Two sections of the Olentangy Trail will close temporarily in October while Columbus repairs aging pavement, the city’s Recreation and Parks Department says. The first closure is scheduled for Oct. 12-16 along roughly a half-mile stretch near the Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park. It will run from north of Dodridge Street to south of the bridge over the Olentangy River, near Olentangy Village. A second section, between Lane Avenue and the Tuttle Park Community Center, is scheduled to close Oct. 26-30. Both closures are subject to change because of weather, and each section will be closed completely while work is underway. The city plans to work on one section at a time and post signs ahead of the closures with timing information. It does not plan to mark detours, citing the short duration of the work and limited accessible alternatives for people walking or biking. Trail users will need to plan another route during the closures. The October work is part of a five-section project that also includes pavement repairs, replacement of pavement markings and limited vegetation removal to improve visibility. The department says some trail pavement is more than 20 years old and nearing the end of its useful life. It generally expects each closure to last five to 10 business days, depending on the section’s length and weather. Further repairs are planned for spring 2027 on the Olentangy Trail near Antrim Park and between Third Avenue and Goodale Street. The Scioto Trail near Confluence Park is also slated for work next spring. Columbus Recreation and Parks received about $436,000 in federal Transportation Alternatives Program funding through the Ohio Department of Transportation in October 2025. The grant covers 80% of the project cost; local funds will cover the remaining 20%.