Officials and Experts Address Columbus Transit Limits and Traffic Pressure

Columbus stands as the largest U.S. city without passenger rail service after Amtrak ended operations in 1979, leaving residents to rely on buses, bike-share, and scooters.

The absence of rail service has kept attention on the Central Ohio Transit Authority and the Ohio Department of Transportation as they manage daily movement for a growing population through existing routes and newer shared options.

COTA runs 41 bus routes using 440 buses and carries about 19 million passengers each year, including a free downtown circulator and one existing bus rapid transit route. The agency’s LinkUS initiative remains in the planning phase for three new Bus Rapid Transit lines along Northwest, West Broad, and East Main corridors, with the East Side Line targeted for completion in 2029.

Shared Mobility and Congestion Updates

In spring 2025 the city launched a revised shared mobility program with Spin and Veo for electric scooters, while CoGo operated by Lyft maintains more than 600 bikes at over 80 stations. Officials have pointed to these programs as immediate ways to ease short trips without adding rail infrastructure.

Major congestion continues at The Split where Interstates 70 and 71 merge downtown, and ODOT is evaluating US-23 because of rising traffic concerns in central Ohio. Experts note that these pressure points limit reliable travel times and increase reliance on the bus network already serving millions of riders.

Next Steps for Mobility Planning

City and agency staff have indicated they will continue refining the LinkUS corridors and monitoring the performance of the revised scooter and bikeshare partnerships. Residents can check COTA schedules and CoGo station maps for current service details while further design work on the planned BRT lines advances.