Proposed I-71 Interchange Would Create 2,000 Jobs

Proposed I-71 Interchange Would Create 2,000 Jobs

CINCINNATI – The proposed interchange on Interstate 71 at Martin Luther King Drive in Uptown would help create 2,000 jobs according to an economic impact study by the University of Cincinnati Economics Center.

The study found that the interchange construction alone will have a $101 million economic impact. The interchange would also have an economic impact of more than $325 million of private investment, producing an economic impact of more than $460 million in Hamilton County and another $290 million throughout the rest of Ohio.

Fiscal benefits of the MLK interchange and resulting private development include more than $155 million in tax revenue for Ohio, more than $20 million in sales tax revenue for Hamilton County, more than $33 million in earnings tax revenue for Cincinnati, and millions of dollars in property tax revenues.

Beth Robinson, president and CEO of Uptown Consortium, Inc., said the study validated what the Uptown Consortium already knew: this project is a win for everyone.

“We believe this interchange will unlock Uptown’s economic potential,” said Robinson. “The entire neighborhood will benefit from the interchange – from decreased traffic on neighborhood streets to reducing neighborhood vacancies to allowing for easier access to destinations outside of Uptown.”

The study stated the proposed interchange would also provide major health and safety benefits. By reducing travel times to trauma centers at University Hospital and Children’s Hospital, the interchange will help save lives and reduce health care costs for an estimated 17,000 trauma/emergency patients a year.

“We all truly stand to gain from the proposed MLK intersection. Residents, workers, businesses, nonprofits, we will all benefit,” said Robinson. “It’s a must do.”

Other local leaders see the proposed interchange as an attractive gateway, a better connection to downtown, and a catalyst for residential reinvestment. A copy of the study can be found at http://www.uptowncincinnati.com/.

About Uptown Consortium
The Uptown Consortium (www.uptowncincinnati.com) is a non-profit community development corporation dedicated to the economic development of Uptown Cincinnati. The organization was formed by the chief executive officers of Uptown’s largest employers and the area’s leading tourist attraction: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, UC Health, TriHealth, Inc. (Good Samaritan Hospital) and University of Cincinnati. Combined, the consortium members employ nearly 50,000 people, have a payroll of $1.4 billion, and produce an annual economic impact of over $3 billion.