Columbus Unveils 'Putting Assets to Work' Initiative to Build Housing Along LinkUS Corridors as West Broad BRT Reaches 90% Design

City Leaders Unveil 'Putting Assets to Work' Framework for Public Land

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Unlocking underutilized municipal properties to address rapid population growth, Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin and Council Member Nick Bankston presented findings from the city’s groundbreaking 'Putting Assets to Work' (PAW) analysis in October 2026. The technical study identified approximately 10 square miles of tax-exempt, publicly owned real estate—including municipal parking lots and surplus administrative buildings—that can be transformed into dense mixed-income housing and commercial spaces.

City leaders proposed leveraging seed capital from voter-approved municipal housing bonds to establish a dedicated Revolving Housing Loan Fund. The financing mechanism will partner with non-profit and private developers to generate hundreds of millions in development capital, directly funding thousands of affordable residences along primary transit corridors.

LinkUS West Broad Street Bus Rapid Transit Reaches 90% Engineering Design

In historic regional transit milestones, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and regional partners announced that engineering design for the LinkUS West Broad Street Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor has surpassed the 90% completion mark. The flagship transit project also successfully completed the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) rigorous Capital Investment Grant Risk Assessment review, clearing a vital hurdle for full federal funding agreements.

COTA confirmed that the adjacent East Main Street BRT line is also approaching 90% design, while global engineering firm GFT officially commenced final design and construction oversight for the Northwest BRT corridor along Olentangy River Road.

Pedestrian Infrastructure and Trail Connections Advance Regional Transit Vision

Complementing the rapid transit corridors, regional mobility crews advanced structural work on the Hoover Road Pedestrian Bridge and accelerated sidewalk installations across western Franklin County. The capital investments are part of the broader LinkUS commitment to expand sidewalks, bikeways, and multi-use trails by 30% over the next five years, connecting neighborhood residents safely to bus rapid transit stations.