Explanation
This resolution supports the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to enter into a grant application with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) which will be used to build the final segment of the Olentangy Trail, from Northmoor Park to Clinton Como Park. MORPC administers grant funding for the federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).
Background: The Olentangy Trail is Central Ohio’s most used greenway trail. Recent trail count data shows over 4 million trail miles per year are traveled on this path. The central 0.6 mile segment of the trail between Northmoor Park and Clinton Como Park was never completed. Currently, users must leave the trail and use a 1 mile signed on-street route which travels on 5 different streets. This route is widely recognized as difficult to navigate, congested, narrow, and unsafe. This route also includes constricted sections where combined two-way car and trail traffic is on 11’-13’ wide pavement. It also includes a narrow crossing of North Broadway at Milton Avenue, documented as one of the region’s most dangerous intersections for bicycle/vehicular crashes.
This project will alleviate the need to use the on-street segment and will complete this final trail gap by constructing a crossing of the Olentangy River at Northmoor Park and travel along the west bank. At North Broadway the trail will use a new, fully functional bike/ped crosswalk and signal being constructed as part of the North Broadway/315 interchange improvements for the new Ohio Health campus. The trail then continues south and cross the river to Clinton Como Park, where it rejoins an existing trail. To accommodate the increase of overall Olentangy Trail use, the new pavement will be 12’-14’ wide.
This resolution of support authorizes an application for grant funds only, and is not a commitment to expend City funds. Future legislation will follow to authorize acceptance, appropriation, and expenditure of City ...
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