On a slipping stretch of Elstun Road in Anderson Township, the pavement is literally peeling away from the hillside, leaving cracked asphalt, exposed earth and a neighborhood wondering what will give first: the road or their patience. Residents say years of patchwork fixes have only led to worsening damage, and a handful of homeowners are now openly weighing whether to move out over fears for their homes and safety. County engineers say a permanent repair is in the works, but neighbors want clearer timelines and firm funding commitments, not just reassuring words.
Hamilton County Engineer Eric Beck has told residents that last year’s flooding, combined with nearby utility work, helped destabilize the slope. He said the recent movement looks more like a rotational slope failure than simple settlement and that a geotechnical firm is designing a retaining wall solution to hold the hillside in place. Beck has warned that the long-term fix could cost more than $2 million, as the county sorts out how to pay for it and whether construction can realistically be finished this season, depending on final design, permits and contractor availability. Duke Energy maintains the road was already damaged before its crews arrived, but the utility has agreed to a one-time payment to support the county’s design and repair work, as reported by WCPO.
The Hamilton County Engineer's office lists Elstun Road as a county route and is responsible for county road projects in the area, with Eric J. Beck named as the county engineer in official materials. The Hamilton County road list confirms that Elstun is a county maintained street, placing ultimate responsibility for the fix on county engineering staff.
Neighborhood Strain And Safety
Residents say roughly 21 houses line the street and that about five homes closest to the slide are taking the brunt of the damage and stress. "You can’t walk on the street, and you have to drive less than 25 miles per hour," one neighbor told reporters, describing a roadway that feels more like an obstacle course than a quiet residential lane. Others say the county’s response so far feels like "lip service," with plenty of meetings but not enough visible progress on a permanent solution, according to WCPO.
Engineering Work And Overlapping Projects
The Elstun corridor has already been a construction hot spot, with trail extensions and utility relocations layered on top of one another in recent years. Township planning documents show Duke Energy relocated a short stretch of gas main near Elstun and Spindlehill Drive as part of 2025 work that overlapped with road and trail projects. Those same construction lists and project notes line up utility relocations, trail work and proposed retaining structures in the very corridor that is now slipping, details that county engineers say they are weighing as they finalize the road repair plan, per Anderson Township road construction list.
What Residents Want Now
Homeowners are pressing for concrete start and finish dates, a transparent breakdown of costs and a clear strategy to protect the properties that sit downslope of the failing pavement. For now, Elstun Road remains open to local and emergency traffic only, with temporary pavement in place while monitoring continues. Neighbors say that setup is a stopgap at best and that only a permanent, engineered repair will restore their confidence and keep families from putting their houses on the market and leaving the neighborhood altogether.
