Trails
The Ohio River Trail
Once completed, the Ohio River Trail will span 23 miles along the north bank of the river from Coney Island through Downtown to Sayler Park. The trail will enhance quality of life, increase mobility and recreational opportunities, and support economic development. The trail will connect our neighborhoods to Downtown and the world-class Cincinnati Riverfront Parks. It will complete the connection from Downtown to the Little Miami Scenic Trail that will eventually extend to Lake Erie.
The City has identified the preferred alignment for the eastern portion of the Ohio River Trail. The current focus is on completion of the trail from Salem Road to Downtown. Three segments of the trail have already been completed: 1.3 miles (part of the Lunken Bike Path), a 0.6 mile segment through T.M. Berry International Friendship Park, and a 1 mile segment from Corbin Street to the intersection of Congress and Kellogg Avenues. Construction will begin in early 2010 on a 0.4 mile segment from the Lunken Airport Trail to Carrel Street. Design has also begun on a 0.4 mile segment extending east from Lunken Airport Trail to Magrish Preserve which will be the southern terminus for the Little Miami Scenic Trail. Connection to the Little Miami Scenic Trail will eventually link Cincinnati with over 100 miles of continuous bike/hike trail between Springfield, Dayton and Columbus, Ohio and Downtown Cincinnati. A 0.3 mile section along Mehring Way from Main Street to Elm Street will also be built in 2010.
The portion of the Ohio River Trail from Paul Brown Stadium to the west has been completed at one location - Fernbank Park. Additionally, space for the future trail has been planned for near State Avenue as a part of the upcoming Waldvogel Viaduct reconstruction project. A connection to the future Mill Creek Trail under US 50 is also planned.
Queen City-South Mill Creek Greenway Trail
When all three phases are complete, the off-road Queen City-South Mill Creek hike and bike trail will span 3.4 miles along the river, from Mitchell Avenue at the Queen City shopping center to the Mill Creek Road bridge in South Cumminsville. The multi-purpose trail will connect with existing streets, on-road bike lanes, Metro and Access bus stops, and pedestrian sidewalks. In addition, the trail will link parts of five residential neighborhoods, two business districts, Salway park, and the Spring Grove Cemetery.
The comprehensive Queen City-South Mill Creek Greenway Trail will feature green technology and eco-friendly construction methods, including use of porous and other green paving materials (e.g., rubber from shredded tires) for the trail and parking lots, and trail furnishings from reused/recycled materials. The Trail is a major component of the City of Cincinnati's Mill Creek Greenway Trail Program that seeks to improve the health of the degraded river and to revitalize neighborhoods and communities within the river corridor. For information about this and other Mill Creek programs, please visit MCRP's website at www.millcreekrestoration.org.
Phase 1 of the trail is currently under construction, and will connect Salway Park, in the neighborhood of Spring Grove Village, to the intersection of Dooley By-pass and Ludlow Avenue in Northside, one block from the Northside business district along Hamilton Avenue.
Little Miami Scenic Trail
The Little Miami Scenic Trail runs though five southwestern counties in Ohio. As of 2008, it was the longest paved trail in the United States, stretching 76 miles from Springfield to Newtown, Ohio. The largely wooded corridor was created along the right-of-way of the old Little Miami Railroad. The original railway bed is still visible beside the trail in various places along the trail route. The Hamilton County Park District intends to extend the Little Miami Scenic Trail to Clear Creek. From there, it will follow the Little Miami River to Magrish Preserve, just past Lunken Field. At Kellogg Avenue, the trail will meet the Ohio River Trail.
