Update from Jay Andress, director of the Wasson Way Bicycle Trail Project
The Wasson Way wants to connect to the Little Miami Scenic Trail through the Little Miami River Valley, away from traffic and congestion. We also want numerous connections to Mariemont so that the residents will have great access to both the Little Miami Trail if they go north and to Cincinnat’si Armleder Park, Lunken, Wasson Way and the ORW if they go south. The benefits to Mariemont from this wonderful network of trails….for biking, running, walking and just exploring the Little Miami River area will become a major highlight of Mariemont.
Our goal is to make this network of trails one of the best in America. The Wasson Way will be beautiful at the same time it is very useful for many City residents. The ORW will be amazing as commuters use it to reach downtown along a trail with Ohio River views. The Little Miami Trail is already a great asset. While connections between the Wasson Way and the Little Miami Trail might temporarily be along other routes, the goal of the WW Organization is to make this world class.
Besides creating a great trail we want to improve safety. One of my friends has suffered permanent brain injury because of a near fatal bike accident on Wooster Pike in Mariemont seven years ago. Unless we get bikers from Mariemont and everywhere else off Wooster Pike it is inevitable that it will happen to someone else.
We really appreciate the support we have received from Mariemont. Our plan is to host a community meeting in Mariemont this spring to get citizen input. I apologize that we have not been more involved in Mariemont, but our first and primary goal has been to get the City to buy the right-of-way from Norfolk Southern, because without that the whole project fails.
Look forward to seeing you again soon in Mariemont.
Build it and they will come. Another important consideration: the tremendous economic benefit to Mariemont once the Wasson Way Trail links Xavier University and Rookwood Commons to our village and other trails. For example, here’s what the Monon Trail has done for local businesses in Indianapolis:
http://www.traillink.com/trail/monon-trail.aspx
http://www.yelp.com/biz/monon-trail-indianapolis
The Wasson Way Trail also puts another roadblock in front of the unnecessary Eastern Corrider project that threatens Mariemont, Fairfax, and Newtown. Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune (D) is obsessed with ramming this highway through our village, so until he’s voted out of office we need to do everything possible to stop it in its tracks.
Here’s the official Wasson Way website:
http://wassonway.org
I assume Mr. Andress is referring to Mr. Keiser’s accident. It was bad. I was there.
As Jay states bicyclists should stay off state highway 50. It is too dangerous for them there.
A route must be formed through the old trolley line.