OKI Funds help complete the Projects
Cincinnati, OH – Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) Board President and Clermont County Commission President Edwin Humphrey announced today two new segments of the Ohio River Trail are now open to the public. The new trail segments are part of the 14-mile Ohio River Trail that stretches from Lunken Airport to New Richmond, Ohio. The Cincinnati section of the trail from Lunken Airport to downtown Cincinnati is also part of the Ohio to Erie Trail connecting Cincinnati and Cleveland.

“Biking and hiking are very popular throughout the region and these trails connect our communities and help to improve the health and well being of our residents,” said Humphrey. “I am proud that OKI could contribute to these terrific projects.”

The segment of trail that was opened in Anderson Township is located on the north side of Kellogg Avenue. Built at a cost of $1.5 million this segment is slightly more than a mile and connects Coney Island to Five Mile Road and Kellogg Park. OKI contributed $553,000 in Transportation Enhancement funding and recommended the project receive $200,200 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funding. The other new segment of trail that was just opened closes a mile long gap in the system by connecting the loop trail at Lunken Airport to Schmidt Playfields and Riverview East Academy. The result is a paved biking, walking and running path about 7.5 miles long including the five-mile loop at Lunken Airport. This portion of the trail was built at a cost of $2.2 million and also used ARRA stimulus funds.

“These projects continue our efforts to expand our trail network to fulfill the need of residents who are choosing to bike or hike as an alternative mode of transportation,” said OKI Executive Director Mark Policinski. “The trail also provides an alternative to cycling in the street.”
Two ribbon cutting ceremonies marked the opening of the two trails.

OKI is a council of local governments, business organizations and community groups committed to developing collaborative strategies, plans and programs to improve the quality of life and the economic development potential of the Tri-State.

Overwhelming requests for the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Government’s (OKI) Cincinnati Bike Route Guide produced during the spring of 2009 recently required a second run of this popular map to meet the demand.

“The interest in these maps illustrates the enthusiasm of bicyclists participating in social and health-related riding as well as riding for work commutes,” said Campbell County Judge Executive and OKI Board President Steve Pendery. “Bicycling continues to grow in popularity throughout the region and is helping our communities become more environmentally sound – one pedal at a time.”

The updated version of the guide continues to be oriented toward biking commuters who work in and around the city of Cincinnati. It also still includes areas and documents routes in northern Kentucky as far south as the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and the Interstate 275 beltway.

However, the second printing coordinated by Don Burrell, OKI senior planner and bicycle/pedestrian coordinator, does contain some minor modifications and additions. This second printing includes new bike facilities undertaken in the past year such as the completion of additional bike trails along the Great Miami and Ohio rivers and the city of Cincinnati’s designation of new bike lanes. Also included are sidepath facilities not previously shown on the map and route and street name corrections. Some Kentucky road classifications in the guide have been changed to conform with a recently published updated Kentucky Bike Route Guide.

“The fact the initial 10,000 copy run of these bike guides was depleted in 14 months points to the growing interest of individuals enjoying the benefits of bicycle travel,” said OKI Executive Director Mark Policinski. “This response is very gratifying because it reinforces the quality work OKI staff continuously provides to the public.”

The guide is free of charge and copies can be obtained by stopping by the OKI office at 720 East Pete Rose Way in downtown Cincinnati during regular business hours Monday through Friday, 9a.m. to 4p.m. or through participating local bike shops. The guide is also available via the OKI Website at www.oki.org.

OKI is a council of local governments, business organizations and community groups committed to developing collaborative strategies, plans and programs to improve the quality of life and the economic development potential of the Tri-State.