A new segment of the trail opened Saturday in the East End and Columbia-Tusculum.  Eventually, it is supposed to be a 22-mile trail extending from Coney Island to Sayler Park.  This article appeared in the 6/27/04 Enquirer:

 

 

 

New section of trail opens on riverfront

By Ari Bloomekatz

Enquirer staff writer

 

Walking along the Ohio River or riding a bicycle to downtown Cincinnati has become more enjoyable with the opening Saturday of another section of the Ohio River Trail.

 

The new section of the trail is 4,000 feet long and runs along the riverfront from Corbin Street, near the Schmidt ball fields and boat ramp, to Delta Avenue.

There's also a plan to build bike trails to connect the Ohio River with Lake Erie.....now that would be cool!

 

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/bike/default.htm

 

http://www.ohiotoerietrail.org/about/our_org.asp

That would be one hell of a ride!

Looking at the ODOT map, it looks like it will eventually be possible to cycle from Xenia and Dayton down into Cincy. That would be really cool. Not sure how long it would take, though.

Also, Im suprised that Dayton, at least, doesnt have a better national rep for its bikepath system, which seems pretty extensive.

I'm hoping for a Great Miami trail, which is in talks but the riverbanks are pretty undeveloped and, in places, industrialized. I know Colerain Twp. has been at the forefront of trying to develop parks and a bikepath there.

The Great Miami valley south of Fernald is actually quite scenic. Its almost like one is in appalachia down there.

It's pretty undeveloped simply because of the lack of sewer hookups. And, yes, it's the most hilly part of the metro. It's freaking gorgeous.

 

People who live there rely on septic tanks. Though a lot of new development is happening now, and none of it is what I consider good.

This really doesn't have much to do about Ohio's bike trails but there was an article on cyburbia not to long ago about a bike trail that goes from the northern tip of Maine all the way down to Key West. Talk about a bike ride. I also wonder if the new bike trail will connect to the Loveland bike trail that runs along the Little Miami.

I also wonder if the new bike trail will connect to the Loveland bike trail that runs along the Little Miami.

I dunno. It would be a good idea and it wouldn't be too hard. Most of the unbuilt portions along the Little Miami are park land and the only major street crossings would be Beechmont and Kellogg (if you took it through the eastern side of the airport). That way they could tie together around the Four Seasons Marina.

 

That would rule.

From the 4/23/05 Kentucky Post:

 

 

Turning dreams to actual bike path

Post staff report

 

A map on display in the foyer of the Montgomery Inn Banquet Center in downtown Cincinnati showed the big picture.

 

Dashed in this spot, with solid lines in that, the map of a 150-mile stretch of the Ohio River showed sections of the Ohio River Way bike path that have been completed.

 

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050423/NEWS02/504230328/1011/RSS02

 

From the 8/12/05 Enquirer:

 

 

Anderson receives grant to build Ohio River trail

By Steve Kemme

Enquirer staff writer

 

ANDERSON TWP. - The township has received $773,000 in federal money for the construction of a 1.3-mile section of a planned bike and hiking trail along the Ohio River.

 

Anderson Township's piece, between Sutton and Five Mile roads, will be the first part of the 16-mile Ohio River Trail that will connect Lunken Airport and New Richmond to be built.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050812/NEWS01/508120385/1056

 

Council members Berding, Bortz, Ghiz and Monzel issued a motion regarding Cincinnati's portion of the Ohio River Bike Trail on November 7.

 

The gist of the motion is as follows:

 

* That the City make acquiring/retaining the necessary property or easements for the trail a priority of any development agreement or property transfer in which the city is involved in cases where such land is in a location that may be used for the Bike Trail.

 

* That the City agressively acquire and hold property needed for the Bike Trail.

 

* That the City begin negotiations with SORTA and Rail America regarding the possible use of the Oasis Line right of way for the Bike Trail.

