A proposed new COTA bus line, Line 30, could connect Ohio State to bordering cities as early as fall 2026. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Lantern File Photo
Students may be connected to Columbus more than ever before. Ohio State, Dublin, Hilliard and Upper Arlington could be a part of a new bus line, called Line 30.
Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has proposed a new bus line that will connect the four areas together. It is expected to launch in the fall of 2026.
Line 30 will feature three segments. The first will connect Ohio State’s campus to Hilliard, with a path through Upper Arlington. The second will stay within Hilliard, and the third segment will continue the line from Hilliard to Dublin, according to COTA’s website.
Ohio State’s Transportation and Traffic Management Director, Tom Holman, said in an email that the new route “will improve convenience, reduce travel times and support access to vital healthcare and education resources.”
The bus line will pass by several popular locations in the University District, including the Wexner Medical Center, the agriculture and veterinary campuses and the Carmenton district, according to COTA’s website.
On game days, the route will end at the Mount Hall Loop in the Carmenton district instead of the John Herrick Transit Center stop, according to COTA’s website. However, the university’s west campus game day shuttle can still be used to travel from Mount Hall to Ohio Stadium.
Line 30’s destinations for Upper Arlington include shops on Lane Avenue, Kingsdale Shopping Center and Upper Arlington High School. The destinations for Hilliard and Dublin depend on the final options selected for Segments 2 and 3. Both options feature stops at Hillard’s shopping centers and grocery stores and includes the Ohio State Outpatient Care Dublin as Line 30’s end destination.
Line 30 is part of the LinkUS Initiative—an $8 billion transit proposal approved by voters in November 2024, according to Jeff Pullin, director of public and media relations at COTA.
“The funding from that levy will help COTA build new or improve 14 bus lines, launch five rapid transit corridors and work with municipalities in our service area to build 500 miles of new sidewalks, bikeways and trails to better connect communities to COTA,” Pullin said in an email.
This initiative is to improve the region’s access and opportunities through better transportation, according to COTA’s press release.
On Tuesday, COTA held a public meeting and workshop to gather community feedback about various components of Line 30, including proposed route options for Segment 2 and Segment 3, stop locations, service frequency and mobility needs, according to COTA’s press release prior to the meeting.
Line 30 will help COTA improve its connection between three important communities and one of the region’s largest employment and educational centers, Pullin said.
“It is important that the people who live, work and travel in these communities are part of the planning process,” Pullin said in an email. “That is why this public meeting is a crucial part.”
If community members did not attend the meeting, they can provide feedback on the survey found on COTA’s homepage. The questionnaire covers potential stop options for Hilliard and Dublin, COTA’s Park & Ride Service and the level of interest in using the line as transportation for major events at Ohio State, including football games.
