Inside the massive infrastructure proposal to link Columbus neighborhoods

• If executed, 93% of homes in COTA's service area would have paths connecting them to a bus stop via a 10-minute walk or bike ride by 2030, officials say.

Examples include: A three-mile stretch along Broad Street called the Capital Trail, safely linking the Alum Creek Trail to the downtown riverfront.

• A new seven-mile Linden Green Line along Cleveland Avenue.
• A one-mile Big Walnut Trail extension south of Gahanna, connecting the Creekside District to Hamilton Road and adding a crossing over I-270.

Catch up quick: The proposals are part of an $8 billion mobility plan called LinkUs on the Nov. 5 ballot in Franklin County.

• The plan would also improve bus services and infrastructure, transforming five routes into rapid-transit corridors: West Broad Street, East Main Street, a route connecting Columbus to Dublin, and two to be determined.

Follow the money: Most of COTA's funding comes from a 0.5% county sales tax. The ballot item would double it to 1% if approved, bringing in an estimated $6 billion through 2050.

Context: This time last year, Axios highlighted the pedestrian perils of Broad Street firsthand with a 15-mile walking trip.

• LinkUs would happen alongside a Columbus initiative called Vision Zero that's also working to reduce traffic-related deaths on increasingly dangerous city streets.

Zoom in: Explore an interactive map to view proposed LinkUs paths in specific neighborhoods and how they'd connect to schools, libraries and community centers.

• Provide feedback via the form at the bottom of this website or by emailing [email protected]. The deadline is 5pm tomorrow.

💭 Alissa's thought bubble: I'm happy to see my neighborhood is along a proposed 9.5-mile path connecting Hilliard to the Arena District.

• There's no way to safely bike or walk anywhere from my neighborhood, which branches off a 45 mph stretch of Dublin Road.
• I don't live on the outskirts, either — it's a 12-minute drive to downtown.