HAMILTON — A lot of city officials like the idea of erecting a new bridge across the Great Miami River at Washington Boulevard and connecting it to U.S. 127 and Michael A. Fox Highway.

        The project's supporters say this bridge and the Fox Highway connector would relieve congestion in downtown Hamilton and the Main Street business district, and improve access to Interstate 75 for northern and western Hamilton and nearby communities.

        “It's a project that could help not only Hamilton, but the entire north region of Butler County grow and prosper,” Hamilton Mayor Adolf Olivas said.

        The city will learn in about three months whether the project can be done.

        The Butler County Transportation Improvement District, or TID, recently decided to study the transportation needs of an area that includes north Hamilton, New Miami and parts of St. Clair and Fairfield townships. That study will include the Washington Boulevard bridge with the Fox Highway connector.

        The entire project — including the Washington Boulevard extension, the bridge and a one- or two-mile road to the Fox Highway — is estimated to cost about $8 million.

        The study of the Washington Boulevard bridge project will explore physical and environmental barriers, funding possibilities and transportation alternatives.

        The bridge could wind up just inside Hamilton's border or in St. Clair Township. No specific routes for the connector from the proposed bridge to the Fox Highway have been identified, TID Executive Director Mike Samoviski said.

        “This is a very preliminary study,” he said. “We'll look at all the alternatives.”

        The area in question contains houses, farms and land susceptible to flooding.

        Hamilton City Manager Steve Sorrell, an early proponent of the project, said the city could receive funding from State Issue 2, the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and Butler County.

        Mel Less, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, supports the project, but is skeptical about its chances for funding.

        There are several proposed major road projects in Butler County, including the $96 million Ohio 63 extension.

        “There are only so many dollars left for road projects,” Mr. Less said.

        The primary purpose of the project would be to provide another east-west route through Hamilton, providing an alternative to congested High and Main streets.

        High Street is the primary artery through downtown Hamilton. It turns into Main Street west of the bridge over the Great Miami River. Main Street has its own business district.

        The traffic volume at the High-Main Bridge grew from 28,000 vehicles per day in 1988 to 34,300 vehicles per day in 1996, the most recent traffic count, said Kris Butterfield, Hamilton's traffic engineer.

        Business owners on High and Main streets have no objections to diverting traffic to a Fox Highway connector.

        Bob Paxton, owner of Paxton Shoes on Main Street, said the downtown and Main Street businesses receive few drive-by customers. Their customers drive to the business district with the intention of stopping in the stores, he said.

        “I'm very much in favor of that bridge,” Mr. Paxton said. “It makes sense.”

        Glen Stacy, owner of Max Stacy Flowers on High Street, said traffic congestion doesn't help his business, which involves making deliveries as well as having customers stop in the store.

        “We like to have as much traffic as possible,” he said. “But we also like to have avenues available for our deliveries. There is a happy medium there.”

        A secondary benefit of the bridge project could be to spur residential and commercial development in western and northern Hamilton and St. Clair and Hanover townships.

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