 

* That the City develop preliminary cost estimates and a recommended alignment for the Bike Trail, for discussion in City Council in March 2007.

 

* That the City develop solutions that preserve the rail corridor for rail purposes and that are consistent with the Eastern Corridor Study.

 

* That the City do everything possible to secure state and federal funding.

 

This motion was kicked to DOTE for input and is supposed to appear back before Council by December 11.

 

Joe Hansbauer posted on his Nati blog that:

 

"The next meeting of City Council's Education, Health and Recreation Committee on the Lunken to Downtown bike trail will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall on Monday, April 16, at 3:00 p.m."

 

More about it on his blog:

http://thenati.blogspot.com/2007/03/downtown-bike-trail-to-lunken.html

Tourist/cyclist depot may be in '20s gas station

City applied for grant to move it

BY SCOTT WARTMAN | [email protected]

April 15, 2007

 

NEWPORT - An old gas station building in Newport where Model T's used to fill up in the 1920s could be moved to become a depot for cyclists and tourists.

 

The city of Newport has applied for a state transportation grant of $336,000 to move the small building with a Spanish tile roof and canopy from its current location at the corner of Fifth and York streets to city-owned property at the corner of Saratoga and 10th streets.

Ohio River Trail: Three alternatives

Building Cincinnati

 

The segment of the planned Ohio River Trail that links Theodore M. Berry Park to Lunken Airport has been narrowed down to three alternatives.

 

The City has been meeting with the Ohio River Trail Workgroup, which is composed of representatives of Ohio River Way, Leadership Cincinnati, OKI, the Chamber of Commerce, SORTA, and the Hamilton County Park District.

 

They have also been in close contact with all of the local utilities and local and national transporation concerns who own or have a stake in the property involved in this project.  One major consideration has been SORTA's ownership of the Oasis Line and its possible future use for rail transit in the Eastern Corridor project.

 

The last public meeting held for this project was January 26, 2007, at the Mt. Washington Community Center.  No further meetings have been scheduled, and no deadline has been set for selecting one of the three alternatives.  (In other words, you can still send feedback.)

 

Meanwhile, design is ongoing on the section of trail from Wilmer Road to Carrel Street.  Construction on this section should begin later this year.

 

 

What type of trail is this?

 

While the planning is still in its preliminary stages, the trail is envisioned as a 15-foot wide paved trail which uses federal design standards and is ADA compliant.

 

The trail may narrow at certain points (such as bridges) and will also contains "Share the Road" segments on less-traveled streets.

 

Trail segments adjacent to an active rail line will have a minimum separation of 11 feet from the centerline of the track.  A six-foot barrier would separate the trail from the rail line in all instances where the trail comes within 30 feet of the track.

 

 

North Alignment ($16M-$18M)*

 

 

This option begins at Carrel Street, shares the road along Dumont Street, and then joins a side path along Eastern Avenue.  It then heads north of the SORTA right of way over Delta Avenue.  Two more road sharing segments occur at Hoff Street and Gladstone Avenue, before it eventually crosses over to the south side of the tracks, crosses over Riverside Drive on the Rookwood Overpass, and meets up with the existing trail at Berry Park.

 

Major benefits with this alignment are grade separations at major street crossings, great access to neighborhoods to the north, low maintenance and better compatibility with future light rail.

 

Problems are the three railroad crossings, unstable hillside between the trail and Columbia Parkway, poor access to points south of the trail and poor views of the river and Downtown.

 

 

River Alignment ($18M-$20M)*

 

 

This option begins at Carrel and extends as a side path along Carrel and Kellogg Avenue to Riverside East Academy.  Existing trail there follows the riverbank to Corbin Street and then returns north to Riverside Drive, where it follows a side path to Gotham Street.  At this point it returns to the riverbank.  Near Lancaster Ave, the trail crosses Riverside Drive and follows the south side of the SORTA right of way, over the Rookwood Overpass, to Berry Park.

