Warsaw Avenue in East Price Hill is finally getting the safety makeover neighbors have been begging for, and the money is rolling in from an unlikely source: the Cincinnati Southern Railway sale. Crews are already out on the busy West Side corridor, installing signs and starting traffic-calming work on a stretch community leaders have long warned is dangerous for people on foot. The goal is straightforward: slow drivers down, shorten crossing distances, and make everyday trips safer for shoppers, schoolkids, and seniors.
What the city is building
Between Grand and Glenway, Warsaw Avenue is being slimmed down to one travel lane in each direction with a center turn lane. The project also adds curb extensions, installs five permanent speed cushions, and sets up 24-hour parking on one side of the street. Signs are already popping up along the corridor as initial work ramps up, according to WKRC Local 12.
Project scope, cost and schedule
The city's Department of Transportation and Engineering pegs the Warsaw Avenue Safety Project at about $10.9 million, with construction listed as starting the week of Nov. 10, 2025, and running through fall 2026. The agency's project outline includes new sidewalks, five upgraded traffic signals, more than 50 new street trees, full-height curbs and permanent speed cushions. It also syncs road work with Cincinnati Water Works so lead-lined water service lines can be replaced while the street is already torn up, according to the City of Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering.
Where the money comes from
The overhaul is one of the early neighborhood projects bankrolled by proceeds from the Cincinnati Southern Railway sale, part of a broader spending strategy meant to steer that windfall into local streets and other basics. City budget documents set aside roughly $29.2 million in rail-sale revenue across several categories, with a hefty slice going to streets and bridges. The Cincinnati Southern Railway Trust's fiscal year 2026 project list backs that up with sizable street-and-bridge and traffic-calming allocations, as laid out by the Cincinnati Southern Railway Trust.
Neighborhood reaction and next steps
For residents, the work is more than just fresh pavement. Local leaders say it is a long-awaited answer to chronic safety complaints along the corridor. Tom Gamel, who heads the East Price Hill Improvement Association, told WCPO, "That's one of our goals: to make a safe, walkable neighborhood."
City officials say construction will be phased to avoid shutting down the whole stretch at once, with crews juggling different segments to keep traffic and business access alive. The bulk of the work is expected to wrap up by October 2026.
What residents should expect
Drivers and shoppers in Warsaw can expect the usual construction headaches, but in bite-sized chunks. The city warns of shifting lanes, temporary parking changes, and short detours as crews rebuild curbs and sidewalks. At the same time, Water Works will be in the ground replacing lead-lined service lines, aiming to finish that underground work before new pavement and trees go in.
The DOTE schedule and project drawings spell out where crews will be digging for water work and how the phases line up. City officials say they will try to stage construction to avoid long-term hits to local businesses. Maps, design drawings and a detailed construction timeline are available on the City of Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering project page.
City leaders say the Warsaw Avenue work is among the first neighborhood-level efforts to roll out with money from the rail-sale trust, with more upgrades expected as additional funds are distributed. For a broader look at how the trust is carving up those dollars for streets, recreation, parks, and public facilities, see reporting from WLWT.
