Transit-Affiliated Agencies You Need to Know

Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is the primary public transportation provider serving the Greater Columbus area. Established in 1971, COTA provides fixed-route bus services, on-demand transportation options and paratransit services for eligible riders. The agency plays a key role in regional transportation planning, infrastructure development, and mobility innovation, working with local governments, businesses and community organizations to improve public transit accessibility and efficiency. 

Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT)

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is responsible for maintaining the state highway system and advancing transportation initiatives across Ohio. With an annual budget exceeding $3 billion, ODOT prioritizes system preservation through maintenance, construction, and snow and ice operations. ODOT's local operations occur through 12 regional districts.

District offices oversee construction and maintenance of highways within their respective regions. ODOT District 6 serves Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway and Union counties in central Ohio. Headquartered in Delaware, the district maintains over 4,900 lane miles of interstate, federal, and state highways and 1,557 bridges throughout its eight-county region.

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC)

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission is both a political subdivision and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It is the regional council for the central Ohio region with the core responsibility to facilitate the region’s transportation planning process. With experts in research and forecasting, public policy and facilitating funding and financing, MORPC acts as a bridge to convene and connect local governments to work collaboratively. MORPC also acts as central Ohio’s Metropolitan Planning Organization that’s required for cities with populations exceeding 50,000, per federal transportation law.

Transit advocates should connect with MORPC during the development or update of major transportation plans, such as the Metropolitan Transportation Plan — updated every four years, with the current 2024-2050 version active — or the Regional Mobility Plan, which focuses on coordinated transit for underserved groups like people with disabilities, older adults, and low-income residents. These plans set long-term priorities and funding for transit projects.

Franklin County Engineer's Office

The Franklin County Engineer's Office is responsible for the maintenance and construction of 260 miles of county roadway. Improvements to county roads range from resurfacing, reconstruction and widening projects to Highway Maintenance Department operations.

The City of Columbus

The City of Columbus operates under a structure of independently elected branches of government, with powers and responsibilities defined by the City Charter and Columbus City Codes. The City Charter, adopted in 1914 and amended 61 times, outlines the fundamental roles of citizens and officials, while the City Codes cover matters left to City Council’s discretion. Changes to the Charter require a public vote, while the Codes can be amended by City Council ordinance.

Columbus’s government includes seven City Council members, a Mayor, a City Auditor, and a City Attorney — all elected citywide to four-year terms. The Mayor leads the administrative branch, overseeing city departments and ensuring the enforcement of ordinances. Columbus City Council forms the legislative branch, responsible for adopting budgets, approving significant contracts, establishing land use policy through zoning, and enacting the Columbus City Codes. 

Columbus Department of Public Service (DPS)

The Columbus Department of Public Service is responsible for maintaining and improving the city's infrastructure, ensuring safe and efficient transportation and essential services.

The department is one of the Mayor’s Cabinet agencies and  oversees more than 5,000 lane miles of roadways, including 217 bridges, and designs and constructs roadway improvements such as street resurfacing projects and traffic calming measures to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety. It installs and maintains street signs and traffic signals, manages ADA-compliant wheelchair curb ramps, and oversees on-street parking enforcement, including meters and permit areas.

During winter, it is responsible for plowing and treating city streets, excluding interstate highways managed by the Ohio Department of Transportation. The department leads the Vision Zero initiative, which the city launched in 2020. In 2025, the department rolled out a  new bikeshare and e-scooter program in partnership with VeoRide. 

Vision Zero

Vision Zero Columbus is focused on ending crash-related fatalities and serious injuries on our streets, while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all. Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful across Europe — and now it’s gaining momentum in major American cities. There are now more than 60 communities that have pledged to become a Vision Zero community.

Vision Zero Columbus is part of the Department of Public Service and is focused on ending crash-related fatalities and serious injuries on city streets.

Area Commissions

Area Commissions are made up of elected commissioners who create their own bylaws and regulations. With over 200 neighborhoods and a population exceeding 900,000, Columbus relies on these resident-based recommending bodies to provide community input on certain projects. While their votes are advisory and not binding, the City Council considers their recommendations when making decisions. Area commissions are distinct from civic associations and block watches but may collaborate with these groups for community guidance on local issues.

Area Commissions