 

Benefits are that the trail provides visual interest, has plenty of adjacent places for trailheads and overlooks, uses existing trail investments and is compatible with future rail use.

 

Drawbacks are flooding and the necessary maintenance, unstable riverbank, at-grade street crossings and potential costly property acquisitions.

 

 

Temporary Alignment ($5.4M-$6M)*

 

 

Essentially, this alignment will follow the unused north railroad track, which would have to be removed.  Access from Carrel would come from a side path.  Near Lancaster Avenue, the trail crosses to the south side of the tracks, continues over the Rookwood Overpass and connects to Berry Park.

 

The major benefit is the straight, flat alignment.  It would be grade separated at major street crossings and has decent connections to adjacent neighborhoods.

 

Unfortunately, future rail use would kill this section of trail.  Even getting all of the agencies and stakeholders involved to agree on terms of this plan could take many, many years.

 

The trail would also be too close to an active rail line (8 feet).  There could be points when riders are pinned between hillside and train.  Plus the views suck.

 

For more info, contact John Heilman at OKI: (513)621-6300 or [email protected].

 

* I wouldn't pay any attention to these cost estimates, except how they relate to each other.  The alternatives are in their preliminary stages and don't account for the impacts of future rail use on the cost, nor do they account for property acquisition.

 

http://buildingcincinnati.blogspot.com/2007/05/ohio-river-trail-three-alternatives.html

What a terrible headline...completely misleading and just plain old wrong.

 

Private bike path downtown?

BY JANE PRENDERGAST | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

August 1, 2007

 

CINCINNATI - A private group of citizens who want a bicycle trail from Lunken Airport to downtown got the go-ahead this afternoon from City Council.

 

Council members unanimously agreed to a motion that says the city administration will cooperate with the private group and take no action to hinder the group's efforts to build the Ohio River Trail with private funds.

 

The private group's trail will be a temporary one while the city continues to work on ways to fund and build a permanent one.

 

Councilman Jeff Berding, who wrote the motion with Chris Monzel, said the action was the first step toward a bike trail he hopes would ultimately go "out to the West Side and up the Mill Creek."

Yeah, you get the impression that you'd have to pay an admission fee or join a club to use it.  Those words were chosen poorly.

 

Another article by the same author, with a better headline!

 

Cincinnati council gives a push to bicycle trail

BY JANE PRENDERGAST | [email protected]

 

 

Proponents lobbying for years for a bicycle trail between Lunken Airport in the East End and downtown got some help from Cincinnati City Council on Wednesday - a resolution of support agreeing to let them continue working on a temporary trail while the city works on a permanent one.

 

A four-mile trail along the idle part of the Oasis rail line could be in use within about two years if the rest of the planning and fund-raising go as quickly as hoped, said supporter Jeff Schloemer.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070802/NEWS01/708020409/1056/COL02

^ I sent her an email saying the (original) headline was misleading.

There was actually 3 different headlines to that same story.  The initial headline (seen in my post), then a modification later that evening, and then the final version seen the next day (TCK's post).

 

Most of their headlines get at least two versions.  The initial one when it's first debuted on the website, and then a modified version with a story update/expansion the next day for the print version.  Personally I think it's silly that they post a sub-par story at all.  They should get the story right/ready to go, and then post it on the web.  They're so worried about throwing it up there that often times those initial news breakers are false, inaccurate, misleading and just plain old bad writing much of the time.

 

Maybe they'll work this out as they try to become more adapt to the digital age of newspapers...but since it's the Enquirer; I won't hold my breath.

^ I'm right there with you.  Is there any reason that I need to get the same story with four different headlines in my feed reader?

 

City seeking comments for river trail funds

Building Cincinnati, 11/16/07

 

The City Planning Department is accepting public comment until December 10 on proposed alternatives for the Ohio River Trail.

