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Cincinnati Steps Map

Guest joetraveler
Guest joetraveler
in City Life

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Posted

So a few years ago I mapped out all the city steps in cincinnati.  I've recently transfered everything over to google maps and am starting a blog with all this good info.  In addition to the overall maps I'm going to put of maps of each neighborhood individually.  I'm also thinking of working on advocacy, closures, etc, just going to kind of see where it goes.  Hope you all enjoy.  Let me know of anything you'd like to see or things you'd like to see differently.

 

http://cincinnatisteps.wordpress.com/

This is great! Thanks for sharing!

"It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton

Seriously awesome!!! You're my new hero.

Thanks all, over the next few weeks I'll be putting up all the neighborhoods.  I've also need to update recently closed steps and other things like that.

Wow. Nice work.  I love Cincinnati steps.

Are the steps on the banner the ones that were over Central Parkway?

“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.”
-Friedrich Nietzsche

Are the steps on the banner the ones that were over Central Parkway?

 

Yep, they really were one of the coolest steps out there.  I've never checked to look at the sign they posted on central parkway about them, not sure if it has anything relevant or not. 

Thanks for making this! Now to explore them all!

  • 3 weeks later...

cool idea. i saw a bronx map similar to this too.

Bravo

This is awesome. I grew up in Price Hill and used the steps on a daily basis only we called them catwalks. I think these steps are a critical part of creating a walkable environment in compact suburbs, as was obviously intentioned in the first half of the 20th century when these were installed.

Are the steps on the banner the ones that were over Central Parkway?

 

Yep, they really were one of the coolest steps out there. I've never checked to look at the sign they posted on central parkway about them, not sure if it has anything relevant or not.

 

the sign says something like "removed due to advanced deterioration"

  • 2 weeks later...

 

Thank you so much! I came across this on Facebook a while ago and shared it with friends, its so cool to now get the info from the source :)

Interesting to hear the term "catwalk".  That's what people called any kind of pedestrian cut-through where I grew up in Green Township. One was a paved easement from a cul-de-sac to a main suburban road with no sidewalks across from a grade school. 

I wish Cincy would capitalize on the steps. Become the SanFran east of the Mississippi.

Interesting to hear the term "catwalk". That's what people called any kind of pedestrian cut-through where I grew up in Green Township. One was a paved easement from a cul-de-sac to a main suburban road with no sidewalks across from a grade school.

 

My mom grew up on Gellenbeck in Price Hill where there were city steps, and she always called them catwalks. I grew up on Prosperity and the neighborhood behind West High and Covedale Cinema. Everyone in our neighborhood called them catwalks and they connected every street together in our neighborhood. However, I have no idea where the term came from.

 

I have been on a few in Green Township, most notably the one connecting Colonial to Sidney Rd.

  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks all for the kind words.  I'm still somewhat at a loss as to how best convey all the information so I'm open all ideas and suggestions.  Now that the holidays are over I hope to have all the neighborhoods maps up in the next few weeks.

More photos of the steps would be nice especially during the warmer months.

 

The info is a great resource for advocacy...I wish Cincinnati could improve and highly ht the steps as a unique asset to the city and treat them as such.

Once I have everything online I hoping to start doing some kind of advocacy and/or programming with the steps.  There's a neighborhood in pittsburgh that has a step event showcasing them which is something I've contemplated.  The problem with taking pictures of steps in the summer is that alot of them are so overgrown that all you see is a tunnel of green, let alone finding some of the more obscure ones. 

That'd be great.  I've read a couple books about the steps, but would be interested to know more about their history.

 

As for the overgrowth, maybe photos of the overgrowth in summer would be great to contrast with photos from the winter without all the foliage.

 

If you were crafty about it, you might be able to find funds for a "Cincinnati Steps Restoration Project" from a national organization. 

 

Thanks much for all your work.

I don't have much to add at the moment, but I do want to let you know I greatly appreciate your work. Wouldn't want you to feel what you're doing is in vain!

 

Best of luck with your endeavors. I can't understand why Cincinnatians don't hold these in higher regard.

Do you have access to any form of GIS? That would make for some interesting maps / diagrams. The online version of CAGIS has some infrared maps in addition to the aerial images, that probably make spotting the steps a lot easier.

Is there anyway to add this info to Google Earth? That'd be cool.

Do you have access to any form of GIS? That would make for some interesting maps / diagrams. The online version of CAGIS has some infrared maps in addition to the aerial images, that probably make spotting the steps a lot easier.

 

I don't have any access to any GIS programs.  I've got all the data in kml file that I have loaded into google earth and I've tried working with it in other editors but to no sucess.

So I made a facebook page for the steps.  I'm going to use the blog mainly for the step maps and use facebook for events, access issues and things of that nature.  Anyone went to go for a step tour soon?  Now's prime time for finding lots of random things in the woods!

 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cincinnati-Public-Steps/169661489745329

  • 3 weeks later...

So I made a facebook page for the steps.   I'm going to use the blog mainly for the step maps and use facebook for events, access issues and things of that nature. Anyone went to go for a step tour soon? Now's prime time for finding lots of random things in the woods!

 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cincinnati-Public-Steps/169661489745329

 

 

You should license your info to the city for a fair dollar amount. Your records and info is probably much better than

what they have on file.

  • 1 year later...

Is it possible to get from Downtown up to Mount Adams via these steps and how would one plan such a journey?  I am trying to find some info online but not having much luck.  I will be in Cincy this weekend and the weather should be pretty good to do this I think.  Thanks in advance for any advise

I think you can walk from 5th street along Columbia Parkway or walk along the riverfront parks/Pete Rose Way then take some steps over the parkway to Mt. Adams.

