Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Service to modify an existing right-of-way acquisition agreement with the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) relative to the FRA-COTA Cleveland Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project; to accept additional monies from COTA for acquisition of right-of-way by the Columbus City Attorney’s Office, Real Estate Division; and to, as necessary, provide refunds to COTA after construction of the project has been completed.
The BRT is a 15.6-mile high capacity transit project comprised of a combination of BRT services operating in mixed traffic primarily along Cleveland Avenue between downtown Columbus and SR-161, with enhanced bus service continuing north to Polaris Parkway and Africa Road, connecting commuters with various land uses along the corridor through the City of Columbus, Clinton Township, and the Village of Minerva Park in Franklin County, terminating in the City of Westerville in Delaware County. The BRT line will utilize “an operational strategy that facilitates the movement of in-service transit vehicles through traffic-signal controlled intersections” known as the Traffic Signal Priority (TSP) System, which endeavors to reduce transit vehicle travel times and transit schedule variability while minimizing the impact to “conventional” traffic using the same road network.
Pursuant to Ordinance 0567-2015, the Director of Public Service and COTA entered into a right-of-way acquisition agreement, whereby COTA agreed to deposit $350,000.00 with the Department of Public Service for the acquisition of various property rights attributable to the BRT project by the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division. This legislation provides for the completion of right-of-way acquisition by authorizing the Director of Public Service to modify the aforementioned agreement and the acceptance and expenditure of additional deposits currently estimated to be in the amount up to $100,000.00 from COT...
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