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Cincinnati has secured $25 million in federal funding to begin capping a portion of Fort Washington Way between Vine Street and Walnut Street. The project will create a structural deck over the highway to improve connections between downtown and The Banks while adding new public space. Officials expect construction to begin after additional funding and project approvals are completed, with the first phase targeted for completion in 2029.
Cincinnati has secured $25 million in federal funding to begin capping a portion of Fort Washington Way, marking a major milestone for one of the city’s most ambitious urban redevelopment projects.
The grant will fund the first phase of a plan that has remained in development for more than two decades and aims to reconnect downtown Cincinnati with The Banks and the Ohio Riverfront.
Officials say the project will transform a section of the eight-lane freeway into new public space while reducing traffic noise and improving pedestrian access. The funding announcement came Wednesday after Ohio Sen. Jon Husted confirmed the award, which local leaders described as a significant step toward reshaping the city’s riverfront corridor.
The federally funded phase will cover the section of Fort Washington Way between Vine Street and Walnut Street. Plans call for constructing a structural deck over the highway, creating a new city block that can support a public plaza and future community uses while traffic continues to travel beneath it. According to city officials, construction could begin in 2027 if remaining funding and project approvals stay on schedule, with completion targeted for fall 2029.
The project represents the latest chapter in Cincinnati’s effort to repair the physical divide created when Fort Washington Way was built decades ago. Local planners have argued that covering portions of the highway would reconnect neighborhoods, expand green space, and encourage additional private investment around downtown and The Banks.
Fort Washington Way funding supports downtown connections
Hamilton County, the City of Cincinnati, and regional partners have pursued federal funding for several years to advance the deck-cap concept. Previous grant applications were unsuccessful, but officials continued refining the proposal before receiving this latest award.
Hamilton County Commission President Stephanie Summerow Dumas called the grant a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to reconnect downtown while creating new public green space for residents and visitors. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval described the award as a “huge milestone” and thanked federal, county, and regional partners for supporting the project.
According to project leaders, the deck cap would provide several benefits:
- Create a new public plaza above Fort Washington Way.
- Improve pedestrian access between downtown and The Banks.
- Reduce highway noise in surrounding public spaces.
- Support future residential, commercial, and civic development.
- Strengthen connections between existing entertainment districts.
Project Executive Phil Beck of The Banks Public Partnership previously said the deck would continue Cincinnati’s ongoing downtown revitalization by creating valuable new land without relocating the existing highway. Reported by WLWT, Beck noted that a publicly owned park would simplify construction and long-term management over the interstate.
The $25 million federal grant covers only part of the overall cost. Local governments and regional partners must still provide matching funds before construction can move forward. Earlier planning documents estimated that the broader Fort Washington Way cap initiative could eventually cost approximately $187 million, depending on future phases and final designs.
Fort Washington Way funding builds on years of planning
Although Wednesday’s announcement represents a breakthrough, the concept itself is not new.
Fort Washington Way underwent a major reconstruction in the late 1990s, and engineers incorporated structural features that anticipated the possibility of future deck caps. Since then, city leaders, Hamilton County officials, The Banks Public Partnership, and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber have promoted the vision as a way to reconnect neighborhoods separated by highway infrastructure.
The current phase focuses on only one block between Vine and Walnut streets. However, long-range plans envision additional deck caps extending farther across the corridor if future funding becomes available.
Urban planners say similar projects in cities across the United States have successfully transformed highway corridors into public parks and mixed-use development areas. Cincinnati officials believe the first deck cap could demonstrate the project’s value and support future expansion.
The latest funding also aligns with broader federal efforts to reconnect communities divided by major transportation infrastructure. Previous applications emphasized the project’s ability to improve walkability, increase public space, and stimulate economic development near the riverfront.
Fort Washington Way funding could reshape the riverfront
The grant arrives as several major infrastructure projects continue across the Cincinnati region, including work related to The Banks, the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor, and downtown redevelopment initiatives.
Supporters argue that capping Fort Washington Way would create a more seamless connection between Fountain Square, the central business district, Paycor Stadium, Great American Ball Park, and the Ohio Riverfront. Instead of pedestrians crossing an exposed highway trench, visitors would move through a landscaped public space that functions as an extension of downtown.
Officials also expect the project to create opportunities for community events, recreation, and future private investment surrounding the new public plaza.
While significant engineering, environmental review, and funding work remains before construction begins, local leaders view the federal award as the project’s strongest indication yet that the long-discussed vision is becoming reality. According to WLWT and previous reporting by The Cincinnati Exchange, the successful grant application follows years of planning, repeated funding requests, and collaboration among city, county, business, and transportation partners.
For more information about the project, visit the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Hamilton County website.
FAQs
What is the Fort Washington Way cap project?
The project will build a structural deck over a section of Fort Washington Way between Vine Street and Walnut Street in downtown Cincinnati. The deck will create new public space above the highway while maintaining traffic below.
How much federal funding did Cincinnati receive?
The project received a $25 million federal grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant will help fund the first phase of construction, but additional local and partner funding will still be required.
Why is the project considered important?
City and county leaders say the project will reconnect downtown Cincinnati with The Banks and the Ohio Riverfront by reducing the barrier created by the highway. The new deck is also expected to improve pedestrian access and create opportunities for public gathering space.
When will construction begin?
Officials anticipate construction could begin in 2027, subject to final design, permitting, and completion of the project’s remaining funding commitments. The first phase is currently expected to be completed in 2029 if the schedule remains on track.
