City unveils $22.4 million Metra improvement plan (Columbus: sales, 2014, buy)

[Kid_of-Wynnton]

The city has unveiled its plan to spend about $22.4 million in sales tax funds on improving public transit service over the next 13 years. Some critics are concerned that the plan would put in place over a million dollars a year in ongoing costs that will remain long after the tax money stops rolling in.

In June of 2014, Columbus and 15 surrounding counties were one of three regions that approved the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, a 10-year, one-penny sales tax designated for local transportation projects.

While a percentage of the funds are discretionary, most is designated to specific projects that were lined out in the proposal put before taxpayers. Of the approximately $260 million Columbus is expected to take in, $22.4 million is specifically designated for public transit, and some of that toward specific public transit projects.



City unveils $22.4 million Metra improvement plan | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

A much need improvement.

[Columbus1984]

How cool would a light-rail system be?

[Kid_of-Wynnton]

I think light-rail would do good in Columbus.

[Mutiny77]

Columbus doesn't have the population or the density to support light rail right now. But a downtown streetcar line or loop might work.

[moionfire]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Columbus doesn't have the population or the density to support light rail right now. But a downtown streetcar line or loop might work.

Light rail can create density.

[oddtie]

The money should have been spent on cleAn fuel buses, but that the fun out of throwing money around.

[tricky1]

They need to do away with the large buses, I am on the roads from morning to late afternoon
and NEVER seen one of the buses even half full. Not to mention the ones mostly seen with only 2-5 people riding them. Big waste of money.They could easily get buy with the type CSU uses.

[tricky1]

But while public transit is the choice for fewer working people here than elsewhere, it is a daily necessity for many others, especially those with disabilities. According to Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson, about one-third of the more than a million yearly passenger rides on the city's Metra bus service are by people with some type of disability.

Read more here: Metra upgrades should pay off for community | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

More than a million passengers a year? At just 1,000,000 riders thats 3,278 per day(this includes saturdays)
Is there really that many people using the buses? !st off, They should improve the bus stops. Roofs and side panels to help keep the riders dry and out of the wind/sun. As stated above clean air buses.I'm sure the metra
employee's could come up with some good ideals also.