CINCINNATI — City leaders and community groups discussed changes to make Over-The-Rhine safer for pedestrians during a special meeting Tuesday for Cincinnati's Healthy Neighborhoods committee.
Over-The-Rhine has reported more pedestrians hit than any other neighborhood in Cincinnati this year, according to CincyInsights data. During Tuesday's meeting, The Devou Good Foundation presented ideas to slow traffic on Main Street and around Findlay Market.
The Main Street proposal is a “highly conceptual idea” that will be shaped by community feedback. A current concept would shut the street to some or all cars between Liberty Street and Central Parkway during certain times of the day. The plan would still allow the streetcar, buses and delivery trucks through.
The proposed street design would include open seating, a big screen, games and interactive art.
At the meeting, Devou Good Foundation president Matt Butler said the foundation found drivers going up to 55 miles per hour along Main and Vine streets even with raised crosswalks. Butler said the goal is to slow drivers down. He said slow- or no-traffic streets in other cities have been shown to also reduce gun violence and attract business.
That could be especially important after last month’s mass shooting.
“We're hearing from businesses that the response from the police has dropped their business by 40%,” Butler said. “Obviously, who wants to come down here when there's a bunch of blue flashing lights and a bunch of giant city dump trucks that are in the way? It's kind of like a ghost town.”
He added that bringing in more activities for families is key to revitalization.
"It’s more of a destination for the whole region to come to this area,” he said. “I think it'd be really exciting.”
The Devou Good Foundation has also put forth plans to improve pedestrian safety around Findlay Market, which Butler said was “the most highly pedestrianized area in the whole city.”
The group is planning curb extensions and street murals.
“So many people come there and they're spending money in the city,” Butler said. “We want them to feel safe.”
Butler said almost all of the requests in the Findlay Market renderings have been approved by the city’s Department of Transportation and Engineering.
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