Transportation

AMATS Connecting Communities Initiative
http://www.ci.akron.oh.us/amats/Connecting/index.htm
The Initiative's purpose is to look at ways that AMATS and other regional entities can improve the coordination between land use and transportation.  Inventories from land use and zoning to sidewalks and transi were compiled for the AMATS area, Summit and Portage Counties,  Planning areas were created to generalize the urban form, leading to recommendations and strategies. 

Compact with Ohio Cities Task Force
http://planning.co.cuyahoga.oh.us/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?blog_id=1&tag=Compact%20with%20Ohio%20Cities%20Task%20Force&limit=20
The 29-member Compact with Ohio Cities Task Force unveiled a report in January 2010 that recommends state policy changes to foster smart growth and redevelopment. The task force's primary conclusion was that "the existing paradigm of single-jurisdictional planning is not only antiquated, but also harmful to every community in Ohio." Its list of recommendations includes restructuring tax incentive programs and allowing municipalities to jointly establish transportation innovation authorities.

Ohio Hub Rail Study
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Rail/Programs/passenger/Pages/OhioHubOverview.aspx
The Ohio Hub Study is part of an ongoing effort by the State of Ohio, led by the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC), an independent commission within the Ohio Department of Transportation, and ODOT to further develop the concept of expanding transportation capacity by improving the railroad system for both passenger and freight trains. The initial Ohio Hub Study was released in 2004; this 2007 update culminates a multi-year effort to develop a feasibility-level business plan for the construction and operation of an intercity/interstate passenger rail system with connections to cities and regional rail systems in neighboring states.  NE Ohio is included in four corridors centered in Cleveland, including Cleveland - Akron - Canton.

Ohio Rideshare
http://www.ohiorideshare.com/
OhioRideshare is a cooperative service offered in Northeast Ohio by the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS), the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments (Eastgate), and the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA).  OhioRideshare gives residents from 13 counties in Northeast Ohio the ability to identify potential carpool partners quickly and securely.

State DOT (ODOT): “Go Ohio Transportation Futures Plan”
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/groups/goohio/Pages/default.aspx
Long-range planning process which promises to integrate transportation policies and land use.  It should open up new opportunities for communities in NEO to coordinate economic development, sustainable land use, and the State’s infrastructure investments.

WestShore Corridor Transportation Project (WSCTP)
The WestShore Corridor Transportation Project (WSCTP) seeks to identify and implement cost-effective regional transportation investments that will speed travel and improve multi-county access and mobility within the West Shore Corridor. The project is centered at the City of Lorain in Lorain County, Ohio and extends west to Sandusky, Ohio in Erie County and east to Cleveland, Ohio in Cuyahoga County. The Lorain County Community Alliance, a council of governments in Lorain County, is taking the lead on this project.

If you know of an initiative that should be listed on this page, please download the NEO Initiative Submission Form.doc located at the bottom of "Regional Initiatives" page.