About the Project
In 2016, Great Parks extended the Little Miami Scenic Trail by 3.15 miles from the Little Miami Golf Center to the intersection of Beechmont Avenue and State Route 32. In 2022, Great Parks completed the Beechmont Bridge Connection Project to bring the trail across the Little Miami Scenic River, tying it into the Lunken Airport trail and Ohio River Trail to downtown Cincinnati. Great Parks worked with the City of Cincinnati and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to design and construct this final phase, which includes a bridge over the Little Miami River, a retaining wall underneath the bridge and a tunnel under the State Route 32 westbound ramp to Beechmont Avenue.
Project benefits include:
- Trail access for more than 300,000 residents who live within five miles of the Little Miami Scenic Trail
- Local and regional links to numerous parks and preserves, as well as recreational, entertainment, and business facilities
- Enhancement of regional multi-model transportation options for commuters, easily linking neighborhoods and communities to the downtown central business district
- Safety enhancements to the Beechmont Avenue bridge by increasing lane width for vehicular traffic
- A safe, shared-use trail that is physically separated from vehicular traffic on the downstream side of the roadway bridge
Little Miami Scenic Trail extension map
Project map
Artist depictions of project
Tentative Project Timeline
| Project | End Date |
|---|---|
| Design | Summer 2020 |
| Permitting & Bidding | Winter 2020 |
| Construction | Spring 2021-Summer 2022 |
Project completed and trail opened to the public on September 21, 2022
Partners & Funding
Great Parks secured 100% of the funding for the $9 million project, including more than 30% from Great Parks’ capital project funds, as a local match for state capital and federal (CMAQ) funding. The design and engineering were facilitated by the City of Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering in collaboration with Great Parks and the Ohio Department of Transportation. Bidding and construction were managed by the Ohio Department of Transportation.