It’s no secret that technology is transforming all sectors of society. The Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments is using it to improve the quality of peoples’ lives throughout the agency’s eight-county region.
OKI continues to create innovative tools designed to safely navigate the Ohio River; measure solar energy potential of your rooftop; select the perfect tree for your backyard; find less stressful bike routes through the city of Cincinnati; ease the negative environmental impacts of commercial development, and much more.
Here are summaries and links to OKI’s newer applications, several of which have been recognized nationally for their “best practice standards.”
– Tree for Me
Designed by OKI’s GIS Department, Tree for Me is a digital tree benefits calculator. The tool estimates stormwater, air quality, and carbon dioxide benefits at any location in the Greater Cincinnati area. Users (homeowners, commercial property owners, etc.) select a tree species common to the region and that will be planted in a location of their choosing. Images and descriptions of each species help users select the most suitable tree. Environmental organizations are also using the tool to distribute trees to residents throughout the
region. Residents will be able to see pictures of the tree and get details about its growth habits to determine the best tree choice for their yard.
– Environmental Mitigation Suitability Modeler (EMSM)
The OKI Environmental Mitigation and Suitability Modeler enables decision-makers the ability to identify the areas of the OKI region most suitable for future mitigation investments – helping to retain mitigation investments within the OKI region. Dr. Margaret Minzner, EMSM creator, said: “The tool’s potential is unlimited. Planners and conservationists are seeking ways to address the myriad issues associated with climate change. EMSM can help us make better and more meaningful decisions when it comes to land use and zoning, transportation, green space, and energy policy.”
– Ohio River Way Digital Guide
The Ohio River Way Digital Guide is a user-friendly, real-time resource and planning guide for anyone who wants to explore the Ohio River and the communities along its shore, whether by water or land. The guide identifies amenities such as marinas, boat ramps, fuel docks, campgrounds, parks, bike trails and historical points of interest on and along the Ohio River
Recreation Trail’s (ORRT) 274-mile stretch, from Portsmouth, Ohio, to West Point, Kentucky.
– OKI Bike Route Guide
An interactive map updated in 2023, the OKI Bike Route Guide was designed to improve safety for cyclists. Launched in 2014, this latest version includes bicycle levels of traffic stress. The guide measures roadway stress for cyclists at all experience levels. Each roadway is given a stress value from 1 to 4, with stress level 1 being least stressful. When using the guide, OKI cautions cyclists to use all safety precautions, obey the rules of the road, and use their best judgment based on current conditions.
– OKI Solar Ready Rooftop Potential Map
The OKI Solar Ready Rooftop Potential Map estimates annual solar energy potential by analyzing building rooftops in the OKI region. The map enables users to click on the home or building of interest to view roof type, roof area, usable roof space, annual savings and more. OKI is one of a handful of the more than 420 metropolitan planning organizations to earn national recognition for its innovation and leadership in advancing solar energy growth in the region.
OKI is a council of local governments, business organizations and community groups committed to developing collaborative strategies, plans and programs to improve the quality of life and economic development potential of the Tri-State.