan that allocates 70 percent of bus service to high-ridership routes, while distributing the other 30 percent to increase the system's geographic coverage.

A draft of the new bus network was revealed in September 2014 and finalized after more than a year of public review. Over the course of last year, the agency geared up for launch day, drafting new schedules and preparing riders for the changes.

Buses will be free for the first week to build goodwill and help people adjust. (Local news reports are already featuring bus riders who've been taking the same route for decades and are upset by the transition.) COTA has also enlisted the help of mobile phone applications to show riders their old and new routes side by side.

Change can be difficult, but the benefits are enormous: 100,000 more Columbus residents will be within a five-minute walk of buses that arrive at least every 15 minutes, and 110,000 more jobs will be within a five-minute walk of transit, according to TransitCenter. Total bus service hours on Saturdays will increase 50 percent, and Sunday service will increase 120 percent.

A lot is riding on these changes. COTA ridership has dropped 2.6 percent from 2014 to 2016, according to the Columbus Dispatch, to 18.8 million annual unlinked trips. Now the authority is projecting a 10 percent increase in ridership by 2020, and it seeks to reach 25 million trips per year by 2025.

Nationally, the momentum for bus network redesigns is building. Two cities that recently made big adjustments to their bus networks -- Houston and Seattle -- are among the small number bucking the national trend of falling transit ridership. Cities including Austin to Boston are looking at how to change routes and schedules, as well.

According to the Dispatch, Monday's big switch in Columbus was closely watched by transit officials from Baltimore and Rochester on hand to learn lessons that can be applied to their own bus networks.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Tuesday’s Headlines Turn Up the Heat

Triple-digit heat, fueled by climate change, is warping rail lines, interrupting construction work on transit lines and causing burns on sidewalks.

July 16, 2024

These Are the Most Dangerous Congressional Districts for Pedestrians

The deadliest congressional districts in America are dominated by BIPOC communities — and federal officials need to step up to save the most vulnerable road users.

July 16, 2024

Delivery Worker Minimum Wage Shows Promise … For Some, Data Shows

New data from New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection shows minimum wage is bringing order to a previously wild industry.

July 15, 2024

Monday’s Headlines Go Through Basic Training

An NYU study looks into why the U.S. is lagging behind on high-speed rail, and one transportation expert ponders the impact on growth.

July 15, 2024

Sustainable Transportation Advocates Need to Talk About Sustainable Urban Design

A new book hopes to act as a "magic decoder ring" to our built environment — and a powerful tool to understand how sustainable transportation networks can fit within them.

July 15, 2024
See all posts