Phase 1 of the Wilson Bridge Multi-Use Trail is Now Open

The long sought-after east-west connector from the Olentangy Trail into Worthington is finally here. On June 30, Phase 1 of the Wilson Bridge Multi-Use Trail officially opened, connecting cyclists and pedestrians to the Olentangy Trail and several Worthington businesses and neighborhoods. It marked the end of a four-year effort to accomplish this goal. The project began in 2010 when the City of Worthington formed a group of residents to conduct a study of the Wilson Bridge Road Corridor. Already focused on redevelopment in that area, the city was looking for way to improve the area and make it more attractive. Upon completion of the study in 2011, the residents identified a multi-use trail that would connect Olentangy Parklands with High Street, making its way along Wilson Bridge Road and continuing to McCord Park and the Community Center.

The city of Worthington applied for and received grant funding through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to construct Phase 1 of the trail. The 1/4-mile paved portion of the trail runs from Olentangy Parklands along W. Wilson Bridge Road before directing users to sharrows along Old Wilson Bridge Road behind the Shops at Worthington Place and then ending at High Street.

"The timing was perfect with the recent opening of the Shops at Worthington Place and the new apartment developments. It connects all those folks and the people who work in the area," said Darren Hurley, director of Worthington Parks and Recreation. "The goal was to connect to the Olentangy Trail and create a way for people to go from there into Worthington."

While landscaping on Phase 1 is still being completed, talk is already underway about how to complete Phase 2, which would connect to the Community Center, and Phase 3, which could potentially include a pedestrian/bike bridge over Rt. 23.

For more information about the trail, visit Worthington.org.

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