April is a big month for the advancement of the bike/hike trail from downtown to Lunken and beyond! This week it is critical you attend one of the Open Houses hosted by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) on the Oasis Commuter Rail. This is the third time over the last four years the Eastern Corridor Multi-Modal Project (rail, road and bike) has asked for public input and they need to hear from you again. In the past, the Eastern Corridor Project has promoted commuter rail that uses DMU’s (diesel trains) that would negatively impact existing and future residential development along the Oasis Corridor because of the close proximity of the trains to these sites.
Ohio River Way has been advocating an alternative rail technology and the shared use of the Oasis Corridor for transit and a permanent bike trail. We are promoting a streetcar line with more frequent stops at the many parks and residential sites along Riverside Drive. Modern streetcars are designed to travel longer distances to the suburbs by adding cars as well as on downtown streets. So commuters from Eastgate could travel from the suburbs to the downtown core and not have to walk up the hill from the Riverfront Transit Center. Riverside Drive residents could travel to Findley Market and the many downtown attractions. Streetcars could also travel through the heart of Fairfax, Mariemont and Milford to increase ridership and economic development.
And since the Oasis Corridor is 50 FT wide, it can accommodate two streetcar tracks and a permanent bike trail. Streetcars are electric, quiet and compatible with the bike commuter or recreational user. The Oasis Corridor has similar qualities as the Little Miami Trail with few road and driveway crossings. So if you want this type of experience it is important to attend the Open Houses and insist that the Multi-Model Project has a high quality bike route included the Eastern Corridor Study.
The Open Houses are from 5:00-8:00PM with a presentation and a Q&A session at 7:00PM. The locations are:
April 5 - LeBlond Recreation Center 2335 Riverside Drive
April 6 – Fairfax Recreation Center 5903 Hawthorne Ave.
April 7 – Milford High School gym 1 Eagles Way
Also in April you have an opportunity to celebrate the completion of two segments of the Ohio River Trail on April 28:
10:00AM – Congress to Wilmer Ceremony in the parking lot across from the Lunken Airport Terminal
11:30AM – Sutton to Five Mile Ceremony in the parking lot across from Coney Island at Kellogg and Sutton
Participate, Advocate and Celebrate!
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