COLUMBUS, Ohio — Right now, there’s a waiting game in Clintonville involving the Indianola Business District strip that could potentially impact bikers and businesses.
Businesses in the area are waiting to hear back from the City of Columbus on how it is going to implement a bike lane while maintaining enough parking spaces in the area for customers.
"I think there has to be a solution for both, I mean, we definitely can't afford to lose parking,” said April Rhoades, the owner of The Little Light Collective. “It would be devastating to have to move from our location. This strip, I feel so invested in. I feel like it's been more vibrant than it ever has been.”
Rhodes said the city has now gone back to the drawing board after hearing concerns from the residents and businesses.
Here are the latest options from the city:
- Removing about 150 parking spots along the Indianola corridor but preserving parking in the business district
- Removing all parking on the East of Indianola Ave, and leaves 30 spots in the business district from Weber to Midguard
“When you take away hundred parking spaces from this area from all these businesses along the area, it's already crowded now. You can hardly find a place now here on Sunday,” said Frank Williams, a member of the Chamber of Commerce in Clintonville.
As business owners wait for a decision to be made, they wonder what the solution will be.
"I would say I'm cautiously optimistic. I felt heard, I definitely have felt listened to by the community and by our mayor's staff,” Rhodes said.
“I mean, it's bad enough competing against Netflix, movie theaters themselves coming out of the pandemic, you know, struggled to survive. We made it thankfully, but parking is an issue,” said Eric Brembeck, the owner of Studio 35 Cinema and Drafthouse.
Brembeck is grateful the city is taking another look and trying to find a solution. He said removing the business parking will force people to park in the neighborhoods, which could cause concern from the local residents.
Residents in Clintonville have expressed mixed feelings.
"Knowing that there would be a bike lane on this road, which is one of our main commuter lanes of where we're headed for the summer, would be amazing for our safety,” said Allie Ruden-Krieder, a new resident in the community.
“If they take away the parking, I don't think that would be smart either, because where would we park? We'd have to park way yonder. It doesn't make sense,” said Columbus resident Lyric Mullens.
10TV reached out to the City of Columbus asking for details on the next step and has not heard back yet.