 

Someone with more experience may be able to tell you better.

Yeah, I think if you go along 5th Street/Columbia Parkway, there's that staircase that goes up to it.

"You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers

The southern way might be more pleasant, since you can walk through the parks on the riverfront then cut north. But I guess it would depend where you're coming from which route you want to take.

Awesome guys ...thanks!  Will be coming from The Millenium Hotel...so very central location

Another way, and I think the most direct route, is to take Sixth Street as far east as you can go. There is a sidewalk on the north side of Sixth Street that is adjacent to a ramp leading from Columbia Parkway, and it doesn't look inviting at all, but it takes you across all of the highway to Monastery Street in Mt. Adams. From there, you can climb Monastery Street, or take another route.

 

Considering that the ramp is high, and you don't have to descend to the riverfront before ascending the hillside, it may be an easier climb overall.

It really is a shame how cut-off Mt. Adams is from downtown. It would be interesting to have a charette or something to try to think up cost-effective ways to make a more inviting connection. It could be worse, though. At least these pedestrian paths do exist.

^I think something that would really improve both Downtown and Mt. Adams is a new street, not connected to any highway ramps, between downtown and Mt. Adams. Make it farily narrow, pedestrian, bicycle and bus-friendly, and put some storefronts on it.

 

For that matter, a better connection between Downtown and Queensgate on the west side of downtown would help also.

 

At least we have some sidewalks, but sidewalks over, under, or adjacent to an expressway are not very inviting. Legally, bicycles aren't supposed to ride on the sidewalk, and there are no good bicycle connections. Busses have to take a round-about route.

 

Even so, part of the reason why downtown and Mt. Adams are isolated from each other is simple because of the hillside.

^ Not sure where that street would go. You wouldn't be able to fit much on it in the way of buildings, with 71/471 in the way.

 

Looking at Google Maps, it does look like 6th Street has the most direct route, as Eighth and State said. Maybe you can try them all and report back what you think. ;-)

If we had the funds, 7th st has the most direct route to maintain a straight roadway up to the intersection at Baum/Monastery/Van Meeter while maintain a visual corridor along 7th st. A viaduct over the highway while lowering I71/471 into a tunnel could allow for the construction of buildings on that stretch as well. I can't tell the elevation difference from google maps, though.... One can dream...

^I've done all 3 routes.  Eighth and State is right that 6th is the most direct, but also the least inviting.  The "best" route is to come up from the park by Mt Adams Landing.  That route was just redone and offers a wonderful experience.  It has considerably more steps though, and you'd have to walk further just to get to the base of it before you even start to climb.  But in my opinion, the route is nicer, and the view from the top in Mt Adams is better.

6th Street to get there, do some bar hopping, then riverfront route return? :-)

New incline.

New incline.

 

We were all thinking it! ;-)

 

Goddamn, wish they never took it down.

6th Street to get there, do some bar hopping, then riverfront route return?

 

Thanks for all the suggestions....the above was what we ended up doing.  Not a bad walk at all, I was thinking it would be much harder and demanding.  We came down the riverfront route on the return and went across the purple people bridge to Newport then along the levy to the Roebling bridge to cross back over to Ohio.  Had a great weekend in Cincinnati, nice weather and everything.  Only one bad thing....we overheard a waiter at Boi Na Braza tell his co-worker...in Spanish "that table is a couple of fags".  I told the Supervisor on duty that we could understand Spanish and heard the guy....but I wasn't there to get anyone in trouble, I just wanted to let them know what happened and didn't point the guy out.  He said he would let them GM know and to expect a call back.  Never heard back though  :wtf:.  That shouldn't be tolerated by the management at an upscale restaurant downtown!  Anyway that was the only unfortunate incident...everything else about the city and the people were great!  I love Cincy!  My bf had never been there and loved it too.

Wow, crazy to hear about the Brazilian place. I'm gay too and have never seen or experienced anything like that in Cincy. Glad to hear the rest of your trip went well!

 

Maybe our frustration with walking over the band of highways made it sound worse than it is. It's not a tough walk by any means, but it could be more inviting.

 

Where are you guys from?

We are from Chicago (I'm originally from Cleveland area and my friend is originally from Guadalajara MX).  Yeah the portion over the freeway was not the best...  mostly because The sidewalk was really narrow and cars on that bridge go fast.  Maybe making one lane a separated walking /biking path would be an easy fix...then it would be kinda cool because the views are nice (except for those damn fences Ohio puts up!).  The little winding path from 6th to Monastery was cool.

 

Update. the GM called me yesterday, and asked for a description of the guy, he was pretty mad.  I really didn't want to get him fired....grr.  He did say it really loud too for the whole area to hear which was embarrassing.  We were being nice and respectful too, not demanding or bitchy or anything.  We aren't really effeminate, so I guess it was because we were 2 guys dining on Saturday night...dressed up...I don't know.  Anyway, it really isn't a reflection on Cincy, I think the guy was from Mexico anyway. 

Oh crap, I forgot one of the highlights, while on Mt Adams sitting in a coffee shop, a small little Irish parade marched by, bagpipes and all.  Was pretty cool!  Might have been a local church doing it.  Mt Adams has got to be one of the best urban neighborhoods in the country, if you took someone and plopped them down in the middle of it and took off a blindfold, they would probably guess they were in San Francisco easily.  And just to not stray too far from topic...the steps are an awesome public asset!

And just to not stray too far from topic...the steps are an awesome public asset!

I love love love the steps, and they are not exclusive to Mt. Adams!

 

When I am in Cincy I always try to walk one of the routes in this book:

http://www.ohioswallow.com/book/Walking+the+Steps+of+Cincinnati

Good to hear the manager got in touch with you, btw.

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