The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is moving ahead with plans to connect the Little Miami Scenic Trail with Mount Washington and Anderson Township. Spokesperson Kathleen Fuller says it's a two-phase project that will eventually cross over Clough Creek to connect with the bridge already under construction over the Little Miami River.
"Phase one is the bike-ped facility on Elstun coming off of Beechmont Avenue and heading down to Spindlehill," Fuller says. "And then from Spindlehill over back to the other side, that's the bigger component, and that's the one that will take a little more time and design."
Work on the first phase will start in Spring of 2023, and on the second phase the following year. Fuller says it's a long process.
"Design is something that takes a long time for anything. That goes part and parcel with anything from environmental issues that have to be addressed, if there's any right of way acquisition that has to be done. Those things take a fairly good amount of time. Then of course you do have to make sure all your funding's in place."
Fuller says ODOT has seen an uptick in cycling and hiking in the area.
"We have for years. This is just one more way to bring some enhancements and much needed improvements to the area and provide that connectivity."
Another part of the project— connecting the path along Beechmont from Elstun to Ranchvale— hasn't been funded by the city yet. Work on the first phase is expected to start in about a year.
This story has been updated to include an up-to-date map.