 

These comments will be assembled and sent to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) along with a request for the release of previously awarded funds. The HUD funds, which total $745,125, come from the Neighborhood Initiative Grant program.

 

These funds would be used for the construction phase of the trail segment between Carrel Street and Wilmer Avenue, a distance of a little over one-half of one mile. Work would involve the renovation of a former freight terminal and the removal of several abandoned railroad spurs.

 

The City is currently undergoing the HUD Environmental Review process.

 

The project has been in the design and environmental document phase, which was paid for by federal highway funds. At the same time, the City has been working with FEMA on floodplain management issues because the project is in a 100-year flood plain.

 

HUD should make a decision on the funds by the end of the year.

 

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2007/11/city-seeking-comments-for-river-trail.html

 

Connecting the dots on river trail

BY ANDREA TORTORA | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER

March 28, 2008

 

CINCINNATI - Bruce Petrie Jr. is a partner with Graydon Head & Ritchey in charge of the firm's external affairs on its executive committee. He graduated from Brown University followed by Northwestern University Law School and a federal judicial clerkship in Chicago before returning to his hometown, where he and his wife, Dr. Mary Petrie, have raised their four children. In addition to a 28-year law practice, he has led community organizations, including the Cincinnati Parks Board Foundation, Volunteer Lawyers for the Poor and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. He is also an oil painter whose works can be seen at www.BrucePetrie.com.

Sounds like a talented, interesting person. I really like his paintings.

Bike trail would need $4M

Other projects in works to make city more accessible

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080922/NEWS01/809220313

 

The proposed temporary hike/bike trail from Lunken Airport to downtown Cincinnati has arrived at a critical juncture.

 

The route has been set. The kinks appear to have been worked out in the lease agreement with Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority to use the abandoned railroad tracks, which SORTA owns.

I don't think the assumed lack of a view from the railroad ROW should be considered negative or accurate.  These people forget that the tracks are elevated significantly above Eastern Ave. and so there will be more of a magisterial view than they're probably anticipating. 

 

Agreed, and I don't see why this temporary path cannot be the permanent path, unless they re-activate the rail line.

I had Wednesday day off and biked the railroad out to Lunken.  Except for my chain falling off once, I only had to walk the bike over about 3 rough sections of ties.  Otherwise, you can bike the trail right now if you really want to!

 

Here is my bike posing for a photo on the Collins Ave. overpass:

 

Perhaps the best view heading towards town:

 

A typical wooded straightaway.  Most of the route out to Lunken looks like this, with several stretches resembling a ride through thick woods if not for the noise from Eastern Ave. 

 

A view further out toward Delta Ave.:

 

A couple observations:

 

First, although the ROW is definitely elevated above Eastern Ave., there are presently few views of the river.  This could be helped by cutting trees down in a few places, but actually the distance between the ROW and the river is much father than one thinks ahead of time.  According to Google Maps it is often over 500ft. and upwards of 1,000ft. in from the river near Delta Ave.  The Oasis route would be very attractive to avid and casual bikers but probably not tourists so much.  I think at some point there should be a tourist-oriented spur which could serve as a destination and turnaround for tourists and families with young kids biking from the downtown riverfront.  This could be at a spot along the river that has a good view of downtown.  The problem with that though is the ROW is quite a bit above Eastern Ave. and so I think a bridge would be necessary to do what I am suggesting as well as a gentle ramp on the opposite side. 

 

Also, the ROW is double-tracked throughout and even triple-tracked near downtown and in a few other places were there were once spurs.  Looks like plenty of room for a bike trail even if it is someday activated as a duel-track commuter railroad. 

JMeck did you run into that relic along the tracks by where that old train station was before it got demolished? I posted pics of it a few years ago. Definitely a hidden gem.

Great set Jake. I've been photographing the Oasis line off-and-on from various spots, but never thought to bike it.

 

How often do trains run the route? I'm sure none make it to the Boathouse, but are there not a few customers just a mile or two away?

