When the Hamilton Road corridor was averaging 18,000 vehicles per day, more than its 16,000 vehicle per day capacity, the City of Gahanna knew an improvement was needed.

In 2011, the City of Gahanna and the Franklin County Engineer’s Office formed a partnership to improve the Hamilton Road corridor. The goal was to create a roadway to meet its capacity needs and improve operations, while also incorporating pedestrians and bicycles.

The Hamilton Road widening project went far beyond just road widening. Details for the $12 million improvement project include:

• Widening the one-mile corridor of Hamilton Road to five lanes
• Two new roundabouts
• New storm sewer systems
• New concrete curbs and gutters
• New sidewalk
• New shared-use path
• New LED street lighting
• Replacement of the bridge over Sycamore Run with a road closure of only seven days, far less than the typical 45-60 day closure

The two roundabouts as part of the Hamilton Road widening project were the first multilane roundabouts in the City of Gahanna. Because of the common misconceptions and concerns surrounding roundabouts, it was key to educate the community.

The City of Gahanna took a proactive and expansive approach to educate the community. Roundabout education included:

• Walkable roundabout decal installed in Gahanna’s City Hall. Color-coded areas and indicators signified the types of turns permitted in each lane. Individuals were able to focus on proper entry and exit without safety concerns for other motorists and pedestrians.
• Live training sessions were held at a local park with “mock” roundabouts. Individuals maneuvered roundabouts, created with temporary striping tape, via golf carts. The mock roundabout sessions were also recorded to become an additional resource on the city’s website.
• Educational tray liners were distributed to local fast food restaurants in Gahanna. These tray liners provided instructions on navigating the roundabouts.
• Instructional videos were posted to the city’s website and social media.

In addition to educational outreach for the community, local residents were one of the key focuses when designing the roundabouts.

Pedestrian- and bicyclists-friendly features include:

• Shared-use path
• Sidewalk
• New bus stops
• User-actuated pedestrian signals at roundabout crossings
• Clear pedestrian signal visibility through the use of solar-powered Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at crosswalks

The inclusion of these features make this a more inviting corridor for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. By including all user types, this area encourages healthier, more sustainable, transportation and improves safety.

The City of Gahanna is officially designated as a “Bee City USA.” As the Hamilton Road project began, Gahanna also wanted to promote its support for pollinators and the Bee City designation.

The Hamilton Road roundabouts were landscaped with 100% pollinator-friendly trees, shrubs, and flowers. Planting native pollinators improve the health of native pollinator species such as honey bees and monarch butterflies. These efforts created the first pollinator oasis islands in Central Ohio.