LOVELAND, Ohio — Renderings and possible designs for traffic flow alternatives through Loveland were shown to community members at an open house meeting as city officials seek feedback on where residents' and travelers' priorities lie.
The meeting was held Tuesday evening at New Hope Baptist Church on Loveland Madeira Road.
During the meeting, the project team gave a presentation showcasing three alternatives intended to reduce traffic congestion at the bridge and improve travel time through downtown Loveland.
In 2022, Loveland city officials announced they hoped to work with the Ohio Department of Transportation to perform a traffic study. The city conducted a public survey for the traffic project over the summer of 2023; during that period, Loveland officials said they received more than 1,700 responses.
At that time, discussed options to relieve the bridge's congestion included addressing the need for cross-river connectivity and other regional network improvements that could reduce downtown congestion. The high traffic volumes are likely from commuters from Clermont and Warren counties, city officials said.
The West Loveland Avenue bridge is the only access point in the city that allows drivers to pass over the Little Miami River from Clermont County into Hamilton County; The closest other crossings are three miles south in Miamiville, Ohio, or four miles north in Foster, which sits in Warren County.
As part of the solution, city officials said they plan to add a traffic light to the bike and pedestrian crossings along the bike trail, along with finishing up a new parking lot.
City Manager Dave Kennedy said the city is also working with neighboring municipalities and ODOT on a traffic study that could lead to a second bridge spanning the Little Miami River. But where that bridge could go is still in question.
One spot could be on Fields Ertel Road, Kennedy said, but there's still plenty to decide.
"Will it attract more the Hamilton Township traffic, or will it attract more the Miami Township traffic and give them a better alternative than going through downtown?" said Kennedy.
The city said data received from ODOT in June showed that around 10,000 drivers travel West Loveland Avenue daily through the center of Loveland's downtown.
City officials said in 2022 that, since Loveland's city limits spans three different counties and neighbors multiple townships, there were unique challenges in finding which solutions to the traffic issues would be best for the region.
"Public involvement is a critical component of the project development process for proposed roadway improvements," said Kennedy. "Input from the public will be used to inform decision-making as we move forward."
Changes won't necessarily come right away, though; the city said the project is not currently funded and no timeframe has been established for when any construction would begin. Still, the city is hoping feedback on the alternative options will help identify which steps to take when carrying the project forward into further studies, like engineering and environmental demands.
