FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417
 
CINCINNATI – Walnut Street will be reduced to two through lanes of traffic between Court and Ninth beginning at 12:01 a.m. Monday, March 20, through Thursday, March 23, so crews may repair the concrete streetcar track slab along this stretch of the Cincinnati Bell Connector route.

The work will require the suspension of streetcar service in the Central Business District after normal operating hours end at 11:00 p.m. Sunday, March 19. Service in the CBD is expected to resume by its normal start time of 6:30 a.m. Friday, March 24. Streetcar service in Over-the-Rhine will operate on its regular schedule while the repair work is under way.

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“With input from City Council and after carefully considering several options, we decided the most efficient and safest approach would be to restrict streetcar and vehicular traffic until the concrete has fully cured,” said City Manager Harry Black.  “We regret the inconvenience it will cause but believe it is the best solution for the long term.”

The repairs include two locations in the downtown loop where the concrete that holds the track in place has deteriorated, one at the intersection of Court and Walnut and the other at Walnut and Ninth. After excavating damaged concrete and replacing rebar in the track slab, crews will pour new concrete, which must then be allowed to harden enough to bear the weight of the streetcar and motor vehicles.

While service is suspended, the streetcar contractor will take the opportunity to inspect the CBD part of the 3.6-mile route and perform other maintenance, as needed. In addition, utility crews may perform maintenance that could require short, intermittent closures along the route. Updates will be posted via Twitter @RoadmapCincy.

Crews will work 24/7 to finish as soon as possible and reduce the amount of time streetcar service is suspended.  Crews, which will use compressors and jackhammers to excavate, have been granted a waiver to the city’s ordinance that precludes nighttime work.

Motorists on Walnut will be directed around the work sites at Court to Ninth. Motorists traveling on Ninth will not be allowed to turn onto Walnut. Detour signs will be posted.

Law enforcement officers also will be on site to help maintain crew safety in the work zones. Pedestrians will be directed to cross Walnut at nearby crosswalks. Caution signs also will be posted on site to alert motorists.
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Please see the map below, which shows detours, lane restrictions and work sites.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417
 
CINCINNATI – The public is invited to review and comment on recommended updates to the Lunken Airport Layout Plan this Thursday, March 9, or Tuesday, March 14, in the terminal conference room at 262 Wilmer Ave.

Airport management will be available to answer questions during the open houses, which run 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on both dates. Free parking is available in the lot across from the terminal.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires the City to periodically update its Airport Layout Plan, which serves as a planning tool that depicts both existing facilities and potential development. The airport, which began operations in1929, serves corporate and general aviation customers.
 
Following are the primary recommendations:

• Decommission the shorter parallel runway (21R/3L):  This will improve safety by reducing the possibility of runway incursions (aircraft inadvertently taxiing onto an active runway), and free-up development space for corporate and general aviation users. The benefit of maintaining the runway is no longer justified as most flight training activity has moved to Clermont County and other airports.
  
  
• Build a new taxiway parallel to the main runway (21L/3R) with high speed exits:  With the closure of the other runway, this is necessary to allow smaller aircraft to exit the runway sooner and not delay the landing of faster aircraft.  It will also improve safety by further reducing the possibility of runway incursions.
  
  
• Extend the main runway (21L/3R) 800 feet to the southwest:  The extension will improve safety by providing more room to stop in the event of an aborted takeoff for typical operations, and provide additional range to corporate users by allowing increased fuel loads. 
  
  
• Relocate the aircraft control tower to a more central location for better runway visibility, enhancing safety.

The FAA must approve the plan, which was developed in consultation with Woolpert, a national architecture, engineering and geospatial firm based in Dayton, Ohio. Once approved, projects selected for development as part of the plan will be paid for primarily with FAA grants.
 
The Lunken Airport Oversight and Advisory Board (LAOAB), created by Cincinnati City Council to represent neighborhood and stakeholder concerns, has approved the updates.
 
“The LAOAB supports the Airport Layout Plan Update because it will improve airport safety and will not impact the public’s use of or alter the Lunken Trail, playfields, recreation center or Reeves Golf Course,” said Alex Linser, chair of the LAOAB.
 
