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The Ohio State University’s board of trustees will be addressing the issue of parking and transportation in Nov. with plans to overhaul CABs services and move more parking to the outskirt of campus to accommodate OSU growth in the coming years.

“All of this stems from The One Ohio State Framework Plan that was completed in 2010,” said Keith Myers, associate vice president of physical planning and real estate. “It included several high-level recommendations about the transportation system that would support the broader campus development vision.”

The framework plan focused on the idea of making OSU a “park once” campus for visitors and studentsthat would rely heavily on providing available parking outside of campus and its transit systems to move people through campus. The new proposal, called the Comprehensive Transportation and Parking Plan, or CTPP, is tied to that goal.

“The CTPP will follow the basic direction established in the framework plan,” Myers said. Myers did notethat the plan is not finalized and is open to input and revision in the coming months.

“In its stage now it is hard to state how the “park once” model will affect individual students,” said Dan Hedman, director of marketing and communications for the Office of Administration and Planning. “The “park once” model that was examined during the Framework study involves integrating all modes and facets of the transportation system into one.”

“Full implementation of the “park once” principle requires a robust alternative transportation system,” said Beth Snoke, director of transportation and traffic management. “It has to efficiently transport individuals from the parking facilities on the outskirts of campus to various destinations on campus.”

The proposal would replace several of the shuttle routes that run through campus with one “core campus circulator”. The new campus loop would be more similar to the new Central Ohio Transit Authority routes downtown started this year. Stops would be made around the loop with shuttles running in both directions including a primary shuttle hub on 17th from the loop.

To keep the shuttles running on time OSU would limit other vehicle traffic through central campus during the day. COTA routes would stay on the perimeter of campus

“Foot traffic at class changes is really significant right now,” Myers said. “Frankly, right now it can be really scary when there are cars and these big masses of people moving back and forth.”

Since the university switched from quarters to semesters pedestrian and cyclist traffic has increased according to school officials.

Stops would be made around the loop with shuttles running in both directions including a primary shuttle hub on 17th Ave. Other routes would branch out from the route.

“I think the biggest struggle with the university shuttle service is that even campus loop north and south, the closest to a circuit we have, are not even parallel routes,” Micah Sauder, a first-year in environmental engineering.

Right now the majority of campus parking is available on west campus in the carmack lots, or north in the gray lot by the Shchottenstein Center and the Buckeye lot off of Ackerman Rd. There are no major lots east of Neil Ave. and all major lots feed into state route 315.

“I also think it would be nice to have parking options on the outskirts around campus that would allow you to start your commute home quickly on several different highways,” said Sauder. “Hopefully that would help people who have to drive avoid traffic whether they are heading home or off to work.”

“I cannot speculate as to what the Board of Trustees will address in Nov.,” Hedman said. “Our goal is to present them the most developed and comprehensive options to allow for a safe and efficient transportation and parking system to support our growing infrastructure.”

Covering a beat

It’s about RELATIONSHIPS. It’s about LEARNING THE ISSUES YOUR SOURCES CARE ABOUT. It’s about PLANNING AHEAD. It’s about RELATIONSHIPS. It’s about ASKING BASIC QUESTIONS. It’s about TRUSTING YOUR GUT WHEN IT COMES TO NEWS. It’s about FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEWS. It’s about COFFEE, JUICE, MAYBE EVEN BEER. It’s about TALKING TO ALL PARTIES, NOT JUST THE OFFICIAL ONES. It’s about  DOING YOUR HOMEWORK, INCLUDING STUDYING THE COMPETITION.  It’s about ASKING FOR GUIDANCE, IDEAS, HELP. It’s about RELATIONSHIPS.

Here are some stories I did where covering a beat helped me make or break news.

Travel costs go beyond pain at the pump for many.

Stricter enforcement of airline safety regs likely means more trouble for airlines with older planes.

The Daily Show’s take on media coverage of Ferguson.

Multimedia storytelling

This is part of a Pulitzer-winning series from The Washington Post.

This is a NYT multimedia project that had people buzzing for months. I think they still are and rightfully so.

Another great multimedia piece from the same guy at the NYT who led the Snow Fall project.

This one from The Lantern made an impression.

 

You be the editor!

Open records…Math…don’t be scared!

OPEN RECORDS

You can make the request in any way you choose, such as via mail or in person. Make your request as specific as possible so the records keeper can find the record. You are not required to provide a written request, although you may want to do so to better clarify your request. If a written request would help the agency better identify and locate the records, the records keeper may ask that you write the request. However, the records keeper must inform you that a written request is not required by law. See Ohio Rev. Code § 149.43(B)(5). Note that the law only applies to existing documents. The law does not require the agency to create a record in response to your request.

Time limits

Ohio law does not specify any exact time limits in which the agency must respond to your request. However, upon receipt of your request, the office must “promptly” prepare the records and make them available for inspection. If you have requested copies of the records, these copies shall be provided to you “within a reasonable period of time.” See Ohio Rev. Code § 149.43(B)(1).

Costs

The public records law is unclear about the specific fees you may be charged for copies of records. Upon request, the office must make copies “at cost,” whch means that they cannot profit from your request. The office can charge for “the cost involved in providing the public record,” and you may be required to pay the fee in advance. See Ohio Rev. Code § 149.43(B)(6). The statute does not specify exact rates the agency may charge (such as a maximum cost per copy).

Bottom line: anyone can ask; document is better but not needed; record must exist and not be created. Can sometimes avoid simply by asking first.

Would there be outrage here if same method was used to teach about open records?

MATH!! MATH!! MATH!!

It can be incredibly useful. The AP counted railroad ties to determine train speed!

Comparison and context are hugely important. Steak houses vs. total campaign spending.

Here is a link to Labor Department data.

Here is lobbying info.

Here is Census Bureau starting point.

Want some energy info or gas prices? Here you go.

Looking for real estate records in Franklin County? BOOM!

ALWAYS REMEMBER: context and comparisons are key when dealing with numbers. Don’t just say 500,000 people lost their jobs. Don’t just the party cost $90,000. Show that 500,000 people live in Washington, D.C., and that’s like the whole city getting fired. Show that for the same amount as the party, someone could have bought 3 BMWs…maybe 2 fully loaded.

A WORD ON PERCENT VS. PERCENTAGE POINTS: If you’re bad at math, or just forget how to do a percent change calculation, use a website like this one.