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Council chooses east-side route for Fifth Avenue trail connector after safety debate and agrees to cover shortfall
Summary
After debate about user safety and traffic conflicts, Columbus council voted to route the Fifth Avenue trail connector on the east side despite a higher estimated cost, and agreed to reallocate funds to cover the difference.
The Columbus City Council voted on March 11 to pursue the east-side alignment for the Fifth Avenue trail connector between Tenth and Fourteenth streets after hearing traffic and safety concerns from councilors and trail advocates.
Consultants presented two alignment options and cost estimates: installing the trail mostly on the west side of Fifth Avenue would keep the project within the transportation improvement budget (roughly $650,000 by the consultant27s estimate), while placing it on the east side would raise the projected cost (roughly $950,000) because of signal, drainage and grading complications. The east-side route, however, avoids a series of high-volume commercial driveways and points where pedestrians and trail users would otherwise cross busy curb cuts.
Councilor Joanne Cogel and other council members argued that the east-side alignment offered safer continuity for trail users and better future connectivity with other trail segments, even though it would require about $300,000 more than the project27s current line-item in the TIA budget.
Dragonfly Trails representatives and other advocates urged the council to accept the east-side alignment, noting safety issues on the west side where fast-food driveways and higher conflict points have caused hazards for people walking and biking. Staff and consultants said they would seek value-engineering opportunities, such as selective narrowing from ten feet to eight feet in constrained locations, but agreed the east side better suited long-term trail continuity.
Council voted to direct staff to proceed with the east-side alignment and to identify available funds (the council indicated reallocating from distracted resurfacing/SPlOS discretionary funds) to cover the projected overage so the project can move forward within the TIA program.
Ending: City staff said they will complete preliminary design, traffic modeling, and a public-engagement plan for the east-side alignment and return to council with funding adjustments and a construction timeline.