“Consistent with City policy, Lunken’s plan does not seek airline service or new commercial charter service,” Linser added. “The plan incorporates a forecast of very modest growth in future operations and recognizes Lunken’s primary role as a corporate and general aviation facility. The update will not in any way change the City’s policy to not attract scheduled commercial carriers.”
 
For information about Lunken Airport, visit http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/dote/lunken-airport/

​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 3, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417
 

CINCINNATI – The Marburg Avenue bridge at Wasson Road will be closed for approximately six months beginning at 9:00 a.m. Monday, March 20. The closure is needed so construction crews may remove the existing bridge and build a new one in its place.

The 86-year-old bridge, which spans a ravine over former Norfolk & Southern railroad lines, connects densely populated residential and commercial areas in Hyde Park and Oakley.
”We recognize how inconvenient the closure will be to residents and commuters in this busy area,” said Michael Moore, director, Department of Transportation & Engineering. “We plan to carefully monitor traffic patterns during the closure and will make adjustments to signal timing and implement other measures to keep traffic moving as safely and efficiently as possible.”

Utility relocations continue until March 17. Bridge-related preparation work starts the week of March 13, with crews clearing access to the site via Wasson Road. Also beginning the same week, traffic on Wasson Road will be shifted to the north and reduced to one lane in each direction between Eastern Hills Lane and the intersection at Marburg Avenue. The lane restrictions are needed to accommodate crews and equipment until all work is finished next fall.

During the closure, motorists who wish to travel north on Marburg will be detoured west at Erie Avenue, north on Paxton, east on Wasson and north again on Marburg. Motorists heading south on Marburg will have the option to use Paxton or Wasson.

A three-way stop will be in place at the Wasson-Marburg intersection, allowing motorists to proceed north, east and west.

The stretch of Marburg from Erie Avenue north to the bridge will be restricted to local and emergency traffic only during the closure.

Pedestrians will not be allowed to cross the bridge during the closure.

In addition, Victoria and Portsmouth avenues will be closed to through traffic to reduce potential congestion on those residential streets. Local and emergency traffic will be allowed.

Detour signs will be posted on site at the bridge closure and at nearby key intersections to help direct motorists. In addition, signs directing motorists to Interstate 71 via Ridge Road and via Red Bank Road will be posted.

Please see the attached map, which shows the detour routes and access options to I-71.

The current Marburg bridge is classified  as “structurally deficient” and is in “poor” condition with a rating of 4 on a scale of 0 to 9, according to National Bridge Inspection Standards.

All work for the new bridge is expected to finish by Oct. 31. The bridge will be a concrete structure with an improved grade, 8-foot wide sidewalks on both sides of it, as well as decorative railings and graphics related to the local area.

​The cost to replace and construct the bridge is $2.1 million. It is being paid for with state and federal grants.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Feb. 17, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417
 
CINCINNATI – Seventh Street will be closed between Walnut and Main streets Sunday, Feb. 19, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. so crews may install HVAC equipment atop the Aronoff Center.

Motorists on Seventh will be detoured south on Walnut, east on Fifth, north on Main to Seventh again. 

The closure will not affect operation of the Cincinnati Bell Connector. 

Access to the Aronoff will be allowed via entrances on Walnut and Main streets.

Access to the Olympic Garage will be allowed via Walnut Street. A law enforcement officer will be on site to flag temporary two-way traffic in and out of the garage.

Pedestrian access will be allowed via the north sidewalk along Seventh. 

Detour signs will be posted near the site to help direct motorists around the closure.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417

CINCINNATI – Hillside Avenue on the city’s West Side will be closed to through traffic for three months between Anderson Ferry Road and Tyler Avenue beginning this Monday, Feb. 20.  The closure will allow crews to repair and extend an existing retaining wall about 200 feet west of Tyler on Hillside.

Through traffic heading east or west will be detoured via River Road.

Anderson Ferry Road will remain open throughout construction, which is expected to finish in mid May.

Local access for Hillside residents will be allowed.
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Detour signs will be posted on site to help direct motorists around the closure.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417
    
CINCINNATI – East Seventh Street will be closed between Sycamore and Broadway beginning at 6:00 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 3, until 6:00 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, so crews can remove the tower crane used to build a high-rise apartment building and garage.

