Dec. 31, 2014
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513-352-3417

CINCINNATI – Fifth Street between Walnut and Main will be reduced to two lanes for six weeks starting Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, while crews reconstruct an electric-utility vault for infrastructure improvements associated with the Cincinnati Streetcar. The vault is at the southwest corner of Main and Fifth streets.

The two lanes on the north side of Fifth between Walnut and Main will remain open.

Note: During this period, the north curb lane at Fifth and Main will temporarily serve as both a through and left-turn lane.

In addition, Main Street will be reduced to two through lanes and a right-turn only lane on the east side of the Fifth Street intersection.  

Police will be on site to assist with traffic flow. Sidewalks and crosswalks­ – except the west crosswalk at the intersection of Fifth and Main --will remain open.

Instructional signage for motorists and pedestrians will be posted in the area.

Motorists should allow extra time when traveling in this area or consider alternative routes to their intended destination. Bus riders should visit www.go-metro.com for updated route information.

Other streetcar work
Meanwhile, streetcar crews are excavating and grading the approach slab area of the Main Street bridge over Fort Washington Way at Third Street. This work requires the closure of the southwest corner of the intersection at Third and Main until Jan. 16. In addition, the south curb lane on Third at Main and the two west lanes on Main between Second and Third over the bridge are closed.

The west sidewalk on the Main Street bridge also is closed. The east sidewalk remains open.

Instructional signage is posted to direct motorists and pedestrians around the site.

At the north end of the streetcar route near Findlay Market, crews will be installing special track on Elder Street between Race Street and Goose Alley through mid January. This stretch of Elder Street will be closed Monday, Jan. 5 through Jan. 16, as crews install a spur to accommodate potential expansion of the streetcar route.

Race Street will be reduced to one lane between Henry and Elder, and Elder will be closed at Race to Goose Alley during construction. Elder, normally eastbound only, will be converted temporarily to eastbound and westbound between Vine and Republic to accommodate vehicular traffic. Local access to Goose Alley will be maintained.

Motorists who wish to access Elder from Race will be detoured east on Green Street, north on Vine and west on Elder.  

Pedestrian access will be maintained but limited at Elder. Detour signs will be posted to direct pedestrians around the site.

Findlay Street between Race and Elm will be closed Monday, Dec. 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the delivery and installation of a power substation for the Cincinnati Streetcar.

Race Street will remain open except during a brief period while the power substation is set in place in the Findlay Market parking lot at Findlay and Race.  

Motorists traveling westbound on Findlay Street will be detoured south at Race Street to Green Street to north on Elm. Motorists traveling eastbound on Findlay Street will be detoured north on Elm Street, then east on McMicken and south on Race.

Detour signs will be posted and pedestrian access maintained.

This is the third of four substations to be delivered. The substations power the streetcar along its 3.6-mile route. The first is located at the streetcar’s maintenance and operations facility on Henry Street in Over-the-Rhine. The other is at Court and Walnut. The last one to be delivered will be located on Pete Rose Way near Metro’s transit center.

Other Streetcar Work: Photo Opportunity
The final rails completing the Over-the-Rhine portion of the streetcar’s 3.6-mile loop will be welded together at 9:00 a.m. Monday, Dec. 15. on Race Street between Elder and Green streets. Media is invited to visit the site for a photo opportunity. Project Executive John Deatrick will be available to answer construction-related questions. Please see the attached media advisory for details.

Dec. 8, 2014
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513-352-3417

Main Street between Second and Third will be closed 9:00 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, through 5:00 a.m. Monday, Dec. 15, for road reconstruction and grade work related to the Cincinnati Streetcar project.  

“To help reduce congestion, Cincinnati police will manually manage traffic signals to assist with traffic flow in this busy area that straddles the Central Business District and The Banks near Great American Ballpark,” said John Deatrick, project executive. 

Police will assist with traffic during evening rush hour Thursday and again for the morning and evening rush hours Friday. In addition, police coverage will extend until 8:30 p.m. Friday to help with the extra traffic expected for two concerts at nearby U.S. Bank Arena.

Motorists on Second Street will be detoured to the Second Street ramp to Pete Rose Way to Broadway. Detour signs will be posted.

The two south lanes of Third Street will remain open at all times. At least two lanes will remain open on Second Street.

In addition, north of Third Street, only the west curb lane of Main Street will be open 9:00 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, to 6:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12. The entire north half of the intersection of Walnut and Third will be closed from 6:00 p.m. Friday, to 5:00 a.m. Monday. Note: Buses and large trucks will not be able to turn right onto Main from Third Street when only one lane is open due to size of the work site.

Pedestrian access in the area will be maintained but limited. Only the east sidewalk of the Main Street bridge over Fort Washington Way and the east and north crosswalks at the Third and Main intersection will be open. A flagger will assist pedestrians at the crosswalks during the day Thursday and until 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Metro and TANK bus service in the area will continue during the restrictions and closure. Visit http://www.go-metro.com for information about alternate bus stop locations.

Please see the attached map for details.


This work at Third and Main is part of the U-shaped loop at the southern-most point of the streetcar’s 3.6-mile route. It is the last of the prep work needed before streetcar track can be installed through the intersection this coming spring. Crews recently finished installing straight track over the Walnut and Main street bridges that span Fort Washington Way from Third to Second.


Other streetcar work
Utility crews will be constructing a new sewer manhole on Walnut Street between Fourth and Fifth beginning Wednesday, Dec. 10, till Friday, Dec. 19. Walnut will be reduced to one lane (the west curb lane) 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. After 4:00 p.m. daily, a second lane (east curb lane) will be open to through traffic.

“The contractor cannot reopen all lanes of traffic on Walnut because the size and depth of the work site is too large to safely use metal plates,” Deatrick said.

Pedestrian access will be maintained.

Meanwhile, utility crews remain on schedule to finish the reconstruction of an electric manhole at Government Square on Fifth between Walnut and Main by Dec. 19. The work there has temporarily eliminated bus access. Visit http://www.go-metro.com for information about alternate bus stop locations.
  

Dec. 5, 2014
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513-352-3417

The westbound lanes of East Court Street between Main and Walnut will be closed tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 6, so crews may install underground electric conduit for a traffic signal. The work, which will take place 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., is related to the Cincinnati Streetcar project.

Motorists will be detoured north on Main, west on Central Parkway and south on Walnut. Signs will be posted.

Pedestrian access will be maintained but parking on this stretch of East Court Street will be prohibited while the work is under way.