More than 850 cyclists pedaled through Cincinnati's east side on Aug. 29, raising $80,000 for the region's growing trail network at the fourth annual Tour de CROWN.

The ride started and finished at Fifty West Brewing Company, according to a Tri-State Trails recap published Sept. 14. Participants got a first look at the newly widened and paved Lunken Airport Loop, a Great Parks improvement project completed ahead of the event.

The loop had been one of the narrowest shared-use trails on the route. The upgrade gave riders, walkers and runners a wider, smoother path.

For Hyde Park and Oakley residents who use the Lunken corridor, the improvement is a tangible payoff from years of investment in the CROWN (Cincinnati Riding or Walking Network), a planned 34-mile urban trail loop. The network is now more than 65% complete, with another six miles funded for construction, according to Tri-State Trails.

The event keeps growing. The inaugural ride in 2023 drew 325 participants. By 2025, that number topped 700. Wade Johnston, executive director of Tri-State Trails, said every rider who joins becomes another advocate for completing the trail network.

"We see people come off the trail and into Fifty West every single day, whether they're running, walking, or riding," Bobby Slattery, owner of Fifty West Brewing Company, said ahead of the ride. "That community is a big part of what makes our Wooster Pike location special."

Riders on the 34-mile Full CROWN route also got an exclusive preview of a new Wasson Way trail connection through Xavier University's campus before its official ribbon-cutting. Three route options were available: the Full CROWN, a 17.5-mile Half CROWN and an 8.5-mile Beechmont Connector.

Gerald Shell, a 45-year-old Cincinnati cyclist who received a heart transplant 30 years ago, rode his fourth consecutive Tour de CROWN. WLWT profiled Shell ahead of the ride, noting he has long outlived expectations after being diagnosed with cardiomyopathy as a teenager.

More than $43.2 million in public funding has gone toward CROWN projects since 2019, according to Tri-State Trails. The next major east-side milestone is the Columbia Connector Trail, which will extend the Little Miami Scenic Trail west toward Mariemont. WCPO reported construction is underway on the trail's third and final phase, with Great Parks estimating a $3.1 million total cost and a spring 2028 completion.

Great Parks served as the 2026 presenting sponsor. Cincinnati Police officers helped hundreds of riders navigate a major construction zone along the route.

The Columbia Connector's spring 2028 target is the nearest announced east-side trail milestone.