 

From what I saw from various vantage points, if it was reactivated as heavy rail/commuter rail, you would need at least one track with sidings, but that there was room for at least an eight-foot paved path.

Planning begins to connect Ohio River Trail to Little Miami

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2008/11/planning-begins-to-connect-ohio-river.html

 

***External links with source article***

 

The City of Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) is going ahead with the design and construction of an Ohio River Trail crossing over the Little Miami River at Kellogg Avenue, which will eventually connect to the Little Miami Scenic Trail.

 

In September 2005, DOTE received notice of a federal SAFETEA-LU funding earmark of $2,417,000 to construct a portion of the Ohio River Trail between Downtown and Salem Avenue.

 

The funds would have required a local match of $604,000 - or 20 percent of construction costs up to $3,021,000 - with any additional costs being the responsibility of the City.

 

The City intended to use the funds to complete the section of trail from Congress Avenue to Carrel Street, tying together the Corbin-Congress section (completed in 2005) and the Carrel-Lunken Airport section (currently out to bid) and providing a continuous connection between Lunken Airport and Schmidt Field.

 

Soon after, DOTE began to look into using the funding to construct a crossing over the Little Miami River with the goal of eventually connecting with the Little Miami Scenic Trail.

 

A working group consisting of the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, Anderson Township and the Hamilton County Park District not only chose where the trail would cross, but also advanced planning for the extension of the Little Miami Scenic Trail from the Village of Newtown into the City of Cincinnati.

 

The estimate for the cost of the trail is $2.5 million.

The Ohio River Trail was awarded $1.75 million from OKI to construct the Ohio River Trail from Wilmer Avenue to Carrel Street.

 

http://www.oki.org/pdf/stimulusweb/infrastucture.pdf

Any idea why it is costing over a million dollars to go just a few blocks?

No idea, but given the quality of OKI's press release for these projects and their website it is probably just a typo.  I wonder what the actual scope of the project is.

Stimulus funds could go to Ohio River Trail

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/05/stimulus-funds-could-go-to-ohio-river.html

 

Cincinnati City Council is considering an ordinance that would allow the City to accept $1.75 million in federal economic stimulus funding to build a portion of the Ohio River Trail in the East End.

 

The $2.3 million project would include:

• The construction of a 0.54-mile segment of hike/bike trail between Wilmer Avenue and Carrel Street.
  
• A new traffic signal and road work on Wilmer Avenue to provide a controlled trail crossing at Wilmer Avenue and Airport Road.
  
• Landscaping, trail parking and amenities at Wilmer Avenue/Airport Road and at Carrel and Dumont streets.
  
• Remodeling and partial demolition of an abandoned freight transfer terminal and railroad tracks.

 

The balance of funding would come from City of Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering capital improvement program project accounts.

 

The ordinance also would allow the City to enter into a Local Public Agency agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation and would create a capital grant project account for trail construction.

 

If the funds are accepted, work could begin by fall 2009.

2.3 millions for 1/2 mile of bike trail.  How could it possibly cost that much?

The construction of a 0.54-mile segment of hike/bike trail between Wilmer Avenue and Carrel Street.

 

This looks like it will be routed along the former CG&P (Cincinnati, Georgetown & Portsmouth) that was later part of the interurban near the Undercliff Yard. The new traffic signal will be placed near the floodwall, which was the ROW for the CG&P. The path near the airport is nice and all, but it's not wide and it's faster to bike on the road that doesn't have that much traffic.

 

Remodeling and partial demolition of an abandoned freight transfer terminal and railroad tracks.

 

re CincySAL, I think this is where the $2.3 million cost really comes in at.

Cincinnati says 'yes' to Ohio River Trail funds

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/05/cincinnati-says-yes-to-ohio-river-trail.html

 

If $1.75 million in federal economic stimulus funding comes to Cincinnati for the Ohio River Trail, the City will gladly accept it.

