Harrison Avenue on Cincinnati's west side is finally getting the slowdown neighbors have begged for, as crews wrap up a long-planned safety overhaul that will make the corridor look and feel very different by the end of the summer. The reworked street tightens lanes, adds speed cushions, curb extensions and protected bike lanes, all aimed at tamping down the fast traffic residents say has treated the route like a drag strip. City staff and community groups say the goal is straightforward: fewer crashes and safer crossings for people walking, biking or catching the bus along this busy stretch.
What’s being built
The city’s plan calls for eleven sets of speed cushions, curb extensions at eight intersections, hardened centerlines, high-friction surface treatment at four locations and one-way protected bike lanes between Queen City Avenue and Fairmount Avenue, according to the City of Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering. The project also "rightsizing" the corridor to a single travel lane in each direction with a center turn lane and parking on one side, a design intended to cut speeding and reduce conflict points. An interactive project map highlights where new crosswalks, parking edge lines and retaining walls are going in as crews complete striping and curb work.
Why the work was prioritized
A city safety review covering 2019 to 2021 logged roughly 700 crashes along Harrison Avenue between Queen City Avenue and Kling Street, including five fatalities, 21 serious injuries, 19 pedestrian-involved crashes and three bicycle crashes, as reported by WCPO. Officials say that dense pattern of collisions, combined with years of resident complaints about speeding and red-light running, pushed the city toward a full corridor makeover instead of piecemeal fixes.
Neighbors say slow lanes are overdue
Westwood residents and business owners have not been shy about their frustration with the status quo. Greg Hand, president of the Westwood Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation, told WCPO that simply walking across Harrison can feel like a gamble, saying, "You basically take your life in your hands crossing the street here." Local business leaders argue that slower traffic and clearer lane markings should make the district easier and safer to visit, not just for regulars but for anyone hesitant to navigate the old, high-speed layout.
Money, timetable and what’s next
The project is funded with a mix of state and local money. The PublicInput project page lists support from an ODOT HSIP Safety Grant, a SORTA Transit Infrastructure Fund grant and city capital dollars, and it currently shows construction running from July 2025 through August 2026. The same public page hosts the sale and schedule documents that outline funding details along with the interactive map of targeted improvements. While crews finish up striping and curb work, the city is warning drivers to expect intermittent lane closures and brief delays.
What drivers and shoppers should expect
The Department of Transportation and Engineering says motorists should be ready for temporary lane closures while crews install speed cushions, retime traffic signals and paint new crosswalks and parking edge lines. City officials and neighborhood advocates are betting that once the cones are gone, lower speeds and clearer crossings will translate into fewer crashes and a Harrison Avenue that feels more walkable and more inviting for businesses over the long haul.
