City of Columbus Opens Longest Protected Bike Lane

City of Columbus Opens Longest Protected Bike Lane

Published on July 27, 2026

Contact: Jennifer Lockrey, 614-673-9559 (cell), [email protected]

Debbie Briner, (614) 645-6467; [email protected]

City of Columbus Opens Longest Protected Bike Lane

COLUMBUS, Ohio-City of Columbus leaders joined neighbors and cyclists today to open and ride the city's new protected bike lane along the N. 4^th Street corridor. The separated bikeway, the city's longest protected lane, covers a distance of more than two miles between Warren Street just north of Downtown to Hudson Street.

This bikeway connection was identified in the city's Bike Plus Plan as a priority project for completion, and it supports Vision Zero Columbus' efforts to increase roadway safety for vulnerable roadway users such as people riding bikes.

"Columbus is a vibrant, growing city, and our transportation system is transforming to meet how people want and need to get around," said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. "The 4^th Street protected bike lane exemplifies the progress we are making with new infrastructure that creates a more bikeable community and safe connections for people biking to jobs, schools, businesses and parks."

The project's $2.1 million construction cost was paid for almost entirely with safety funding in partnership with the Ohio Department of Public Transportation. The project included installation of the 4^th Street protected bike lane and roadway improvements made on E. 5^th Avenue between N. High Street and 5^th Street. The 5^th Avenue resurfacing and restriping completed earlier this summer provides a travel lane in each direction and a center left-turn lane to slow down drivers and reduce the number of crashes that happen on this High Injury Network corridor.

"The new protected bike lane on 4^th Street and the reconfigured travel lanes completed on E. 5^th Avenue demonstrate how the Department of Public Service can redesign a street, often within its existing footprint, to optimize safety and add features that make it more comfortable for everyone's use," said Director Kelly Scocco.

The 4^th Street protected bike lane was created by moving the marked bike lane that existed outside the parking lane to the curb lane on the west side of the roadway. Vehicle parking was moved to the outside of the bike lane, serving as a protective barrier for cyclists. Bollards were installed along the length of the bike lane to add additional separation. Other improvements include new pavement surface, bikeway pavement markings, roadway striping, signage and traffic signal adjustments.

This new 4^th Street bikeway runs through several Columbus neighborhoods, including access to the Short North, Italian Village, Weinland Park, the University District and Old North Columbus.

"This protected bike lane is a tremendous improvement for our community, creating a safer, more comfortable and more accessible way for residents and visitors to move through the neighborhood," said Betsy Pandora, President & CEO of the Short North Alliance. "Investments like this strengthen connections throughout the neighborhood and make it easier for people to experience everything the Short North and Italian Village have to offer."

The 4^th Street bikeway also allows riders to access the two-way protected bike lanes on Summit Street north of E. 11^th Avenue, and the new bikeways on Indianola Avenue in Clintonville recently installed through another city-ODOT funding partnership. Access to the Olentangy Trail is possible by cycling on east-west low-volume, low-speed bike boulevard streets in these neighborhoods where bikes and vehicles share the road.

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