COLUMBUS, Ohio — Monday evening, Columbus City Council approved over $25 million for road improvements in east Columbus. 

This is just one infrastructure project in a long list of priorities as the city grows at a fast rate. 

What You Need To Know

  • This is just one infrastructure project in a long list of priorities as the city grows at a fast rate

  • The legislation was approved to widen approximately one mile of East Broad Street from east of Interstate 270 to west of Brice Road

  • Other improvements include shared use paths along East Broad Street, Taylor Station Road and McNaughten Road, widening the road that leads up to the entrance of Mount Carmel Medical Park and more
  • Additional improvements include sidewalks, lighting, stormwater drainage systems, signal and interconnect system and retaining walls to ensure safety and traffic efficiency

“When we make an investment in our infrastructure, it's something that is felt citywide,” said Columbus City Council member Lourdes Barroso de Padilla.

The legislation was approved to widen approximately one mile of East Broad Street from east of Interstate 270 to west of Brice Road. Other improvements include shared use paths along East Broad Street, Taylor Station Road and McNaughten Road, widening the road that leads up to the entrance of Mount Carmel Medical Park and more.  

Additional improvements include sidewalks, lighting, stormwater drainage systems, signal and interconnect system and retaining walls to ensure safety and traffic efficiency. Barroso de Padilla said these improvements are critical and will inevitably affect surrounding communities. 

“These are essentially three corridors that are really reliant on each other and every neighborhood and every part of the city that goes along those streets are impacting the entire city. But certainly that swath of the east side,” said Barroso de Padilla.

The safety of residents and visitors is top of mind for Barroso de Padilla. That’s why, as chair of the public service and transportation committee, she is doing her best to ensure the infrastructure improvements are people centric. 

“So for me, it always boils down to the safety of our people, right? So how are we ensuring that everybody from you know, our pedestrians that are walking to the bus or to the store or wherever folks may walk to our cyclists, to our motorists, are all ensuring that their safety is first,” said Barroso de Padilla.

According to city council, road improvements take years to complete, but this funding is the first step in the right direction.