In January of 2011, Jay Andress and his daughter, Julie, were stuck in traffic on Wasson Road in Hyde Park when inspiration struck. That would make a great bike trail, Julie said, referring to the train tracks that run parallel to the road. Although Jay agreed, he thought the idea wasn’t feasible because of it’s train use. But after a little research, he realized that the tracks were no longer in use. Eight years later, the idea that Julie had is moving full steam ahead as the Wasson Way Bike Trail.
In July of 2018, the first phase of the trail opened between I-71 and Madison Road, behind Rookwood Commons. Later in 2019, the second phase will open, which stretches over I-71 and runs along the southern border of Norwood before reaching Montgomery Road. And that’s just the beginning.
In this episode you’ll hear about
- the biggest obstacles Jay and the Wasson Way board had to overcome
- how the project is being funded
- what the Wasson Way Bike Trail will mean for Norwood and the surrounding area
- and much more…
Listen here. ⬇️
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Selected links from Episode 3 about Wasson Way Bike Trail
Learn more about Wasson Way, including the timeline for construction and how to get involved at WassonWay.org.
Eventually, the Wasson Way Bike Trail will connect with the Little Miami Bike Trail, which runs 78 miles through Southwest Ohio.
Otto Armleder Memorial Park is another bike-riding haven that Jay references in our conversation.
Watch the drone footage aerial tour of Wasson Way ⬇️
See what a finished, thriving, world-renowned trail looks like by checking out Minneapolis’ Midtown Greenway.
A study of homes near the Little Miami trail found that homebuyers are willing to pay a premium for houses within 1,000 feet of the trail. If the same results held in the greater Cincinnati area, the trail could have an economic impact north of $36 million for homeowners.
Read more about the economic benefits of biking.
I couldn’t find much about Norwood Depot, but here’s some light reading.
Here you can find a more thorough map of the trail’s path, including where the proposed access points will be in Norwood, Hyde Park and Oakley.
Check out this recent article from Local 12 about Wasson Way’s arrival in Norwood.
Action Items
Like the Wasson Way Project on Facebook.
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Move Norwood Forward aims to shed light on the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.