Worthington City Council unanimously approved funding for a comprehensive feasibility study of the High Street and Wilson Bridge Road intersection, one of the region's busiest and most challenging crossings for both vehicles and pedestrians.
Study Goals and Timeline
The $275,000 study, awarded to EMH&T engineering firm, will take approximately 14 months to complete starting in mid-August. The intersection handles over 45,000 vehicles daily, making it one of the busiest intersections not just in Worthington, but in the entire region.
"Although for its size it's a relatively safe intersection, there is a history of crashes that occurs there, and so it has the highest vulnerable road user accidents at that location in the last five years," explained City Engineer John Moorehead.
Addressing Pedestrian Challenges
The study was prompted by recommendations from the city's Connected Vision team, which identified significant pedestrian and bicycle access challenges. Currently, there is no way to cross on the north side of the intersection, forcing pedestrians to navigate a complex four-to-six-minute journey to cross safely.
"If you're coming from the community center, if you're coming from the Worthington Education Foundation, you have to first cross to get over to Kroger, you have to first cross Wilson Bridge and go south. And then you have to wait, and that's a very long light to wait to cross over High Street. And then you have to wait again to cross back over Wilson Bridge. It's ridiculous," said Council President Rachael Dorothy, describing the current pedestrian experience.
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Comprehensive Traffic Analysis
The study will extend beyond just the main intersection, analyzing seven intersections in the region including Caren and High, Mall Drive and High, and Old East and West Wilson Bridge Road. This broader approach aims to understand how improvements might shift traffic patterns throughout the area.
EMH&T Director of Transportation Partnerships Mike Bram emphasized their data-driven approach: "We want to compare the alternatives and compare them to each other and the no build. The comparison will include a number of different factors. Some of those are gonna be how good it is for cars and some of it's gonna be how good it is for pedestrians."
Balancing Competing Priorities
The study sparked significant discussion about balancing vehicle traffic flow with pedestrian safety and community character. Council President Dorothy expressed strong concerns about potential road widening: "When we widen roadways so cars can go faster, you are putting pedestrians and people not in cars at risk."
The consultant team acknowledged these concerns, with Bram noting they had recently praised Worthington's handling of the 161 and High Street intersection as a model for prioritizing pedestrian-friendly community design.
Future Development Considerations
The study will consider several major factors affecting future traffic:
- The ODOT US-23 Connect project to improve freight traffic between Waldo and I-270
- Efforts to slow traffic along High Street a la the "Worthington Mile".
- Potential impacts from new developments including Chick-fil-A
- Regional infrastructure projects including the I-71/I-270 interchange improvements
Enhanced Public Engagement
The study budget includes funding for enhanced graphics and visualizations to help residents understand proposed concepts. "We've tried to make room in the budget to add that to the scope of services," Moorehead explained, referencing successful visual presentations used in the Northeast Gateway development process.
Council members emphasized the importance of robust public engagement, particularly through the city's bike and pedestrian advisory board.
Community Input Expected
The study will include significant public involvement phases where residents can provide feedback on proposed alternatives. The timeline allows for coordination with the city's ongoing comprehensive plan update process.
"Everything is on the table," the consultants indicated, from minor signal timing adjustments to more creative intersection designs that haven't been widely implemented in Central Ohio.
The last major improvement to the intersection occurred in 1990, making this study a critical piece of planning for the intersection's future as Worthington continues to grow and evolve while maintaining its walkable, community-focused character.