Erie Avenue could shrink from four lanes to three under a city safety project headed for construction in summer 2027. The Hyde Park Neighborhood Council (HPNC) votes on a letter of support Tuesday, Oct. 13.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Little Theater at Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church. Two new trustee nominations and a proposed city ordinance on mixed-use trails are also on the agenda.

Erie Avenue overhaul heads toward construction

Anthony Isaacs and Sean McGrory will present an update on the Erie Avenue and Murray Road Safety Improvements Project and ask the council to back it with a formal letter. The project covers Erie Avenue from Saybrook Avenue to Murray Road and Murray Road near La Crosse Avenue.

The city's Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) proposes three lanes from Saybrook Avenue to Rosslyn Drive. Four lanes would remain from Rosslyn Drive to Murray Road, according to the city's project page. The project will also fill a sidewalk gap on Murray Road and remove the slip lane at Erie and Murray to shorten pedestrian crossings.

The road has not been paved in more than 20 years. Its pavement condition index sits at 31, rated "very poor" by the city. FHWA studies have found crash reductions of 19% to 47% following four-to-three-lane conversions.

Speed data collected by the HPNC Traffic and Safety Committee found maximums of 77 mph eastbound and 66 mph westbound on Erie, according to the council's August meeting packet. A fatal crash occurred at Erie Avenue and Pinehurst Avenue on May 1, followed by two other crashes near the same intersection.

Construction is funded primarily through state and regional infrastructure grants from the Ohio Public Works Commission and the Metro Transportation Improvement Fund. DOTE held a public open house on the project Sept. 29 at Eastside Rec Center in Oakley.

Wasson Way trail ordinance on the agenda

HPNC President Kevin Randall and trustee Dave Hapner will brief the council on a proposed city ordinance covering mixed-use trails such as Wasson Way. The 4.3-mile multipurpose trail runs from near Ault Park westward through Xavier University's campus to Avondale and is part of the planned 34-mile CROWN network.

The ordinance's specific provisions have not been made public. The agenda item follows months of complaints about prohibited vehicles on the trail. An April 2026 HPNC committee report said riders on Class 3 e-bikes and gasoline-powered motorbikes had been "terrorizing people on the trail." That prompted at least two 911 calls and a schedule of Cincinnati Police bicycle patrols, according to the council's meeting records.

Under Ohio law, Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed on shared-use paths. Class 3 e-bikes, which assist up to 28 mph, are not.

Two new trustees up for a vote

Nominating Committee Chair Ann Williams will present Anthony Isaacs and Wes Gimbert to fill board vacancies left by two resignations. In the committee's report, Williams wrote that both candidates "have been attending meetings regularly and in the case of Anthony actively chairing the Traffic and Safety Committee."

The council will also vote on a new trustee to serve on the Hyde Park Neighborhood Improvement Corporation board, presented by Murray Monroe.

HPNC's membership has grown to 151, up from 109, according to the council's communications committee report.

The next HPNC monthly meeting is Nov. 10 at the same location.