CINCINNATI – A stretch of Hearne Avenue and Wilson Avenue in Avondale will permanently close to through traffic beginning this Monday, Oct. 2, as part of a road realignment project. Those streets as well as Erkenbrecher Avenue are being modified to make room for a new building by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

The part of Hearne that is permanently closing runs east and west between Wilson and Burnet, and the part of Wilson that is closing runs north and south between Erkenbrecher and Hearne.

In addition, crews will remove the grid-style intersection at Hearne and Wilson to adjoin the streets via a new “C” shaped curve of roadway.

While the new configuration is under construction, motorists will be detoured to Dury Avenue or Northern Avenue. Signage will be posted on site to help direct through traffic.

The map below shows the closures and detours for the work taking place during October through early November.

Crews also will be installing a private drive off Wilson between Hearne and Northern Avenue to create local access for residents whose homes face the 300 block of Hearne.

Preliminary work on Erkenbrecher is scheduled to begin after the new connection between Hearne and Wilson is completed in November. This work on Erkenbrecher will include relocating utilities for electric, gas, water and telecommunications, and will require daily lane closures during the fall and winter.
 

The most significant reconstruction and realignment work on Erkenbrecher will take place in spring and summer 2018 after utility work is complete. Approximately 1,400 feet of Erkenbrecher will be reconstructed to wrap around the hospital’s future eight-story building in an “S” shape that will connect northward onto what is currently Hearne.

Construction of the building will start in late spring, as the realignment of Erkenbrecher is nearing completion.

Pedestrian access will be allowed while roadwork is under way. Detours for sidewalk closures will be posted on site.

In addition, local vehicular access will remain in place for Ronald McDonald House via RMH’s entrances on Erkenbrecher and Hearne near their intersections with Burnet.

Updates on related-road closures will be forthcoming as work progresses.

Visit www.cincinnatichildrens.org/about/clinical-expansion to learn more about the hospital’s project.