The state of Ohio has printed nearly 1.4 million paper road maps for distribution. Ohio Department of Transportation's Matt Bruning says new maps are printed every two years, to keep all the information current. The maps will be handed out at rest areas, tourism centers, and online. Bruning says yes: Online. The internet, where many people turn to for directions.
“They work when cellphone service does not,” Bruning says. “You would think Google Maps, Apple Maps, GPS systems all of that as flawless. Yes, people do rely on that, but when all of that fails, a paper map is always the best option.”
Bruning says many people do still like paper maps. He says within hours of the announcement, ODOT had more than 300 requests through its website.
“We hear from people who say ‘When I’m planning a vacation, I like to be able to set out a map at the table, gather the family around, figure out where we’re going to go,’ so there are still a lot of people who rely on those,” he says. “In fact, it’s by far and away the most requested item we give out at the Ohio State Fair every year, at our State Fair booth. The demand is still there.”
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Bruning says the new maps don't include any new roads, but the branding has been updated, along with phone numbers, websites, and other information.
“That gets us on the cycle with the new governor, and lieutenant governor. Obviously this year was important to get these done because of the new state branding: the Heart of It All branding,” Bruning says. “And the map honestly is more than just a display of roads across the state. We use the map as a great resource for promoting tourism in our state, which is a multi-billion dollar industry.”
The new maps are being distributed now. Bruning says if you can’t wait for one to show up at a nearby rest area, you can order one online.
