Uptown Consortium, Inc. (UCI) recently convened a design charette with key stakeholders, continuing critical conversations to discuss and map solutions around transportation connectivity, access and safety at the intersection of MLK and Reading Road, the epicenter of The Cincinnati Innovation District (CID), and the surrounding subarea.
Mobility solutions, transportation connectivity and access options for MLK and Reading Road continue to be key focus areas for UCI and Uptown Cincinnati stakeholders. To date, the focus has included convening conversations and walkabouts with partner stakeholders and experts—those who understand the need and are working to address the challenges and offer solutions.
According to Beth Robinson, President and CEO of UCI, the end goal is a better-connected Uptown that caters to the needs and mobility of residents, employees and visitors. At the same time, positioning for next-generation transportation technologies and innovative solutions needs to be woven throughout the proposed solutions.
“It comes down to ongoing collaboration with institutional stakeholders, community members, planning partners and project developers and adjusting plans to provide access for multi-modal transportation options,” she said.
According to Robinson, it’s not an easy undertaking. It includes actively planning for immediate, needed changes to address mobility, quality of life, safety and environment and positioning it for the best future outcomes knowing that conditions will continue to change.
At the recent charette, stakeholders and community members convened with UCI’s transportation consultants to continue the conversation focused on solutions to existing and future challenges at the intersection of MLK and Reading and a discussion of considerations for the larger subarea.
The team focused the conversation on how to make reasonable improvements for pedestrians and bikes without penalizing cars. There was agreement that if the intersection area can be successfully addressed, the following outcomes can be achieved:
Safer, more effective for all modes, including cars, bikes, transit and pedestrians
Managed efficiency for future flexibility and technology
Aesthetic treatments that contribute to place, environment and transportation function
Quality of life and neighborhood performance outcomes
Network solutions and management
As a next step in the process, UCI will be working with their partners at the City of Cincinnati, Metro, OKI, and other stakeholders to craft solutions that maintain traffic capacity while better accommodating pedestrians, bikes and aesthetics.
UCI will continue to seek input and feedback during the process. For more information, please contact Brooke Rapp, UCI’s Director of Community Development: brapp@uptownconsortium.org.
For more information about mobility, transportation and connectivity in Uptown, please read the following articles:
Wayfinding and signage: creating a safe and unified sense of place in Uptown
Making way for the people: the future is now (part of a Digital Futures article)
A critically important connection of the CROWN trail network: Uptown
Stakeholders and experts weigh in on the future of mobility