"Flawed" bike plan hurts Clintonville retailers and residents

Columbus, Ohio -- Indianola Avenue businesses and area residents last year agreed to a city bike lane plan which preserved 50% of on-street parking spaces between Weber and Midgard roads. But the city has used flawed data and logic and tossed that plan out in favor of one which removes 64% of the parking in a three-block area and will irreparably harm businesses, said Nancy Kuhel, Executive Director of the Clintonville Area Business Association.

“The city bases its change in plans on a visual survey of parking last year during the height of the pandemic, when these businesses were getting no or little foot traffic,’’ said Kuhel. “The 25 parking observations showed that only 107 parking spaces were used on the area’s most heavily parked day, but those observations were done when most of the businesses were not even open.’’

Kuhel made it clear that her association and businesses in the impacted area aren’t against providing safe space for cyclists. What they are opposed to is the city’s current plan which will impact small businesses which are already suffering as a result of the pandemic.

The plan businesses agreed to - called the Option 4 plan - would have eliminated nearly half of existing parking. It allowed for a solution that achieved a bike lane, and still preserved parking on both sides along the business section of the corridor. The current plan, Option 5, removes 64% of on-street parking, leaving only 30 spaces near the businesses and no parking on the east side of Indianola.

“Businesses thought they were working with the city on a good faith effort,’’ said Kuhel. “These members of our small business community should be respected and should be given the chance to survive in an already challenging situation.’’

A study engineer, Michael Baker International, wrote in part, “Although the number of available parking spaces that would remain from removing parking on one side of the road seems feasible when considering the entire corridor, it is understood that removing parking on both sides within the vicinity of the existing business district would create an unacceptable burden’’ on businesses.

Kuhel pointed out that the 18 small businesses in the area are taxpayers whose needs are being ignored. Just four of those businesses - Studio 35, Pennington Galleries, Elizabeth Records and Little Light Collective - each year collectively pay more than $145,000 in property, sales and income taxes.

A Change.org petition is directed to Mayor Ginther’s office, Columbus City Council and the Department of Public Service. More than 2,000 people have signed it and another petition being circulated by Studio 35. Some Change.org petition signers have left comments, including one area resident Susan Murray who wrote “The study of parking space usage failed to take into account the already crowded side streets east of Indianola from Weber to Clinton Heights. Our neighborhood east of Indianola will not be able to absorb the overflow of parking forced to venture east. In addition, our neighborhood lacks sidewalks and pedestrians are forced to walk in the street … This plan is dangerous and unworkable.’’

Another petition signer, Geri Rousculp of Columbus, wrote “I visit Clintonville to shop, eat, walk and visit. The parking on Indianola is crucial to maintaining easy access to shops and restaurants - not to mention Studio 35! Please keep parking on Indianola. Bike lanes and parking can coincide safety.’’

Kuhel encouraged citizens to visit Change.org Preserve Indianola Ave. Parking to sign the petition and call Mayor Ginther’s office, 614-645-7671, and the Columbus Department of Public Service, 614-645-3111, to ask them to reconsider the Option 4 bike lane plan.