The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) plans to begin construction for its Cleveland Avenue bus rapid-transit project (Cmax) in Columbus in early August.
The contractor will install 18-ft and 12-ft lighted pylons that display real-time arrival information at the line’s downtown stops on High Street and start preparing stops on Cleveland Avenue for new shelters.
Construction will continue for about a year, with the start of service set for January 2018. That means minor disruptions for both vehicles and pedestrians.
When it’s finished, Cmax will run primarily along Cleveland Avenue from the south end of downtown to OhioHealth's Westerville Medical Campus. The part that runs downtown will operate on High Street. The project is expected to cost $48.6 million, with $37.4 million coming from the Federal Transit Administration.
Buses will make limited stops and have signal priority, so traffic lights will change when the buses approach intersections to keep them on schedule. This is expected to make trips in the corridor faster than COTA’s local service.
