Where Race St. Ends (For Now)

Nov 17

Race St. runs from the northern point of Cincinnati's Over-The-Rhine neighborhood all the way to the riverfront where it abruptly ends at a concrete barrier...

...for now.

The Banks has come a long way from when I got to tour the first phase in 2011. Still, the transformative, mixed-used evelopment isn't completely built out yet. Most of the soon-to-be-underground parking garage is in place and new businesses, a park, fountains, a carousel, and entertainment surround the phases waiting to be finished. For the time being, Race St. dead ends into a concrete barrier that blocks off the unfinished extension. At one point, Race extended down to the former industries located on the shore. When the original Fort Washington Way was installed along with the birth of the Interstate System, it was shortened to empty into 2nd. St. The master plan for The Banks called for a new cross street to link Paul Brown Stadium with Great American Ballpark running East/West where the Roebling Suspension Bridge roundabout is today. However, the Eastern alignment of this new street was never built, rather, a residential building exists.

I'm not sure if the western portion of this proposed street will be brought to fruition. If it is, the end of Race St. seen in these photos will link to it. It it's not built, this recently constructed stub may just be demolished.

Here's how things were supposed to look according to The Banks Master Plan from April 2000:

Whether this plan or another is seen through, this is where Race St. ends for the moment. The barrier has apparently been doing its job well in terms of keeping cars from driving off the ledge. Someone hit it. Pretty hard. Enough to knock one of the barriers back and out from under the fence.