 

Cincinnati City Council voted unanimously to accept any federal funding, to create a capital grant project account, and to enter into a local public agency agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation for the $2.3 million trail segment linking Wilmer Avenue and Carrel Street in the East End, which could now begin as soon as fall 2009.

 

The City's Department of Transportation and Engineering would fund the remainder of the project from its capital improvement program project accounts.

 

In addition to the trail surface, construction would also include a controlled trail crossing at Wilmer Avenue and Airport Road, the remodeling and remediation of an abandoned freight transfer terminal and railroad tracks, landscaping, and trail parking.

 

As envisioned, the Ohio River Trail would connect Downtown with the Little Miami Scenic Trail, and eventually to Lake Erie.

Agreement near for Lunken-Salem section of Ohio River Trail

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/11/agreement-near-for-lunken-salem-section.html

By Kevin LeMaster | Building Cincinnati, November 4, 2009

 

Cincinnati City Council is considering an ordinance that would authorize it to enter into a local public agency (LPA) agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation for the portion of Ohio River Trail between Wilmer Avenue/Lunken Airport and the Magrish Preserve on Salem Road.

 

The LPA would make the City eligible for $2.2 million in SAFETEA-LU funding through the Federal Highway Administration to build the nearly half-mile long section of hike-bike trail, a $2.75 million project that would also include the restriping of the Kellogg Avenue Bridge, realignment of the ramp from westbound Salem Road to Kellogg Avenue, and sidewalk improvements.

 

The balance of the project's funding will come from existing Department of Transportation and Engineering capital improvement program project accounts.

 

Currently in the environmental impact phase, construction is scheduled to begin in 2012.

 

Another half-mile segment between Wilmer Avenue and Carrel Street received $1.75 million in federal economic stimulus funding and could begin construction early next year.

 

As envisioned, the Ohio River Trail would connect Downtown with the Little Miami Scenic Trail, and eventually to Lake Erie.

Watching tweets from James Bonsall, a Norwood City Council member, attending today's OKI meeting. He says that the federal funding for the Ohio River Trail is being pulled because Cincinnati did not come forward with their local match of $800,000.

 

If that's the whole story, this is pretty shocking. It's also a black eye on John Cranley who claimed to be pro-bike trail ...

Cranley wasted $600k to create unnecessary shared path along Eggleston...

 

https://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,18718.msg837284.html#msg837284

^ From what I understand, the Eggleston shared use path was funded using casino money that had to be spent in the immediately adjacent neighborhoods, so it couldn't have been used on the Ohio River Trail.

^ Interesting... There had to be better options to use the funds on.

It is so ridiculous that we cannot get downtown connected to the Little Miami Bike Trail, much less the westward expansion to Sayler Park.  This thread is 13 years old. All talk, no action. 

If I recall correctly a few years ago there was a dispute between the approved plan to run an eastern trail along the river or to convert part of the Oasis line to a bike path. The Mayor and City Manager didn't like whatever was approved during the Mallory era so as per the norm...nothing happened.

274-mile Ohio River Trail gains federal assist

 

 

The Ohio River Recreational Trail is among eight projects across the Southeast that will receive planning assistance from the National Park Service.

 

The 274-mile trail stretches from Portsmouth, Ohio, to West Point, Ky., with Cincinnati as the halfway point. Organizers will receive expert consultation from NPS on projects to help spur local recreation, conservation and economic development opportunities.

 

“This is outstanding news,” David Wicks, co-director of the Ohio River Recreational Trail initiative, said in a release. “The National Park Service has tremendous experience in guiding the development of water trails throughout the country, and to receive planning assistance from them is quite an honor.” 

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/11/26/274-mileohio-river-trail-gains-federal-assist.html

About two miles of the Ohio River Trail are currently under construction between Lunken Airport and Coney Island:

 

Here are some photos of the trail in Loveland that I took in December, 2020.