Transportation Needs
Transportation Needs
The existing Eastern Corridor transportation network is characterized by heavy congestion and delays during peak travel times and high accident rates. A number of important underlying issues contribute to these transportation problems:
• Many key routes in the area are two-lane facilities that have not been substantially improved in over four decades. Current traffic volumes exceed the capacity the roads were designed for, creating a deficient roadway network. With projected traffic increases in the Eastern Corridor, congestion, delays and hazardous driving conditions are expected to worsen over time.
Summary graphics from the Tier 1 Purpose and Need:
1995 Traffic Volumes
Future No-Build Traffic Volumes
Future No-Build Levels of Service
Major Roadway Accidents
Intersection Accidents
Population and Employment Projections
• Automobiles account for 99% of travel in the Eastern Corridor because of limited mode choice in the greater Cincinnati area. Rail transit is currently not available, bus transit within the Eastern Corridor is limited to a few key routes, and existing bike facilities do not currently provide a fully functional transportation option for commuters.
Summary graphics from the Tier 1 Purpose and Need:
Highway Network
Bus and Bike Network
Rail Freight Network
• Poor connectivity between Cincinnati / Hamilton County employment centers in the western part of the Eastern Corridor and residences in the east forces traffic onto the I-275 outer belt to reach I-71 and I-75, or to use the I-471 corridor via northern Kentucky to access downtown Cincinnati. Additionally, the Little Miami River forms a physical barrier, and the existing four bridges over the river act as pinch points for east-west travel. Circumferential travel and limited east-west access adds to congestion, delays, miles traveled, fuel consumed and poor air quality.
Summary graphics from the Tier 1 Purpose and Need:
Commute Patterns
Commute Times
Future Trip Patterns
• Heavy truck traffic in the Eastern Corridor is also compromised by delays and lack of connectivity, resulting in inefficient movement of goods and services.
Without an efficient transportation framework, economic centers are becoming more isolated from regional, state and national trade flows. This compromises the economic value and equity of the region compared to more efficiently connected metropolitan areas.
Future No-Build Truck Volume Growth
More details about transportation needs in the Eastern Corridor can be found in the Eastern Corridor Tier 1 Draft EIS (44mb file).
Information is being updated as part of the studies currently underway.
