Tuesday, August 15, 2000
Motorists stick with old routes
Alternate streets jammed
By Tom O'Neill
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati police Officer Ron Hugley directs lines of traffic on a backed up Fifth Street aftrer the reopening of Fort Washington Way.
(Glenn Hartong photo)
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One day into the new life of an old road, the lesson for downtown commuters trying to avoid the uncertainty of Fort Washington Way should be: Don't.
After two years, $314 million and a sea of orange barrels, Fort Washington Way reopened Monday amid political fanfare and rush-hour commutes that went — for the most part — smoothly.
There were several minor accidents, one morning stall, some confusion and significant backup on alternate routes, especially the Fifth Street ramps into downtown.
Morning rush-hour traffic was fairly light on Fort Washington Way, because many motorists avoided it. It was about the same for the evening rush.
“It's a serious problem on Sixth Street — the traffic is just really heavy,” Cincinnati Transportation Director John Deatrick said at 8:45 a.m., the height of rush hour.
“There seems to be confusion about which way people should go. The mayor just called me, and he's not happy. Other than that, it's going really well,” Mr. Deatrick said. “It opened at 5, and there have been no accidents.”
But motorists sailed through the new crosstown thoroughfare, despite some confusion over street signs, Mr. Deatrick said.
“It was so much better,” said Norma Berry, 49, of Loveland, who took the Third Street exit from I-71 south to work Monday morning. “I'm really impressed they took advantage of the existing tunnel and made it functional. Saved me about eight minutes.”
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WHAT'S NEXT
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OPENING FRIDAY
• New Second Street, which runs west-to-east, from Elm to Vine
• Bridges spanning highway and connecting Elm, Race and Vine streets to Second Street
• Ramp from I-75 south and U.S. 50 east to Second Street
• Ramp from I-71/75 north to Second Street
• Ramp from Clay Wade Bailey Bridge south to Second Street
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Speaking at an afternoon event on the Elm Street Bridge, which is set to open Friday, political leaders including Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken and City Manager John Shirey spoke glowingly of the reconnection between down town and the riverfront.
“We're really seeing the remaking of the city,” Mr. Luken said as construction crews continued working outside nearby Paul Brown Stadium.
The Fort Washington Way project is the biggest in Greater Cincinnati since the original version transformed downtown and the riverfront almost 40 years ago.
“We know people have been inconvenienced, and some this morning, but we ask them to understand,” the mayor said.
There was some last-minute cosmetics, with line-painting continuing until about 4:55 a.m., Mr. Deatrick said.
“It was confusing,” said Sara Reynolds of Anderson Township, who came in on Columbia Parkway. “I saw signs for 50 and 75, but the Third Street sign was right at the exit, a teeny tiny sign, and I couldn't get over.”
Some motorists slowed down to make sure they were headed in the right direction, as westbound travelers who have to bear right to go south and bear left to go north head briefly in the opposite direction.
“People just don't know where they're going, including me, and it's not their fault,” said Kathy Meyer of Florence, who avoided Fort Washington Way on her downtown commute over the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge. “I figured I'd wait till the end of the week.”
• Traffic reports at Cincinnati.com/traffic
Fort Washington Way reports
• Map
• Opening dates
• Easier to drive
• Way of the future
• Safety issues remain
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