COTA Approves $18M to Finalize Design of West Broad Corridor BRT, First of Three in LinkUs Initiative

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) board of trustees has given the green light to an $18.44 million contract that will complete design work on the West Broad Corridor BRT – the first of three planned routes under the ambitious $8 billion LinkUs project.

Global architecture and engineering firm AECOM, with offices in Columbus, will lead the final design phase and construction support services for the 9.3-mile corridor. In all, the approval brings the total expenditures for designing the West Broad Corridor to $37.77 million. The route will have dedicated bus lanes for much of the corridor from downtown Columbus out to the Prairie Township Community Center.

Utility work and localized construction will begin once designs are finalized, followed by station and roadway construction in 2026.

A Major Milestone in the LinkUs Vision

The West Broad Corridor is one part of an overall expansion in high-capacity transit by COTA. Under the initiative are two other BRT lines currently in the pipe:

East Main Corridor: A 13.6-mile route from downtown Columbus out to Reynoldsburg.

Northwest Corridor: Linking downtown with Bethel Road.

Both projects are slated to break ground in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

Beyond the Bus Rapid Transit, the LinkUs plan encompasses a wide array of infrastructure investments. In all, the $8 billion program includes capital projects, improved COTA service, and other mobility-related upgrades throughout the region. While the three BRT corridors are obviously the centerpiece of the initiative at $4.3 billion, they are part of a much greater vision for transforming Central Ohio’s transportation network.

Funding and Next Steps

The passage of Issue 47 finally guaranteed long-term funding for LinkUs, increasing the proportion of the sales tax paid to COTA from 0.5% to 1%. The increase will be effective in April, though the collection of the funds will not become effective until sometime later. This kind of tax system change will bring in $6 billion over the duration of the next 25 years, 75% of the total cost of the plan.

The COTA board also approved, in addition to the AECOM contract, a $3.8 million increase for Columbus-based HNTB Ohio to support LinkUs’ planning and engineering services.

With its funding in place and design work now moving along, COTA is making the first major step in modernizing transit throughout Central Ohio with the West Broad Corridor BRT.

Factsheet: LinkUs West Broad Corridor BRT Project Design Completion

Project Overview

Project Name: West Broad Corridor Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

Lead Agency: Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)

Parent Initiative: LinkUs ($8 billion total program)

Corridor Length: 9.3 miles

Route: Downtown Columbus to Prairie Township Community Center

Design Contractor: AECOM (Global architecture and engineering firm)

Financial Summary

Current Design Contract: $18.44 million

Total Design Expenditure: $37.77 million

BRT Component Budget: $4.3 billion (for all three corridors)

Funding Source: Issue 47 – Sales tax increase from 0.5% to 1%

Projected to raise $6 billion over 25 years

Central Ohioans will pay 75% of total plan cost

West Broad Corridor BRT Project Timeline

Design Phase: Underway

Construction Start: 2026

Phase 1: Utility work and localized construction

Phase 2: Station and roadway construction

Project Significance

First Major step in overall plan for COTA high-capacity transit expansion in Central Ohio; major modernization leap in LPA region’s public transportation infrastructure.