The state of Ohio has printed and distributed nearly 1.4 million road maps. Matt Bruning of the Ohio Department of Transportation says new maps are printed every two years to keep all information current. The maps are distributed at rest areas, tourism centers and online. Bruning says yes: online. The Internet, where many people look for directions.
“They work when cell reception is down,” Bruning says. “You’d think Google Maps, Apple Maps, GPS systems and all that would be flawless. Yes, people rely on them, but when all that fails, a paper map is still the best option.”
Bruning says many people still like to have paper maps. He says ODOT received over 300 requests through its website within hours of the announcement.
“We hear from people who say, ‘When I’m planning a vacation, I like to put a map on the table, gather the family around it and figure out where we’re going.’ So there are still a lot of people who rely on it,” he says. “In fact, it’s by far the most requested item we hand out at our booth at the Ohio State Fair every year. The demand is still there.”
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Bruning said the new maps do not include any new streets, but branding, phone numbers, websites and other information have been updated.
“This puts us on schedule for the new governor and lieutenant governor. This year, of course, it was important to get this done because the state now has new branding: the ‘Heart of It All’ branding,” Bruning says. “And the map is honestly more than just a representation of the roads across the state. We use the map as a great resource to promote tourism in our state, which is a multibillion-dollar industry.”
The new cards are being distributed now. Bruning says that anyone who can’t wait for a card to arrive at a nearby rest area can also order one online.
