The future of transportation involves moving into new, smarter sources of energy, modes of transport, and physical and technological infrastructure to support these transportation innovations.

We have a special guest returning to the podcast to give us even more information on transportation issues in Central Ohio. Thea Ewing is the Director of Transportation & Infrastructure Development, for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC).

We covered the role of MORPC in our community during our first podcast with Thea, which you can listen to as well.

The success of Columbus, and other major markets around the country, is dependent on transportation gateways. If we can't get to work, to entertainment, to necessities, our economy will not grow. We’ve seen how easy it is for us to stay home and order groceries online, however, that doesn't lessen the critical need for a safe, smooth transportation system. Thea covers the Master Plan for the region and its highlights.

With the transportation bill approved, many projects will move forward. Thea covers what funding we will start to see, and what projects will finish, continue, and be started.

Our communities need equity in their access to good transportation. Every method won't be the same in every community, but those in need should have affordable access. MORPC is doing its part to move our systems toward a fair and affordable transportation program in Central Ohio.

There are urban and rural differences in our transportation system. It's difficult to cover vast space when the ridership is limited. So, we often have inadequate services in our rural communities. How do we balance the two?

A new program “LinkUS” connects the outer edges of the community, was launched last year. This program is a collaborative effort – bringing private sector and neighborhood partners together to better serve communities, and concentrates the efforts under a common umbrella. One really important aspect of this program is the development of transportation corridors that run across Columbus.

We talk about trains and the expansion of the Amtrak passenger rail service. Is this really going to happen?

Many wonder about the future of electric vehicles. It seems that much is happening, but many are concerned – they fear not finding power to recharge their cars. Central Ohio is working to make electric transportation more user-friendly.

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Recorded in Studio C at 511 Studios. A production of Circle270Media Podcast Consultants.