Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is currently preparing project grant agreements for projects awarded 2026 Transit Supportive Infrastructure (TSI) Program grant funds. The TSI Program is part of the LinkUS Initiative, which is a collaboration between the LinkUS Partners, who are COTA, the City of Columbus, Franklin County, and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC). Funding for COTA’s TSI program is provided by the COTA sales tax increase that was approved by Franklin County voters in 2024; with the LinkUS Partners agreeing that 27.5% of the future revenues from the new 0.5% increase are to fund the TSI Program.
The projects comprising the TSI Program’s five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and annual Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) were identified and selected by the TSI Technical Working Groups, the TSI Technical Coordinating Committee, and the TSI Leadership Committee. Once selected by the TSI Committees, the COTA board then reviewed and approved both the CIP and CIB.
COTA is now in the process of preparing project grant agreements for projects awarded 2026 TSI Program grant funds. This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Service to execute grant agreements with COTA or others in connection with the award of the grant, the expenditure of grant funds, and the return of unused grant funds if any should remain at the end of the grant for projects that have been selected to received TSI Program funding in 2026.
2. EXPECTED PROJECTS
The following is a list of the specific projects selected for TSI Program funding in 2026.
Bikeway - Broad Street Urban Trail - Washington Ave to Alum Creek Trail. This project, initially identified on the TSI Program’s CIP and CIB as East Broad Capital Trail - East (Washington Ave to Alum Creek Trail), consists of installing separated bike lanes along the south side of Broad Street; resurfacing and restriping Broad Street; providing buffers between the roadway and the...
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