On May 31, Metro and partners broke ground on the new Uptown Transit District that will be built in 2013 to better serve the thousands of people riding Metro to and from jobs, education, medical services, and entertainment in Uptown every day.
The Uptown Transit District will be composed of four distinct locations:
• University of Cincinnati on Jefferson
• Medical center district (University Hospital, Cincinnati Children’s)
• Clifton Heights business district (near Hughes High School)
• Vine between McMillian and Calhoun
Designed by Michael Schuster Associates, the Uptown Transit District’s overall look will be consistent in all four locations for easy identification. The district will offer many customer amenities, including:
• Distinctive, sheltered boarding areas
• Real-time information
• Integration with other employer and UC shuttle services
• Wayfinding and rider information kiosks
• Enhanced streetscaping and sidewalk improvements in some areas
The Uptown Transit District will serve as the major connection and transfer point for nine Metro routes and several Uptown shuttles offered by the University of Cincinnati and area employers.
“Uptown is booming in terms of jobs, education, and health care, and we want to make it easier to access this thriving area using transit,” said Terry Garcia Crews, CEO and general manager of Metro. “The Uptown Transit District will offer great amenities for our current riders and will provide infrastructure to support new services we hope to offer in the future.”
The Uptown Transit District was developed with the involvement of partners including the University of Cincinnati, the Uptown Consortium, and the city of Cincinnati.
“Metro’s new Uptown Transit District helps fulfill Uptown’s vision of an innovative transportation infrastructure,” said Beth Robinson, president and CEO, Uptown Consortium. “Their new initiative supports people and organizations that rely on Uptown’s several key assets: the Uptown neighborhoods, the medical campuses, the Cincinnati Zoo, the University of Cincinnati, and scores of small and large businesses that make up this key economic engine in the city.”
Construction will begin soon; completion is expected by late 2013 or early 2014.
“We’re excited about the transformative aspects of this project,” said Michael Schuster, principal, MSA Architects. “This is about so much more than shelters, pavers, and wayfinding. It’s about providing an integrated approach in Uptown that enhances both the transit experience and the community.”
Funding for the Uptown Transit District comes from a federal earmark and federal Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality funds made available through the Ohio Department of Transportation and OKI Regional Council of Governments. Local funds are also being used for this $6.9 million construction project.
