Uptown's Partners Move Forward on Work to Secure I-71 MLK Interchange
For more than seven years, the Uptown Consortium has worked in partnership with the community to help revitalize the neighborhoods of Avondale, Clifton, Corryville, Clifton Heights, Fairview, University Heights and Mt. Auburn. At the core of its work is economic development. And the Consortium believes quality transportation to be one of the key drivers of economic development in Uptown, downtown and everywhere else.
In a recent letter to The Cincinnati Enquirer, Consortium Chair John Prout explained the Consortium's position against Issue 48, which was designed to take away a category of transportation options that, in some opinions, are proven to contribute to economic growth. With Uptown's experience in economic development (their members employ nearly 50,000 people, have a payroll of $1.4 billion and produce an annual economic impact of more than $3 billion), Prout stated Issue 48 would limit tools that would help grow the economy and generate jobs. Voters agreed and defeated Issue 48 on Election Day, less than one week following Prout's letter.
With Issue 48 defeated, the Uptown Consortium board is refocused on securing an I-71 interchange for Uptown at Martin Luther King Boulevard. In 2006, the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the City of Cincinnati, and other local organizations conducted an assessment of transportation needs throughout the Uptown area. Part of an overall transportation strategy, this study included a recommendation to further investigate access to and from I-71 in the vicinity of McMillan Street and Taft Road and/or Martin Luther King Drive.
Securing an I-71 interchange for Uptown at Martin Luther King Boulevard is considered by the Uptown board to be one of the Consortium's most important efforts.
On November 10 and 12, the Uptown Access Study Team and TranSystems held an open house at the Corryville Hampton Inn. They sought feedback and opinions on the I-71 Uptown access alternatives. Exhibits and formal presentations were shared by representatives from ODOT, the City of Cincinnati, and TranSystems, the transportation consultant agency executing the study.
Uptown and its partners are still interested in comments by the public, which can be emailed, faxed, or mailed to the study team now through December 3, 2011 to:
Uptown Access Study Team
UptownAccessStudy@TranSystems.com
513-621-1981, ext. 32-121
4555 Lake Forest Drive, Suite 540
Cincinnati, OH 45242
Fax: 513-621-2901
All comments will be part of the public record.
The Uptown access study website is at www.UptownAccessStudy.com.