The closure is needed to accommodate another crane that will dismantle the tower crane.
Motorists on Seventh will be detoured south on Sycamore, east on Fifth, north on Broadway to east on Seventh again.

Detour signs will be posted to help direct motorists and pedestrians around the site.

Access to the Seven at Broadway Parking Garage will be allowed via New Street.

​Construction of the 17-story, mixed-use tower and garage, which extends between Seventh and Eighth streets facing Sycamore, began in August 2015. It is expected to be complete by the end of this year. The 500-space parking garage, which opened last summer, also serves the newly opened Holiday Inn on the eastern side of this city block bounded by Broadway. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Jan. 27, 2016
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417
 
 
CINCINNATI – Parts of Sentinel and Culvert streets will be closed Monday, Jan. 30, from 7:30 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. the next day so crews can pour concrete overhead along a stretch of Interstate 71 south near the Lytle Tunnel.

Sentinel will be closed at Fifth Street and Culvert will be closed between Reedy and Fifth. Motorists will be directed to stay on Eggleston Avenue.

Please see the map below for detour information.

​In addition, crews will close the right lane of southbound I-71 before the I-471 south ramp to the Lytle Tunnel from 8:00 p.m. Monday until 5:00 a.m. Tuesday.
 
Arrow boards and/or signs will be in place to alert motorists of the upcoming lane closure.
 
Monday’s concrete pour is part of an Ohio Department of Transportation project to replace more than 1,000 feet of bridge deck on both sides of I-71 between the entrance to Lytle Tunnel and the pedestrian bridge to Mount Adams. Crews began work on the southbound side in September. Reconstruction of the northbound side of I-71 will begin after the southbound side is finished this winter. 

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​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2016
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417
 
CINCINNATI – Eggleston Avenue between Sentinel and Reedy streets will be closed from 8:00 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, until 6:00 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, as crews pour concrete overhead along a 350-foot stretch of southbound Interstate 71 near Lytle Tunnel.

​Motorists traveling westbound on Eggleston will be detoured to Sentinel, then Culvert to Reedy and Eggleston again. Motorists traveling eastbound on Eggleston will be detoured to Reedy, then Culvert to Sentinel and Eggleston again.
 
Please see the map below for detour information. Photo below shows work area.
 
In addition, crews also will close the right lane of southbound I-71 before the I-471 south ramp to the Lytle Tunnel from 10:00 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 19, until 5:00 a.m. Friday, Jan. 20, and again at 9:00 p.m. Friday until 9:00 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21. Arrow boards and signs will be in place to alert motorists of the upcoming lane closure.
 
Friday’s concrete pour is part of an Ohio Department of Transportation project to replace more than 1,000 feet of bridge deck on both sides of I-71 between the entrance to Lytle Tunnel and the pedestrian bridge to Mount Adams. Crews began work on the southbound side in September. Reconstruction of the northbound side of I-71 will begin after the southbound side is finished this winter.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2016
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417
 
CINCINNATI – The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge will be closed 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, so crews can shoot footage for a Cincinnati Bell Inc. commercial that will air locally  during the NFL’s upcoming Super Bowl game.

Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes and avoid the area to reduce congestion.
Law enforcement officers will be stationed near the foot of the bridge in Cincinnati and Covington to help direct motorists.  

Pedestrian access will be prohibited intermittently while the crew films.

The historic blue bridge will be one of multiple area landmarks featured during Bell’s 60-second commercial promoting its hometown of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Bell Connector streetcar.

The crew is scheduled to shoot in Cincinnati Jan. 18 to Jan. 23.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Dec. 16, 2016
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417
 

CINCINNATI – Twelfth Street will be closed daily next week between Elm and Central Parkway so crews may use a crane to deliver construction materials and equipment to the Cincinnati Shakespeare Co. site.

This stretch of 12th will be closed 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19, through Friday, Dec. 23. The road will be reopened each evening.

Through traffic will continue to be allowed on Elm Street. Motorists on Elm who wish to turn west onto 12th will be detoured via Grant Street to Central Parkway.

Local access to businesses and residences on 12th also will be allowed.

Crews are preparing for a concrete pour and will erect more steel as the building continues to take shape. Exterior construction is slated to be finished this spring.