Access B

The Mill Creek runs 28 miles from Liberty Township down south to the Ohio River just . When steam navigation was introduced in 1811, Cincinnati became a “boomtown” that connected to major industrial hubs on the east coast. Many industries began popping up in Cincinnati and along the Mill Creek; this put Cincinnati on the map as an important economic center. While the industries of Cincinnati were thriving, they took advantage of the natural resources around them with little regard for the future impacts. Dumping of toxic chemicals and other industry byproducts severely polluted the Mill Creek.

In 1997, the national river conservation group American Rivers designated the Mill Creek one of the “most endangered urban river in North America.” A variety of community groups and organizations have since made substantial efforts to restore the Mill Creek and stop potential threats. Now that the river is not endangered, it can be utilized and appreciated by the 450,000 residents in the watershed’s boundary. 

The people around the Mill Creek play the most critical role in protecting it. People initially caused the most harm to the creek, but they also have the power to restore it. Providing direct access to the Mill Creek for residents and other visitors will foster a community that can enjoy, acknowledge, and protect what the creek has to offer. 

Demographics give insights into the population of an area that might otherwise be overlooked. Breaking down the population through different metrics helps to identify the makeup of the community and potential obstacles that need to be considered to ensure all populations have equal access to the Mill Creek. 

Land Use 

The land use surrounding the Mill Creek is primarily industrial with residential coming in second. Large buildings and industrial lots can block access to the Mill Creek. The amount of commercial land use is small, suggesting residents leave the neighborhood for their shopping or other commercial needs.

Economic Districts

Being able to access and support local business is essential to a thriving community. Winton Hills notably does not have its own commercial district, leaving it dependent on the surrounding neighborhoods for any physical, retail, or food needs. There are two job centers located near the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, one just outside of our Mill Creek District. The live/work ratios for either side of the Mill Creek are drastically different from one another. On the northwest side, 44-52% of employed residents work outside of their neighborhood, while on the southeast side 80-92% of employed residents work outside of their neighborhood.  

Bike Infrastructure

Communities should have variety in mobility and be able to use multiple modes of transportation. Robust networks in place for walking and biking will incentivize people to reduce their car use. Increased car usage clogs roadways and creates a demand for expanding highways such as I-75 that divide communities and create unsafe barriers that are difficult to cross. 

Bus Routes 

The Mill Creek district neighborhoods do not have a lot of access to amenities and other resources, so it is important to have a strong public transportation infrastructure available to these communities. This ensures people in these communities can access all the things they need even if they don’t own a car. Bus routes extending into surrounding communities broaden the impact and accessibility of the Mill Creek to outside neighborhoods.

Street Hierarchy 

This road hierarchy map shows highways, arterial roads, collector roads, local roads, and a few pedestrian ways. The circles highlight the major and minor intersections. These are areas with lots of traffic where pedestrian/cyclist safety should be a priority during development. Understanding where the major feeder streets are will determine where trail heads, sidewalks, parks, and public transit options would provide the most benefit for the community at all scales.

Parks and Trails

Exposure to natural environments can reduce blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. Communities with access to green spaces can experience improved mental and physical health. Neighborhoods that don’t already have a good community green space can improve their community health by adding parks. 

The factors used to determine overall access to the Mill Creek in order from highest to lowest priority are

• Visibility
• Buildings & Existing infrastructure 
• Street Hierarchy 
• Bridges 
• Train Tracks 
• Trails/Sidewalks 
• Land Use 
• Awareness/Signage
• Population Demographics

Using the data gathered from research this map displays varying degrees of access along the Mill Creek. Ultimately using physical data to determine accessibility of the Mill Creek. Although perception plays a crucial role in determining access, the Mill Creek simply has too many physical barriers to overcome. This is confirmed by site visits and a few interviews of people saying they’ve never seen the Mill Creek at all. After intensive remediations are made to increase visibility of the Mill Creek, then these challenges can begin to disappear, showcasing a community resource that could benefit thousands. 

Public engagement is important to ensure that all community voices are heard and acknowledged in the planning process. Community input makes sure that the plans and designs reflect the wants and needs of the people of the Mill Creek District. Organizing meetings for community engagement such as charrettes can create meaningful interactions between planners and community members. 

Creating a District Memorandum of Understanding is a good way to officially document the connection between the planning committee and the neighborhood representatives. This document ensures that the planning process is conducted with community values and principles in mind.

Interactive Spaces and Experiences

Creating an interactive website for the Mill Creek district provides an easy, quick, and accessible medium for people to give input. With the advancement of technology, community members can mark areas in the Mill Creek with their ideas and experiences. 

A visitor center for the Mill Creek allows a space for park visitors to learn about the Mill Creek in a structured environment. With an interactive learning and engagement board, visitors have a chance to access information about the Mill Creek and make suggestions about park resources. 

"Make your mark" spaces create a space for residents to feel that they are a part of the community. Some examples of more sustainable versions of lock bridges could include things like yarn art, scrap fabric ties, or painted rock gardens. