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As Columbus' population grows, city aims to improve traffic flow

Columbus experienced rapid growth over the decade spanning 2010 to 2020, adding about 120,000 residents.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus experienced rapid growth over the decade spanning 2010 to 2020, adding about 120,000 residents and it’s only expected to continue to grow. 

That growth is driving more multi-level housing developments in areas that previously were fairly low-density.

The new housing had added extra cars to the roads that have remained relatively unchanged, such as 5th Avenue. Some residents are feeling the crunch of the increased congestion. 

This story is part of 10TV's "Boomtown" initiative — our commitment to covering every angle of central Ohio's rapid growth. This includes highlighting success stories, shining a light on growing pains and seeking solutions to issues in your everyday life.

Dave Pritchard is a longtime resident who has lived near 5th Avenue for six decades. He’s noticed the worsening traffic and shared his frustrations.

"I've had three cars smashed up over the last 15 years on 5th Avenue," he said, describing the busy corridor as a "nightmare." 

Rideshare drivers, like William Parks, also report increased difficulties navigating the area, noting that "traffic has picked up quite a bit, especially around [the new developments]."

10TV took those concerns to the city of Columbus. 

Rory McGuiness, a deputy director of public service, pointed to the city’s recently passed LinkUS initiative, which aims to expand public transportation options, including additional bike paths and sidewalks. 

According to McGuiness, LinkUS plans to increase COTA services by 50%, with the goal of managing transit demand as the city grows. 

“We want to make sure we have that infrastructure in place to make it easier for people to get where they want to go,” he said.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther was asked about the proposal and if the solution to solve the congestion was to ask people to give up their cars. 

“I don't think anyone is asking folks to give up their car,” he said. “We’re going to continue to work this, but growing communities are going to continue to have challenges. What’s really important is do we make the right choices in the next 10 years to make sure 20-30 years ago our kids look back and are proud of the choices we made.”

Residents like Pritchard are skeptical that better buses would mean less traffic. 

“It has to be something different than the standard bus system, but it's a hard sell these days,” he said.

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