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Columbus Using Data For Transportation Reform

File photo. (Tony Ganzer / ideastream)

by Nick Evans, WOSU

After winning a major federal grant, Columbus has unveiled a new website to act as a kind of clearing house for important regional data. 

The new platform, called "Smart Columbus," comes from a 40 million dollar Department of Transportation grant the city won in 2016.  

Columbus’ Chief Innovation Officer Michael Stevens explains putting relevant information in one place will help people address transportation issues.

“It’s a way to house data that can then be retrieved by researchers, application developers and individuals who identify a problem and want to get the data they need to help determine what the solution is.”

City leaders believe the site could support a wide range of tools.

The city will host a hackathon this weekend to address problems like finding the closest food pantry or improving transportation for the elderly.