Bathrooms and bike paths: Ideas for Columbus' first participatory budget
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Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
Public bathrooms, bike paths and trails and are among the million-dollar suggestions of Columbus' first participatory budget program.
Why it matters: "Our Voice, Our Choice Budget" lets residents choose how funds are allocated, and its success will determine whether Columbus gives them more say in the future.
How it works: The city allocated $9 million ($1 million for each district) to the program, which sought to gather resident-driven ideas for small but impactful local projects.
By the numbers: Over 600 proposals were submitted to a public portal through Friday.
- Most people offered a single idea, but there was no limit — the prolific "Participant 713" alone submitted around 30 proposals.
- Submissions came from every neighborhood, but District 7 (which includes downtown, the Short North and German Village) had the most with over 150.
Zoom in: The most common topics were streets, sidewalks, green space and parks.
- Many related to children and families or accessibility.
The intrigue: The portal allows users to like, follow and comment on submissions. Proposals with the most engagement include:
- Public, flushing restrooms in Goodale Park.
- Bike lanes in Franklinton.
- Connecting the Olentangy Trail with Highbanks Metro Park.
What's next: Now, city staff and volunteer "budget delegates" from each district will assess the submissions and turn the most plausible ideas into concrete proposals with cost estimates and timelines.
- From Nov. 2 to Dec. 4, residents will vote on which ideas to fund.
What they're saying: Council member Nick Bankston, who spearheaded the program's introduction, tells Axios that residents "stepped up in a big way" and "completely surpassed what we hoped for."
- "The quantity and quality of the ideas submitted show just how deeply people care about their neighborhoods."
📥 Read the ideas and tell us: What are your favorite submissions? Did you participate? Are you a budget delegate?
- Email us at [email protected] to share your thoughts.