In mid-2011, eproximiti began building the official mobile app for The City of Columbus - picking it up from a team of Ohio State students. It is now a free app on iPhone & Android. The app provides citizens access to: a mobile 311 service, information about their neighborhood, tools to “Get Active,” and information on the city’s green initiatives.

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The App encompasses four mayoral initiatives to help city residents: My Neighborhood, Get Active, Get Green, and 311. The My Neighborhood campaign allows residents to easily select and map government buildings, local entertainment and retail venues, as well as other useful Columbus sites. The Get Active initiative enables residents to access an events calendar, park and trail guides, and tips from prominent community members on healthy eating and exercise. The Get Green initiative encourages sustainable behavior with environmental facts and pointers. The app also includes a 311 service center submission section where residents can submit and check on the status of service requests from their mobile devices.

This iPhone App is one piece of the foundation of a strategic mobile program for the City of Columbus. With smart phone use already at 50% for much of the US, the Columbus App was the obvious next-step in improving city-to-resident communication. The City of Columbus hopes to capitalize on this phenomenon and make public services more accessible and engaging to residents.