LOVELAND, Ohio — Loveland city officials are exploring the possibility of a regional traffic study, partnered with the Ohio Department of Transportation, to find options to relieve congestion at the West Loveland Avenue Bridge.
The 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.
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.
"We can all agree there is a traffic problem and the city wants to lead a regional study to find a solution that benefits residents and our neighbors," said Cory Wright, Loveland's assistant city manager, in a press release. "We are taking the first steps to explore the possibilities."
To get the ball rolling, city officials have met with ODOT staff and representatives from Congressmen Steve Chabot and Brad Wenstrup's offices.
So far, discussed options to relieve the bridge's congestion include 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.
If the traffic study is conducted, changes won't happen right away, Wright said.
"The goal at this time is to have a planning study done to understand the true traffic patterns of our region," he said. "The study will help determine where people are coming from and where they are traveling. When the study is completed, we would know what is feasible for our region based on the data and public input."
The city's limits span three different counties and neighbors multiple townships, which provides challenges in determining which solutions will be best for the region.
"For a traffic study of this magnitude, we will need cooperation from our neighboring communities," said Wright. "We want to find a regional solution that benefits everyone, so we would like all our neighbors to be supportive of the study."
