Cincinnati East Side Bike Path Moves Closer To Reality

East Side Bike Path Moves Closer To Reality

POSTED: 7:39 pm EDT July 31, 2007
UPDATED: 7:45 pm EDT July 31, 2007


CINCINNATI -- After years of discussion, work on a bike path connecting the
eastern suburbs to Cincinnati is finally under way.

Volunteers are raising money to pay for the project, which is expected to be
complete in about two years.

“It's very fun and relaxing and it's good exercise to get the kids out,” said
Clara Rice, public relations director for trailyeah.com.


An existing trail stops at Newtown, but proponents said the trail could follow
an existing path formed by an unused and overgrown railroad line.

“It would be a lot more convenient and then we could enjoy the river and the
city downtown,” Rice said.

City council will vote Wednesday on a motion to support the group’s effort to
build the path.

“The new Forbes rankings just came out and we were ranked 18th, and I think this
is a tool that can improve out ranking,” said City Councilman Jeff Berding. “If
you look at the top 12 cities in the ranking, 75 percent of them were recognized
for their bike trails.”

He talked about the proposed Banks development along a riverfront, which could
be connected by bike path to the city’s eastern suburbs, as a selling point for
Cincinnati.

“We don’t go downtown very often, so it would be nice to just get on the bikes
that way,” Rice said.

A temporary trail is expected to cost $6 million, and a permanent one is
estimated at $20 million, which private groups expect to pay for instead of
taxpayers.

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