CINCINNATI — The Metropolitan Sewer District is launching an improvement project in the East End for sewer infrastructure that has previously failed and caused sinkholes in the neighborhood.
The project will construct a junction chamber in Riverside Drive, relocating two combined sewer overflow outfalls south of the roadway. A new 60-inch outfall pipe to the Ohio River will be constructed, and a new access driveway will also be installed.
In 2021, the 60-inch water main located there — one of the largest in the Greater Cincinnati Water Works system — broke and created a sinkhole so wide and deep that it swallowed a car parked along Riverside.
Once that was fixed, a secondary break happened a month later. The second break reopened the sinkhole, causing a construction vehicle to fall in.
The water main breaks also flooded nearby homes, triggered boil water advisories and closed Riverside Drive.
Contractors will be working from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for the duration of the improvement project, and work will be done on weekends as needed.
The improvement project will begin around July 1 and continue through the summer of 2027, pending weather and field conditions, MSD said Friday.
Traffic in the East End will be impacted by the project: The westbound lanes of Riverside Drive will be completely closed between Collins Avenue and 2233 Riverside. Drivers heading west will be detoured north via Collins.
Eastbound lanes on Riverside Drive will not close; drivers heading east on Riverside will be able to turn left onto Collins, while drivers heading south on Collins will be able to turn left onto Riverside.
