CINCINNATI — A long-awaited effort to transform Fort Washington Way is moving one step closer to reality after securing $25 million in federal funding, Ohio Sen. Jon Husted said Wednesday.
The news comes after years of Cincinnati and Hamilton County officials pushing for a federal grant to design decks on top of a portion of Fort Washington Way in hopes of reconnecting The Banks with the Central Business District.
"It's a decades-long effort to actually finish Fort Washington Way in the way it was envisioned," Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval said.
The project would construct an approximately 1.2-acre highway cap and public plaza over Fort Washington Way, an eight-lane section of I-71/U.S. Route 50.
The project is a partnership between the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. According to local design firm KZF Design, the deck caps will span the area between Second and Third streets, stretching from Race Street to Walnut Street.
Plans call for the new public spaces to include landscaped green areas, with room for community gatherings, outdoor dining and viewing local sporting events. Early concepts have also included the possibility of a soccer field.
City leaders said the initial $25 million award will fund construction of the first deck cap near Walnut and Vine streets, marking the first phase of the larger redevelopment effort.
"This creates more space for people to enjoy and gather and celebrate everything we have downtown," Cincinnati City Council member Evan Nolan said.
Officials say the project has drawn broad bipartisan support from local, state and federal leaders.
In a statement announcing the funding, Husted said the investment will improve safety, strengthen economic development and help Ohio communities remain competitive for years to come.
"You have business leaders and political leaders — Republicans and Democrats — and everyone coming together around this project," U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman said. "People have invested in this for a long, long time."
"This federal funding opportunity represents a once-in-a-generation chance to reconnect our downtown, create new public green space and continue the momentum at The Banks," Hamilton County Commission President Stephanie Summerow Dumas said. "By capping Fort Washington Way, between Vine and Walnut streets, we can transform an infrastructure barrier into a community asset that benefits residents, visitors and future generations."
Pureval posted about the funding on social media Wednesday.
"This is a huge milestone, years in the making. Partners have been working in earnest to build momentum in our Downtown, expand the footprint, and stitch communities together. The Fort Washington Way Cap can bring that mission to a new level, right at the front door to our city," Pureval said on social media. "Thank you to our federal partners for your support of our vision. And thank you to the County and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber for collaborating on this project and so many of our large, game-changing growth initiatives."
The deck cap project is intended to reconnect neighborhoods divided by the highway, expand public green space and create new opportunities for recreation, events and economic development in Cincinnati's riverfront district. Construction on the first phase is expected to begin once final design work and additional project planning are completed.
