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Worthington board outlines sidewalk, bicycle projects; council approves $2025 bicycle and pedestrian funding
Summary
The Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board presented 2024 accomplishments and 2025 priorities including sidewalk-gap infill, bicycle boulevards and Olentangy Trail maintenance. City Council approved Ordinance 9-2025 to fund the program.
Rebecca Green, a member of the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board, told the Worthington City Council on March 17 that the board will push projects in 2025 focused on filling sidewalk gaps, piloting bicycle boulevards and supporting Olentangy Trail maintenance.
The board’s presentation listed recent accomplishments including pilot bicycle boulevards, rapid‑flash beacons at busy crossings, mapped public and private bike racks, feasibility work for the Five Points intersection in Colonial Hills and sidewalk grading and construction slated for 2025. Green said the board wants to expand education programming such as a “Stroll and Roll” community safety event and to improve the board’s communications and social‑media outreach.
The report tied the board’s work to an existing 2019 master bike and pedestrian plan, and noted continued coordination with adjacent jurisdictions and agencies, including Columbus and ODOT, on projects that cross municipal boundaries. The board also asked staff for information about LinkUs and for continued focus on safe routes to school.
Council later considered Ordinance 9‑2025, which appropriates funds included in the capital improvements program for five specific projects described by staff: a feasibility study for Worthington‑Galena/Schrock area, an update to the master plan, the Pike Boulevard section work, a grant application for Olentangy Trail maintenance, and construction of a bike lane and bike box at Karen Avenue. City staff also said the 315/161 interchange concepts are being prepared to support future grant applications.
Council held a roll call vote and passed Ordinance 9‑2025. City staff said Olentangy Trail improvements currently under study focus on trail widening and bridge replacements and that delivering additional water fountains would be difficult because water mains are typically in neighboring streets rather than on the trail itself.
Council members and staff emphasized coordination with Parks & Recreation, ODOT and COTA; staff noted the 315/161 interchange project was selected as a COTA LinkUs funding priority for 2026, which could accelerate eligibility for outside funding.
The board and staff said they expect the new funding to support both design and grant preparation work this year and to help move construction‑level work forward when grant opportunities arise.
