Construction to begin in December on Capital Line pedestrian, bike path
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Work is set to begin next month on the first phase of the Capital Line, a two-mile pedestrian and bicycle pathway that city officials said will transform the way people move through Downtown.
The $100 million project, led by Downtown Columbus Inc. in partnership with the city's department of public service, will create a continuous, pedestrian-focused route. Construction will start on phase one, a reimagining of East Gay Street, in December and is expected to continue through 2027, according to an update shared during an Oct. 28 Downtown Columbus meeting. Watch a previous NBC4 report on the Capital Line in the video player above.
The first stage of phase one, running from December to July, will focus on stabilizing underground vaults beneath East Gay Street. This work will largely occur below street level and is not expected to cause major disruptions for pedestrians or traffic.
The second stage, scheduled from February to June, will involve relocating and replacing underground utilities in coordination with two dozen service providers. Partial East Gay Street closures and temporary water shutoffs are expected, but traffic will remain open in one eastbound lane. Pedestrian access to all buildings will be maintained.
The final "block-to-block" stage, from June 2026 through October 2027, will transform the surface of East Gay Street, including paving and the installation of new pedestrian amenities. Each block along East Gay Street will close to cars for about three to four months during this stage, though sidewalks and entrances will remain open.
Once complete, the Capital Line will include landscaping, benches, and other features aimed at creating a safer, more walkable corridor through the city's center.
City leaders have said the Capital Line is modeled after successful urban pathways in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Indianapolis, both of which saw substantial returns on investment. Downtown Columbus Inc. President Amy Taylor previously cited data showing that for every dollar spent on similar projects, cities have seen an average $27 in economic return.
More than 13,000 people live in Downtown today, a number projected to triple by 2040. Officials said the Capital Line will be an essential part of managing that growth while improving the quality of life for residents and visitors.
"This ensures that people have a path that’s not just on our roadways that is dedicated to them to move around Downtown in the place that we know everybody wants to be, because Downtown is everyone's neighborhood," Columbus City Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla said earlier this year.