COTA West Broad BRT Reaches 90% Design Milestone as Columbus Mayor Unveils Record $2.8B Capital Budget

LinkUS West Broad Street Bus Rapid Transit Clears Federal Risk Assessment

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Advancing Central Ohio's largest multimodal transportation initiative toward final construction, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) announced that the West Broad Street Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line has achieved 90 percent engineering design. The major transit project also successfully passed the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) rigorous Capital Investment Grant Risk Assessment review.

Representing the flagship corridor of the region’s LinkUS mobility framework, the 9.3-mile West Broad BRT will feature dedicated center-running bus lanes, level-boarding stations, transit signal priority, and 17 miles of rebuilt sidewalks and protected bike lanes. The corridor connects downtown Columbus to the Near West Side, Hilltop, and Franklin Township, slashing commute times and driving equitable economic development.

Mayor Andrew Ginther Proposes Historic $2.8 Billion Municipal Capital Budget

Synchronizing transit modernizations with comprehensive civic investment, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther unveiled a record $2.8 billion capital budget proposal for the city in late 2026. Bolstered by $2 billion in newly authorized bond funding, the budget marks the largest infrastructure program in Columbus' history.

The proposal allocates $30 million directly toward affordable housing preservation, land bank acquisitions, and emergency home repair grants for low-income seniors. An additional $282 million targets essential municipal infrastructure, including $21.67 million for the complete reconstruction of East Broad Street with enhanced pedestrian safety and ADA accessibility.

COTA Expands Fleet with 76 Clean Natural Gas Buses and 94,000 Service Hours

To support growing regional ridership, COTA took delivery of the first shipments of 76 new low-emission Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses in October 2026. The expanded rolling stock supports 94,000 additional annual service hours and 42 newly certified bus operators, enhancing frequency on high-demand routes including Line 30 linking Hilliard directly to The Ohio State University campus.

City and transit officials emphasized that coupling federal-grade rapid transit engineering with record-breaking municipal capital funding ensures Columbus maintains world-class mobility and inclusive growth.