Path proposed for north side of Route 161 [This Week]

By GARY SEMAN JR.ThisWeek Community NewsView SlideshowColumbus officials are considering putting a shared use path along the north side of Dublin-Granville Road (state Route 161) between Sawmill and Linworth roads.

The city of Columbus says it is looking to create a safe and accessible alternative for cyclists and pedestrians trying to navigate the busy West Dublin-Granville Road corridor.

It calls for the installation of a 10-foot-wide shared-use path on the north side of the road between Sawmill and Linworth roads.

And it goes an extra step in tying together the Olentangy Trail and the Dublin bike systems.

City officials and engineers laid out their plan last week in front of a packed room at the McConnell Arts Center in Worthington.

The $2.5 million project would extend 2.2 miles, with a 28-foot-wide median strip separating the path from fast-moving cars and trucks, said Nick Popa, an engineer with the city.

"We don't have to tell that for pedestrians and bicyclists it's not the most comfortable environment," Popa said.

The Dublin-Granville path was a top-12 project in the city's Bicentennial Bikeways plan, a guide for bike facilities in Columbus, including shared-use paths, racks, lanes, signage and other amenities through 2028.

Still, the audience raised questions over the placement of the path and whether it should be built on the south side of the street, where there is more open land.

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