CINCINNATI — As downtown continues to get busier as summer creeps closer, multiple new rideshare zones have been set up in Over-the-Rhine.
The four new zones are all semi-adjacent to Main Street in OTR, and they'll give riders a set spot to meet their drivers at the end of the night while also providing drivers a safe place to pull over and either pick up or drop off riders.
Here are the four new rideshare zones:
- Liberty Street at Main Street in front of the James Brown mural
- Sycamore Street at 13th Street by Ziegler Park
- 13th Street at Clay Street in front of Longfellow
- Central Parkway at Clay Street in front of Salvation Army
The zones are in effect as of June 8 and they'll run from Thursday through Saturday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Drivers or riders will not be able to use Main Street as a pick-up/drop-off location in the designated times due to geofencing in apps like Uber and Lyft. Outside of these designated times, riders will be able to have curbside drop-off and pick-up as usual.
Former rideshare locations on Main Street and 12th Street between Main and Sycamore streets have been removed, the city said.
Matthew Hulme, transit coordinator for the Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering, said they worked with Cincinnati police and also residents along Main Street to determine the best spots for these rideshare locations.
"This new configuration will benefit passengers and drivers by reducing traffic congestion and improving safety, especially during busy summer nights," Hulme said.
The city has enforced similar rideshare zones in other areas of downtown, such as The Banks.
