Friday, August 13, 1999
Covered walkways may lose roofs
BY TANYA ALBERT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The covered walkways between Cinergy Field's plaza and downtown offices will be torn down, and the planners of the new riverfront development are trying to decide whether it will be worth it to keep pedestrians dry when the spans are replaced.
There will be safer pedestrian access between downtown and the riverfront when the Fort Washington Way dust settles. The massive reconstruction of the downtown freeway scheduled to be done in August 2000 includes plans for five bridges that will carry north-south traffic and have wide sidewalks for pedestrians.
As designs are drawn, downtown employees and their advocacy groups are asking planners to consider new covered walkways or shuttle buses to riverfront parking lots.
“We're concerned overall about how downtown connects with the riverfront,” said Steven Richter, a senior real es tate manager with CB Richard Ellis Inc. and a member of the Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA). “Let's give some consideration to covering the bridges to offer workers an alternative to being in the rain, snow and ice.”
Riverfront designers are exploring possible covered walkways on Broadway under the Fort Washington Way ramps and the former Plum Street that is under highway ramps, Mr. Richardson said. They are also looking at put ting canopies on the five pedestrian bridges over Fort Washington Way, on Elm, Race, Vine, Walnut and Main streets.
Without cover, “it would be horrible if it's snowing or rainy or windy,” said Michelle Moore, 22, of Norwood, as she made the trek across the more western covered pedestrian bridge to get to her car.
Debbie Turner walks out of her way to use the covered walkway. She could cross a couple of blocks west of it, which is closer to her job.
But she prefers the protection from the sun, wind, rain and snow. Also, she said, the bridge seems safer to her because she doesn't have to walk next to traffic and they are well-lit.
There's no date set for when the existing elevated paths will be demolished. In fact, riverfront planners said Thursday the walkways could last another three years. But it is certain that the Hamilton County-owned bridges between Sycamore and Main streets need to come down for safety reasons.
Built at the same time as Cinergy Field nearly 30 years ago, they're near the end of their life expectancy. Plans call for extending their life by rerouting the eastern walkway before crews begin to tear down Cinergy Field in August 2000 to make room for a new Reds ballpark.
“Our plan is to take it down,” Hamilton County spokeswoman Kathy Graham said. “But we don't want to take it down overnight because of the pedestrian flow.”
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