At the Prairie Township trustees' meeting on January 21, 2026, the board was asked to let the township administrator transfer parcel 243-000004, known as the Rockbrook Crossing property, to the Central Ohio Transit Authority. A resident asked if this was the lot across from the Community Center, and the answer was yes. Another resident asked what kind of chargers would go in, and nobody at the table knew yet. The trustees voted to go ahead, and the township kept permanent rights to overflow parking on the land, according to the meeting minutes.
That lot sits across West Broad Street from the Prairie Township Community Center at 5955 W. Broad St. It is planned as the western end of LinkUS, Central Ohio's first bus rapid transit line. If you're comparing west-side areas and someone has told you rapid transit is coming to West Broad, this is the part that applies to Galloway. The line is planned to start building at Galloway's end, but when work starts depends on decisions being made miles to the east.
Galloway was set to be built first
The LinkUS West Broad project page describes a 9.3-mile route with 17 stations between Downtown Columbus and Prairie Township. Service is planned to start at a new Rockbrook Crossing Park and Ride and Transit Center. A 2013 township resolution describes the property as about nine acres on the south side of West Broad Street at Rockbrook Crossing Avenue.
The order of construction is where Galloway stands out. COTA's January 2026 LinkUS progress report said construction would happen in phases. The first phase would begin at the future Rockbrook Crossing Park and Ride and Transit Center, and later phases would move east toward downtown. The map in the September 2026 progress report shows three segments:
- Phase A: Rockbrook Crossing to Wilson Road
- Phase B: Wilson Road to SR 315
- Phase C: SR 315 to Washington Avenue
So the first planned stretch of LinkUS runs from the Galloway end of West Broad east to Wilson Road. That same January report said LinkUS planned a groundbreaking ceremony in 2026 to mark the start of construction.
Why a mile in Franklinton sets Galloway's date
The groundbreaking did not happen as planned. In July, The Columbus Dispatch reported that a COTA spokesperson said the West Broad groundbreaking would slip past its original fall start.
The cause sits a long way from Galloway. In April, Columbus Underground reported that a consultant from the engineering firm HNTB told COTA's Board of Trustees construction could be delayed by as much as 16 months. In May 2025, the Ohio Department of Transportation had issued new projections showing traffic on the corridor doubling compared with earlier estimates. That set off more traffic analysis and a review of possible design changes. The section that might need a redesign is a one-mile stretch of Franklinton from Princeton Avenue to May Avenue. COTA spokesperson Jeff Pullin explained the trigger to Columbus Underground:
"COTA was made aware of a requirement from ODOT to provide an updated traffic analysis, as ODOT requires with many of its own projects, due to the state's return to the office orders last year."
Pullin also told the outlet that the bus-only lanes planned for that section would stay. He said West Broad was at 90% design and COTA was working to get the final design to the Federal Transit Administration.
This is why Phase A can't simply go ahead on its own. In August, Transportation Advisory Magazine reported that COTA needs a final grant agreement with the FTA, plus agreements with the City of Columbus and ODOT, before construction can begin. COTA is asking the FTA for $149.9 million, about 38% of the project's $393 million total cost. The grant covers the whole corridor, and the whole corridor includes that mile in Franklinton. The lot across from the Community Center is first in line to be built, but its start date waits on paperwork that covers every segment.
What is fixed and what is still open
| Item | Status as of the latest official updates |
|---|---|
| Western terminus | Rockbrook Crossing Park and Ride and Transit Center, Prairie Township |
| Township land | Board authorized transfer of parcel 243-000004 to COTA on January 21, 2026, keeping overflow-parking rights |
| First construction phase | Rockbrook Crossing to Wilson Road |
| Design | 90% complete |
| Federal review | Cleared FTA's Capital Investment Grant Risk Assessment step |
| Federal grant | FTA's project list, updated October 27, 2026, shows West Broad in Small Starts Project Development |
| Construction start | Tied to the FTA grant agreement and the city and ODOT agreements |
The September progress report says West Broad cleared a key step in the FTA's risk assessment, stays within Small Starts program limits, and can keep moving toward a federal grant agreement. It also notes that large federally funded projects often see changes in timing and scope. The FTA's list of current Capital Investment Grant projects, last updated October 27, 2026, still shows West Broad in the Small Starts Project Development stage. The corridor already has federal money, too. NBC4 reported in April 2024 that a $41.9 million federal grant would support the project.
For a Galloway buyer, that means the location of the line is settled and the date it opens is still open.
The planning work around the stations is on its own schedule
Alongside the construction plans, COTA and the City of Columbus ran a West Broad Transit-Oriented Development study. They describe it as a community-driven effort to focus jobs and housing growth along the corridor while keeping it affordable for current residents and businesses. Two of its public sessions were held at the Prairie Township Community Center on April 8 and April 11, 2026. The Dispatch reported that the April 8 Prairie Township session was among the first public meetings to shape future development along the corridor.
By September, the study had held 10 station-area open houses, collected more than 250 survey responses, and worked with 19 community ambassadors. The team was building a map-based development dashboard, a developer toolkit, station-area strategies and development concepts, and the plan was expected to be complete by late November 2026. The LinkUS development page lists the goals as affordable and attainable housing, support for existing businesses, and policies to minimize displacement. These are planning goals. The page doesn't commit to a specific number of homes.
So the planning work around the stations and the construction of the line are moving on separate timelines. The study finishes on its own date, while construction waits for the federal grant agreement.
The nearest market numbers show no transit bump yet
The Columbus REALTORS reports don't break out a separate row for Galloway or ZIP 43119. The nearest southwest-side reporting area is the South-Western City School District area, which the reports label Grove City. In September 2026, that area recorded 163 closed sales, up 7.2% from September 2025. Its median sale price was $304,950, down 3.8%.
For comparison, the median across the whole Columbus REALTORS MLS in September 2026 was $334,250, up 2.8%. Homes sold in 33 days on average, and supply stood at 2.6 months. On the west side, the Hilliard City School District area had a $400,000 median and 1.8 months of supply that same month. The September release from Columbus REALTORS named South-Western and Columbus City Schools as the region's highest-volume districts, and both grew sales.
So the South-Western area sold more homes than a year earlier, at a median about $29,000 below the metro and about $95,000 below the Hilliard district area. LinkUS says many West Broad station areas are already seeing new development. In September's numbers, though, the South-Western area's median fell 3.8% while the metro median rose 2.8%.
FAQ
Where will the Galloway-end station be? The western terminus is the planned Rockbrook Crossing Park and Ride and Transit Center. It's on the township lot across West Broad Street from the Prairie Township Community Center at 5955 W. Broad St.
Does the township lose the lot? Under the transfer the trustees authorized in January 2026, Prairie Township keeps permanent rights to overflow parking on the property.
What has to happen before construction starts? According to the August report in Transportation Advisory Magazine, COTA needs a final FTA grant agreement plus agreements with the City of Columbus and ODOT.
If you're weighing a home along the West Broad corridor in Galloway, we can show you how recent sales near Rockbrook Crossing compare with the rest of the west side. We can also talk through how this transit timeline fits the years you plan to own. The Oracle Group works with buyers comparing Galloway, Hilliard and Grove City, and we're happy to start with a phone call.
