COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission announced 83 new projects to build or improve sidewalks, bikeways and trails throughout central Ohio.
The projects are part a COTA ballot levy called LinkUS that will be on the November ballot. If passed, the levy would be an $8 billion investment in transit over a 30-year period.
The levy is a sales tax initiative. If it passes, it will increase the sales tax in Columbus from 7.5% to 8%. Then COTA would receive 1% of that sales tax. Currently, it receives .5%.
The projects include sidewalks, trails and rapid transit buses and will be all throughout central Ohio, including Columbus, Dublin, Gahanna and Reynoldsburg.
“The dedicated lanes that allow transit to move at a different speed then normal traffic than those single occupancy vehicles,” said Monica Tellez-Fowler, the president and CEO of COTA.
The levy would also build 150 miles of sidewalks, trails and bikeways that are connected to the transit.
“This is about lifting yourself up with more options, but also about lifting up your neighbors. A lot of folks can’t drive, don’t want to drive. This gives them the ability to have more options,” said William Murdock, Executive Director MORPC.
10TV spoke to people at Big Walnut Trail in Gahanna about the levy. One man questioned how many people ride COTA. In 2023, COTA had 11 million riders.
“I see those buses empty a lot except maybe for Red, white and boom or big events,” said Jim Paplaczyk of Gahanna.
Michael Hughes also lives in Gahanna. Hughes said he likes to bike around the area, and he said he will be supporting the levy.
“I just think there should be more bike ability, walkability, less requirements to drive a vehicle to get places. If it was more available (public transit), and easily accessibly I would see that as an option to not take my car across town,” said Hughes.
MORPC is looking for feedback on its potential 80 projects. You can submit feedback here.