COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Central Ohio Transit Authority is offering customers rides to watch the rare solar eclipse on Monday.
Those without a way to travel to areas within the path of totality will be able to watch the solar event by taking a bus to several viewing areas near Columbus accessible by transit.
While heavy traffic is a primary concern for drivers and the Ohio Department of Transportation, COTA says they have additional transit operators and services supervisors on duty to help manage the system.
Those interested in checking out the viewing spots accessible by COTA ahead of time can view an interactive map here.
The following locations are included:
Carriage Place Park – Lines 1, 21 and 33
Columbus Metropolitan Library Dublin Branch – Line 33
Dublin Bridge Street District – Line 33
Lazelle Woods Park – Line 102
Old Worthington Library – Line 102
Roger Reynolds Municipal Park and Hilliard Community Center – Lines 21 and 32
Sharon Woods Metro Park – CMAX and COTA//Plus
Westerville Community Center - CMAX and COTA//Plus
Westerville Sports Park - CMAX and COTA//Plus
COTA's fixed-route bus service is $2 for adults and $1 for children under 5. Customers using COTA//Plus in Westerville can ride for $3 per trip and no charge if they use the service to connect to or from a COTA Transit stop.
COTA advises customers to plan ahead and allow extra time to reach their viewing destination.
Customers can track their bus and view real-time bus information at COTA.com, on the Transit App, or by calling Customer Care at 614-228-1776.