WCBE News

Columbus Begins Transit Study Of Northwest Corridor

WCBE 90.5FM | By Jim Letizia

Published November 19, 2019 at 5:16 PM EST

The City of Columbus is spending 500 thousand dollars to hire a consulting firm to study mobility options in the Northwest Corridor.

The Columbus Department of Public Service identifies the target area as Olentangy River Road from Bethel Road to West Broad Street. Department spokesperson Justin Goodman says it's one of five corridors identified for study that will see population and traffic explosions over the next three decades.

Goals include development of a multi-modal transportation system supportive of development patterns. Goodman says the area has some challenges.

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"For one, it's already experiencing congestion today. And also it's a number of significant engineering challenges with interchanges, bridges, the river, underpasses, railroads, that present barriers. And will make it difficult, without being resolved, to provide a new transit solution and other mibility options through the corridor."

But he says it also has the potential for growth.

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"There's a high potential for job growth. The corridor links multiple major institutions and job centers. It's also an opportunity to introduce new affordable housing options with new development throughout this corridor."

Goodman says the study will take 12-to-18 months to complete, and will also be funded by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, the Central Ohio Transit Authority and other organizations. It's not clear when the other four corridors will be studied. The studies are part of MORPC's "Insight2050" project, announced a few years ago.