A Trail for Your Commute

So I am riding my bike one day on Riverside Drive on the way over towards Lunken Airport from downtown. Wow! Is this road busy during commute time for drivers! Drivers, caffeine induced, trying to get to work and at times some are late. I have been one of them. I have nothing against people traveling to work, we need them! But.....it is hard to see all of the cyclists and runners, especially when the sun is just coming up over the horizon.

Wouldn’t it be nice to get off this road? Well that’s what the final 4 miles of the Ohio River Trail, so called THE FINAL LINK will do for us.

A friend showed me some pictures of the rail that the new recreational trail will eventually reside. I walked part of it after the ride, and I couldn’t believe in some sections, that I was actually near the road or near downtown. What a fantastic views between Riverside Drive (below) and Columbia Parkway (above) as you travel down the river.

So we have some work to do. First, we need money to build the trail, private funds to go along with the public funds to create this great FINAL LINK, which when done will stretch all the way from Newtown to downtown. Over 75% of the cost will come from Federal, State and local funds, with the City of Cincinnati kicking in a great grant to support the project. We have the support of our Mayor and City Council. Yeah!

Now we just need to get through this economic downturn, raise some money and soon we will be able to enjoy a first class recreational trail. And oh by the way, after it is down there are plans to link the Sawyer Point area to trails being developed in Northern Kentucky too!

So join me in being a part of THE FINAL LINK!

-- Dave Szkutak

Ohio River Trail – The Perfect Accessory for the Object of My Affection

Usually it happens during those crisp fall mornings, when the sun-soaked tops of Cincinnati’s skyscrapers and hills start emerging from a fogged in Ohio River valley. My longtime love affair with the Queen City of the West is renewed, and after 20 years as a transplanted citizen, I remember what attracted me to this world-class beauty in the first place.

If only the object of my affection would get over its inferiority complex. I recall the day when my heart was broken – yet again – hearing an economic development expert describe Cincinnati as “a really great dog that just won’t wag its own tail.” 

So busy trying to reinvent itself all the time, and wondering what kind of city it wants to be, Cincinnati doesn’t spend enough time embracing what it already is.

Look in the mirror, my beloved, I beg of you. Instead of an extreme makeover, you just need to accessorize a bit more thoughtfully. Why not try on a beefed up transit system, or dedicate your self to enhancing outdoor recreation and green space? Tossed in with just a little imagination, much lesser places have transformed themselves into great communities with such ideas.

That’s why I support the Ohio River Trail, and other projects like it in our region. They celebrate and use what’s already here in abundance – a unique, historic community nestled amid scenic river valleys, and seasoned with interesting architecture, distinct neighborhoods, a strong arts community, and great people.

The big extreme makeover plans come, they go, and our city is still pretty much the same wonderful place. The Ohio River Trail is a simple idea with a potentially big payoff – one of those real life “build it and they will come” propositions.

The trail will connect neighborhoods, people and possibilities. It will improve our quality of life. People from here and elsewhere will be able to see our city and river valley from a whole new perspective. The trail will encourage individuals and families to get out, explore and be more active. Numerous case studies point to how greenway trails lead to healthier citizens and stimulate economic activity and private investment.

As a long time cyclist who does most of my riding on the roads, I’m often approached by people who say they would love to start bicycling, either individually or with their families. The hurdle is they’re uncomfortable riding – or at least getting started – on often-busy roadways, especially with the kids in tow.

The Ohio River Trail – and the regional trail network it hopefully will connect to one day – will encourage more people to get started by providing a safe, inviting riding environment. It will attract current residents, new residents, tourists and even businesses looking for world-class cities that offer high-quality-of-life amenities that appeal to young professionals.

When I moved here, it was because I picked Greater Cincinnati, not the other way around. I was taken by its natural beauty, old historic neighborhoods and proximity to my Hoosier roots. It’s why I support the Ohio River Trail, and would like you to as well.

 -- Nick Miller