Using Data to Embed Equity into Selecting Future Regional Trails in the Columbus, Ohio, Area

Recent research shows trail networks help achieve climate resilience, improve public health, and increase economic prosperity. The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) provided data and analysis to help local governments understand the regional impact of the Central Ohio Greenways (COG) trail system and establish criteria to prioritize trails to fund and build that included equity as a key component.

Central Ohio Greenways (COG) is an over-230-mile bicycling and pedestrian trail network in the Columbus region used for both transportation and recreation. Yet, in Franklin County, only about 27 percent of residents can safely access a trail from their home by walking or biking, and residents in neighborhoods with the highest rates of poverty are less likely to be able to access the trails. The COG Board, a committee of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, adopted a Regional Trail Vision in 2018 with the goal of adding 500 new trail miles to the COG trail network. With a focus on equitable access to trails, the vision seeks to expand the trail network to connect residents with job centers, neighborhoods, and cultural destinations across the region.

To determine which trails to prioritize, MORPC analyzed 53 proposed trail segments to understand how they would improve four domains: (1) connectivity, by being near bus stops and existing trails; (2) health and environment, by providing access to parks or alternate routes around sites with high amounts of crashes; (3) social equity, by increasing access to trails in areas with higher rates of poverty, limited vehicle access, and more residents of color; and (4) economic development, by providing access to jobs, schools, and cultural amenities. Using these components, MORPC calculated indices for the four domains and ranked each proposed trail. Based on the rankings, MORPC identified 10 trails that would have the most potential impact. This analysis is published as an accessible, interactive StoryMap to allow community group leaders, public officials, and residents to better understand the trail network gaps and the need to build equitable trails. MORPC also published a spreadsheet of scores across the indices for technical audiences to further explore the analysis.

MORPC provided a baseline analysis to understand the benefits of the COG trail system and a common framework to assess future trail networks. Government agencies, advocates, and neighborhood residents can access the same trusted data source to make decisions and apply for funding. With data to support funding requests, the COG Board has successfully raised higher levels of government funding to reach their goals than they previously raised. In 2022, MORPC allocated over $53 million of federal transportation funding to advance nine projects to add to the COG Regional Trail Vision to be constructed by 2028. Some of these projects will create new trails proposed by COG and some will expand walking and biking access to the existing trail network. In comparison, MORPC allocated only around $2 to $4 million for stand-alone pedestrian and bicycle trails in previous years. Local governments have also successfully allocated local transportation funds and leveraged other federal and state funding sources to advance priority trail and trail access projects. The data-informed prioritization and community consensus helped the proposals be more competitive. Currently, 9 of the 10 highest-priority trails are in the design or construction phase.

Voters approved a county ballot measure in November 2024 to create a new sales tax levy that will fund the LinkUS initiative, which will increase transit services by 45 percent, introduce rapid transit, and build 500 miles of bikeways, sidewalk, and trails by 2050. In the next five years alone, the region will build nearly 50 miles of COG trails in the COTA service area with funing from past MORPC allocations and the new COTA funding. Proponents of the LinkUS bill used MORPC’s analysis to persuade voters that the bill could benefit neighborhoods and residents. The levy will generate an estimated $60 million to fund 83 projects, a transformational investment to support connectivity in the region.

By providing rigorous and accessible data to government officials, advocates, residents, and other stakeholders, the COG Board shifted the decision criteria for judging future trails and provided justification for raising additional funding to implement the Regional Trail Vision. As a result, underserved communities will have increased trail access connecting them to jobs, schools, parks, and public transportation, and more Columbus-area residents area will have safer, healthier options for transportation and recreation.

This story was written by Elizabeth Burton at the Urban Institute, with the support of Melinda Vonstein from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and Mike Andrako, chair of the Central Ohio Greenways (COG) Board and a mobility engineer in the Franklin County Engineer’s Office. NNIP is a national network of local organizations in more than 30 cities that support local priorities by connecting communities with the data they need and the help they need to use it. MORPC is one of the NNIP partners in Columbus, Ohio.