West Henderson Road Visioning Study

The Henderson Road corridor is shared between the cities of Upper Arlington (properties to the south) and Columbus (the roadway and the properties to the north). A successful outcome for this plan requires coordination between the municipalities. The planning team is working with leadership from the City of Columbus and affected neighborhoods to ensure the eventual action plan is synchronized and investments are aligned.

The planning team is reviewing available crash data from the last decade and conducting field reconnaissance with respect to safety. The early results from this analysis reveal a high number of injury accidents resulting from side-impact crashes. The density of curb cuts or drive access lanes along the study area is a primary concern. Active transportation users (pedestrians, bicycles, etc.) are rare along the corridor, likely due to perceived and real lack of protections and infrastructure. As a result, there have been very few documented accidents. Early engagement results, however, point to a latent desire to better connect the community across Henderson Road to existing services and restaurants, neighborhoods, and the broader Columbus Greenways network. Consequently, the team will propose solutions to improve safety and access for walkers and bikers through the plan’s action agenda.

A corridor plan is a holistic study. Through the work, the planning team will analyze the safety, flow, and connections of the Henderson Road right-of-way. This includes analysis of crash data, utility capacities, roadway utilization and congestion areas, and so on. The plan will also review and provide guidance on the future of land uses along the corridor. The planning area map shows the extent of this analysis, but generally, the team will study those properties with direct access to the corridor or with an immediate impact. This includes a wide range of buildings and land uses, from retail and restaurants to office and homes. If you’re interested in learning more about these findings, check out the “Ten things to know” segment from the Community Kickoff presentation found [add directions to where they can find this i.e. below, or under the associated documents section], or review the full foundations memo to be published in May 2024.

Envision Henderson is an iterative planning process. The planning team – through in-depth research and robust community engagement – will arrive at a vision for the corridor that marries the priorities of residents with the possibilities of real estate, market, and infrastructure. This plan will make recommendations with respect to capital improvements, future land uses, specific opportunity sites, or general policy to inform future decision-making. The plan will “hand off” to a second phase of work, targeting the specific capital projects suggested by the plan. Stay engaged throughout the effort to track these recommendations as they emerge. Help prioritize these investments and create a holistic strategy to improve all the qualities of the corridor.

Zone In Columbus is a zoning code update initiative for the City of Columbus that focuses on key corridors throughout the city and seeks to modernize zoning along the corridors to promote more dense, vibrant, mixed-use growth and development and support alternative modes of transit. The plan prioritizes encouraging housing growth, facilitating transit alternatives, connecting people with job opportunities, and providing equitable access to vibrant neighborhoods to enhance the quality of life for all residents. The zoning proposal creates six new zoning districts that implement a form-based code—focusing more on a building’s appearance or “form” rather than land use function as traditional zoning regulations would enforce.

Henderson Road is identified as one of the corridors that Zone In Columbus focuses on. The proposed new zoning looks at the study area’s northern side of Henderson Road (the Columbus side). This segment of Henderson Road would be zoned as Community Activity Center, “suburban locations with medium-sized buildings and parking lots.” The proposed Community Activity Center zoning promotes walkability and encourages mixed-use development while considering the neighborhood’s suburban context. The Community Activity Center zone allows for buildings up to 5 stories, and up to 7 stories if a project meets the threshold for an affordability bonus by providing a certain percentage of affordable housing units. The zoning framework also provides minimum and maximum setbacks, open space requirements, and ground floor façade coverage minimums.

To learn more about Zone In Columbus click here.

The LinkUS Community Action Plan is a mobility and growth initiative that aims to transform the region by providing equitable mobility options for a growing population in Central Ohio. LinkUS established six priorities to guide the initiative: Equity, Affordability, Innovation, Economic Development, Sustainability, and Workforce Advancement. The plan provides a set of recommendations for the region and development strategies to help achieve enhanced mobility options.

LinkUs developed a Northwest Corridor Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) Report. This report provides a detailed plan for the construction of one of the proposed LinkUS bus rapid transit corridors. The Northwest Corridor will connect Downtown Columbus, Ohio State University, Upper Arlington, and Dublin, as well as numerous neighborhoods and destinations in between. The LPA is in the design phase and project funding is being collected; service is expected to begin by 2030. Henderson Road was not selected to be one of the routes, however, it does fall roughly within half a mile of Bethel Road (north of Henderson Road Planning Area), meaning residents and businesses within the planning area will have transit access within walking distance via the proposed Northwest Corridor BRT. The Bethel Road alignment is set to be constructed in Phase 2 of the project.

To learn more about LinkUS click here

Upper Arlington will be gaining full control of the Henderson Road Right-of-Way through the roughly one-mile planning area. The transfer in ownership will allow the city to direct needed fixes along the corridor, improving safety and aesthetics. The transfer of ownership is like a property sale and begins with a full survey of the 12-acre land area. The planning team completed the survey in May 2024, and this will be used to prepare a deed.