One of the aspects to the continued development of downtown relates to how our streets look and function. Determinations regarding parking bans, one-way versus two-way streets, and general traffic circulation issues all impact development, retail and the flow of people through the city’s core.

The Columbus Public Service Department convened a group of people to make recommendations about how downtown streets should look and function. The Downtown Action Plan Advisory Panel is made up of a representative of the SID, COTA, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, Downtown Commission, Transportation and Pedestrian Commission, Columbus State Community College, and City staff.  The panel is charged with assessing those issues outlined above, including reviewing parking bans, considering conversation of one-way streets to two-way, recommending whether to narrow Broad Street, and addressing other traffic circulation issues.

One of the panel's charges is to make recommendations regarding how to re-establish on-street parking on High Street in downtown.  The panel has recommended that the City re-establish approximately 146 on-street parking spaces between Mound Street and Goodale Street.  Key to the panel's recommendation is a belief that on-street parking can be created without compromising COTA transit service.  The panel recommended a ban on High Street parking between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to allow peak-hour bus service to operate without parking conflicts. The Mayor, Columbus City Council, COTA, SID board of trustees, and other stakeholders are being briefed about the recommendation, and the City of Columbus will make a final decision on the matter this summer.