The Central Ohio Transit Authority is awaiting over $100 million in federal grants before starting construction on Columbus's first bus rapid transit line. Meanwhile, COTA wants to add a new line to the airport and 24-hour bus service on some routes.
COTA spokesman Jeff Pullin said the West Broad Street BRT route from Prairie Township to downtown Columbus is 90% designed, but $150 million from the Federal Transit Administration needs to be finalized before construction starts.
Pullin said people need to understand the first of the agency's three planned bus rapid transit projects is one of the most complex in the region's history.
"What we have to do is make sure that we are designing the best transit project for our region, but also making sure that it works on a corridor that vehicles can travel safely and efficiently through as well," Pullin said.
He didn't give a timeline for when work would begin on the BRT route. But he said once agreements are finalized, COTA could begin construction almost immediately.
The agency this week unveiled a five-year plan that includes a new line that would run between Ohio State University and John Glenn Columbus International Airport. Pullin says COTA also wants high-traffic lines to operate 24 hours in the next five years.
"We will take a look at where we can prioritize our service to business hubs, workforce areas, to make sure that people who work overnight have access to our service," Pullin said.
Pullin said bus frequency during overnight hours on these lines will likely be one hour, but that will be flexible as COTA assesses demand.
The planned Line 99 to the airport is a reboot of the old AirConnect line that ran from downtown Columbus to the airport before the COVID-19 pandemic. The line would replace Line 7, which currently runs from downtown to the airport and Easton.
Pullin said COTA thinks this line will start service before the airport finishes construction on its new terminal in 2029.
