CAPITAL INVESTMENTS

COTA Mobility Center at Rickenbacker

In October 2023, we embarked on a transformative project with the groundbreaking of the $24.3 million COTA Mobility Center. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to connect Central Ohio residents to job opportunities in and around the Rickenbacker area, while also providing essential services such as education, childcare, community gathering spaces and food access through partnerships with organizations like the Mid-Ohio Food Collective. Scheduled to open in 2025, the Mobility Center will significantly enhance the quality of life for workers, employers and residents in Southern Franklin County.

The Next Generation of Onboard Wi-Fi

In response to the evolving needs of our passengers, we’ve invested in upgrading our onboard Wi-Fi services. In 2023, we introduced 5G-enabled hardware on all fixed-route and Mainstream vehicles, paving the way for advanced 5G Wi-Fi service across our entire fleet in 2024. This next-generation Wi-Fi not only improves browsing and download and video speeds for passengers but also transforms our vehicles into “rolling data centers,” enabling us to enhance safety, service and performance with real-time information.

Transit Stop Improvement Program

Since 2019, we’ve been committed to enhancing the comfort and accessibility of our transit stops through our Transit Stop Improvement Program. By adding 145 shelters and improving nearly 165 transit stops since 2019, we’ve significantly increased the percentage of customers boarding at shelters, reducing their exposure to the elements. This ongoing initiative also focuses on improving pedestrian accessibility and ADA compliance, ensuring a more inclusive transit experience for all riders.

LINKUS

The Central Ohio region is expanding rapidly, bringing jobs and economic opportunity to our residents. By 2050, the 15-county region is projected to reach 3.15 million residents. To meet this growing demand for transportation, Central Ohio will need a robust public mass rapid transportation system and the infrastructure to support it. Thanks to the Central Ohio community, we’re hard at work building the future of transit our region deserves.

Through the LinkUS initiative, COTA will:

• Increase service hours by 45%
• Invest in sidewalks, crosswalks, bikeways, trails and other transit-supportive infrastructure, making first- and last-mile connections to COTA more accessible
• Introduce multiple Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines within COTA’s service area
• Create new transit centers, Park and Rides, shelters and more
• Add new COTA//Plus zones and increase Mainstream service

Learn More