Worthington residents can expect significant improvements to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure over the next several years as the city prepares to leverage nearly $4.5 million in funding from COTA's LinkUS program. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board presented their 2026 work plan to City Council on January 12, outlining three major projects designed to close critical gaps in the city's transportation network.
The presentation, led by Board Chair Rebecca Green and City Engineer John Moorehead, detailed how LinkUS dollars will supplement Worthington's capital planning—enabling the completion of projects that have been prioritized in the city's 2019 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan but were previously too expensive to pursue with standard annual allocations.
How LinkUS Funding Fits Into City Plans
Moorehead explained that while Worthington's dedicated Bicycle and Pedestrian line item in the Capital Improvement Program is trending down to approximately $100,000 per year, this reflects the successful integration of pilot programs into other recurring city operations, such as annual street and sidewalk maintenance. Total spending on bike and pedestrian work continues through other CIP line items and bundled projects.
At the same time, LinkUS funding is bringing a substantial influx of project-specific resources. Worthington expects to receive roughly $460,000 from COTA starting in 2026, with that figure growing dramatically as projects move toward construction. "The total dollars going towards bicycle and pedestrian improvements gets up to nearly $4.5 million in 2028," Moorehead told council.
Responding to questions about whether these funds were earmarked specifically for Worthington or part of a general regional pool, Moorehead confirmed they are Worthington-specific projects. He also provided regional context, noting that COTA's LinkUS fund generates roughly $60 million annually for transit-supportive infrastructure across the region, including local bike and pedestrian connectivity improvements.
Project 1: SR-315/SR-161 Interchange Improvements
The first major LinkUS project addresses a long-standing safety concern at the SR-315/SR-161 interchange, where the Olentangy Trail meets State Route 161. Currently, trail users traveling north face a dangerous configuration that requires navigating a steep switchback near the river, depositing them onto a SR-315 on-ramp where they must travel counter to oncoming traffic to reach a crosswalk.
"It's quite unsafe. It's a relic of an earlier time when I think there was less thought into the navigation of pedestrians," Moorehead explained.
The LinkUS-funded solution includes installing a new surface crosswalk on the east side of the interchange, repairing deteriorating sidewalk panels in the area, and implementing a "road diet" that will narrow the westbound curb lane of SR-161 from as wide as 17 feet down to 10 feet. This lane reduction will create a safety buffer between vehicles and sidewalk users while also helping to naturally slow traffic.
Council Member Rachael Dorothy noted the speed-reduction benefits of the approach, nothing that even though the speed limit is 35 MPH "I doubt very many people go 35 miles per hour on that section of 161,". She expressed hope that narrower lanes would encourage compliance with posted speed limits.
The project received buy-in from both ODOT and COTA after the board funded a feasibility study examining traffic impacts. Design work began in 2025, with construction targeted for 2027.
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Project 2: Sidewalk Gap Program
The second LinkUS initiative will tackle sidewalk gaps within existing neighborhood networks. The city's master plan identified numerous locations where sidewalks exist on one or both sides of a street but have gaps within the network. LinkUS funding will enable the city to fill every identified gap over a three-year construction period from 2027 to 2029, with design work scheduled for 2026.
This represents a shift from the city's voluntary pilot approach. Moorehead explained that to truly close gaps and create continuous connections, the city will build within public right-of-way and notify adjacent homeowners but will not seek active volunteer participation or permission as the pilot program did. "In order to really close these gaps, it's really necessary that we go out and start building those connections through," he said.
Council members asked whether property owners would face any costs. Moorehead confirmed the work is fully funded through LinkUS. "Monetarily the city, through LinkUS Funds, is paying the full cost of the design and construction of these walks," he explained. He noted there may be occasional coordination needs—such as relocating shrubs or downspouts—but even those modifications will be covered by grant funding.
However, council discussion touched on a longer-term implication: once sidewalks exist, homeowners are generally responsible for ongoing maintenance and snow removal under current city practice.
Council members also raised questions about specific locations they would like to see addressed that may not qualify under the master plan's definition of "gaps"—specifically, stretches where an entire block lacks sidewalk rather than having gaps within existing sidewalk networks. Moorehead acknowledged that such segments did not appear in the plan's gap inventory by definition, but suggested that the "spirit" of the program could be discussed.
Project 3: East Wilson Bridge Road Shared-Use Path
The third and largest LinkUS project will create a 10-foot shared-use path along the south side of East Wilson Bridge Road, connecting McCord Park to High Street. This has been a priority for years, with several unsuccessful grant applications to MORPC, but LinkUS funding has finally made it possible.
The path is particularly significant because it will create a critical east-west connection. Combined with other trail projects under construction or in planning—including work by Columbus and the Worthington school district—this will provide a continuous route linking the Olentangy Trail to the west with the Alum Creek Trail to the east.
The project will include street lighting and street trees along the entire route. Design work is scheduled for 2026 and 2027, with right-of-way acquisition occurring in 2027 and construction planned for 2028.
Grant Strategy and Future Applications
The presentation also addressed projects not currently prioritized for LinkUS grants, specifically the "Worthington Mile" shared-use path along High Street, between Wilson Bridge Road and 161. Green and staff explained that because High Street already has sidewalks, it scores lower on grant applications compared to areas with no facilities at all.
Council Member Rebecca Hermann also noted that regional perceptions can impact scoring. "One of our challenges are the perception from MORPC and some other areas, are that Worthington is really wealthy... The city itself and how we need to fund things, we don't have the deep pockets that I think other people believe that we have," she said.
Moorehead added context about the competitive nature of funding. "The Worthington Mile project would itself be eligible" for LinkUS funding, he noted, "but we've struggled to score well enough to receive grant funding" because the project competes against initiatives serving areas without any sidewalks, larger populations without vehicles, or heavier-used transit routes.
Consequently, the board recommended focusing current grant applications on replacing aging bridges on the Olentangy Trail and improving the SR-161 connection to the west.
Council Support
Council members expressed strong support for the board's prioritization strategy and the work accomplished to date. "I'm always excited to hear what comes out of the bike and ped committee," Council President Rachael Dorothy said. "All these projects have been very thoroughly vetted by everyone on the committee and prioritized with what do you think is the highest need and what's the most feasible to move forward."
Council Member Amy Lloyd acknowledged the challenges of balancing numerous connectivity needs with available resources. "There's so many gaps that we have in connectivity," she observed, while noting that the outlined projects represent appropriate priorities to move the city forward. "I think what's been outlined to me seem like those are [the] priority projects to move us forward," she said.
City Manager Robyn Stewart clarified that the LinkUS funding is not an ongoing supplement to the bike and pedestrian budget—it specifically funds the three identified projects. She confirmed that staff will proceed with the board's recommended priorities for future grant applications.
What's Next
No votes were taken during this agenda item; council received the update and indicated general support for the board's priorities.
For residents, the earliest major construction activity is targeted for 2027, when both the SR-315/SR-161 improvements and the first phases of sidewalk gap construction are scheduled to begin. The East Wilson Bridge Road shared-use path is currently slated for 2028 construction, with right-of-way acquisition in 2027.
The presentation also noted that COTA will be accepting LinkUS applications for 2030 and beyond projects in the next several months, and staff indicated that additional projects may be eligible for future funding rounds.