Cars have been clocked at 77 mph on Erie Avenue in East Hyde Park, according to traffic data the Hyde Park Neighborhood Council's own committee collected over nearly a week of monitoring.

That finding headlines a packed agenda for the HPNC's rescheduled monthly meeting on Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. in the Little Theater of Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church, 1345 Grace Ave. The meeting was originally set for Aug. 11 but postponed after storms knocked out power. The council will also elect new leadership, vote to create a Flood Response Ad Hoc Committee and hear updates on $44,000 in community grant funds.

Speed data and pedestrian safety

The HPNC Traffic and Public Safety Committee recorded a maximum of 77 mph eastbound and 66 mph westbound on the East Hyde Park segment of Erie Avenue, according to the meeting packet. A total of 2,547 vehicles were speeding by more than 10 mph over the limit. Nineteen percent of eastbound traffic exceeded the speed limit by more than 5 mph.

The Cincinnati Police Department declined to loan the committee a radar gun for spot-checking.

The committee submitted two Erie Avenue segments to the city's Traffic Calming Program: Erie from Ault Park Avenue to Herschel Avenue, and Erie from Clark Montessori High School to Paxton Avenue. The city's Department of Transportation and Engineering confirmed it would begin collecting its own data.

Committee members also met with Clark Montessori leadership to discuss relocating the crosswalk near the school entrance and repurposing a former bus parking area for pedestrian safety. A follow-up meeting with DOTE is planned. The committee has requested a Leading Pedestrian Interval at Pinehurst Avenue and Erie Avenue and a speed-limit reduction through East Hyde Park. As of Aug. 9, neither request had received a response.

Officer elections

A vote to elect Kevin Randall as president and Mary Wagner as vice president concludes at the meeting. Both are running unopposed. Interim president John Menninger nominated them, and trustee Ann Williams seconded the motion. Email voting began Aug. 9.

The elections follow the resignations of President Valerie Woodham on July 24 and Vice President Dan Lee on July 14. Menninger was approved as interim president by the executive committee on July 29, after the remaining 13 trustees met July 26 at Co Hatch to chart a path forward.

Flood response

The council will vote to formally establish a Flood Response Ad Hoc Committee. Trustees Maureen Hood, John Menninger, John Matulaitis, Mary Wagner, Jenn Millman and Ann Williams volunteered to serve.

Hyde Park was hit by severe flooding on July 17 and July 21. The HPNC's flood survey drew more than 185 responses documenting destroyed mechanical systems, structural damage and significant business interruptions.

"July was a tumultuous month for our neighborhood and the community council," Menninger wrote in his president's report in the meeting packet. "The flooding in our community that occurred on July 17, 2026 and July 21, 2026, caused tremendous emotional stress and financial expense to our residents and business owners."

As we reported Aug. 19, a separate flood response open meeting with city officials follows at 7:30 p.m. in the same location.

The HPNC also partnered with the Mt. Lookout and Oakley community councils to send a joint letter to the mayor and City Council requesting a prioritized timeline for infrastructure improvements and a multi-neighborhood working group.

$44,000 in VITCA grants

The council has $44,000 available through its Voluntary Tax Incentive Contribution Agreement with the Hampton Inn. The grant application period runs through Aug. 30. Suggested uses include traffic calming, pedestrian safety improvements and support for flood-affected businesses. Votes on allocations will occur in September, with checks issued in October.

A VITCA-funded "Flood the Square with Love" community event supporting flood-impacted businesses is planned for Sept. 12, in coordination with the Hyde Park Square Business Association.

The next regular HPNC meeting is Sept. 8 at Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church.