An Alternative Transit Map by Nathan Wessel
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A good map makes it easy to see what’s important. Highways don’t look the same as local roads on a good street map and major transit lines shouldn’t look the same on a map as a bus that runs twice a day. A good transit map not only needs to show where transit exists, but just as importantly when transit exists. I have spent the last several months making a map that highlights the most valuable and convenient transit corridors-the transit equivalent of major arterial streets-and distinguishes them from inconvenient and specialised routes. These frequent routes are the backbone of Cincinnati’s transit infrastructure, and understanding them is vital to getting around on the bus.
One of the biggest challenges of using transit in Cincinnati is understanding it. The new rider is presented with a complicated fare structure, and a mess of schedules and maps so overwhelming and disjointed that most people just give up. This map reduces that seemingly arbitrary complication to a legible system that is complex but interconnected, with an easily visible structure of primary, secondary, and tertiary routes located clearly in space and time. The map is laid out so that people who are new to riding the bus can quickly and easily see which route they need to take, and how to do it.
My goal is to have the map printed, distributed, and available to people who need it. Imagine a clear transit map being included in the welcome binder presented to incoming freshmen, or handed to new P&G employees who are looking for a house. Or even better, imagine a clear transit map at every major bus stop telling people where they could easily go if they wanted. The map will fold into about a 3″x3″ square with downtown routing information and some other important specifics on the back side. I am still looking to raise funds for the printing, and for official acknowledgement from SORTA and TANK.
Nathan Wessel – I moved to Cincinnati in 2007 from Massillon, OH to begin my undergrad in urban planning. Since then, I have been very active in the LGBT community, among other things helping to organize the 2009 Pride parade and festival, leading the UC Alliance for a year, and most recently as a board member of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network(GLSEN) of Greater Cincinnati. I am passionate about cities, and have been looking for an outlet for that energy-DAAP’s just not cutting it. I am leading an initiative in my neighborhood to improve parking for residents, and am advocating for more sensible transportation options to the best of my ability. I’ve been an enthusiastic cyclist for almost a decade and an aggressive pedestrian since I could walk.
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