The city of Cincinnati has approved an $800,000 federal grant to support the rehabilitation of Eggleston Avenue at Wednesday’s city council meeting.
The project will repave Eggleston Avenue from Pete Rose Way to Court Street and is expected to be completed in conjunction with planned improvements to Fourth Street. The funding comes from the Federal Highway Administration through the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments.
Councilman Mark Jeffreys, who represents the city on the OKI regional council, said the pilot grant is different than other OKI grants and investments.
“This is a first from OKI. Something they have never done. This is for street repaving,” Jeffreys said. He credited the city’s Department of Transportation and Engineering for applying for the grant.
The project aligns with Cincinnati’s “Complete Streets” ordinance adopted in 2022, which aims to make roadways safer and more accessible for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and people using mobility devices, Jeffrey’s added.
The Complete Streets model comes from the Complete Streets Coalition, a national nonprofit, non-partisan alliance of organizations and transportation professionals. According to the coalition’s website, more than 1,600 Complete Streets policies have been passed in the United States.
Supporters of the “Complete Streets” approach say reducing reliance on single-occupancy vehicles can help lower emissions that contribute to air pollution and climate change.
Jeffreys said the work on Eggleston Avenue and Fourth Street will address infrastructure needs in the downtown area over the next year. He also noted the potential for future redevelopment of a nearby parking lot as part of the broader effort.
Eggleston Avenue forms the eastern boundary of the city’s downtown improvement district, which oversees safety and cleanliness in the area.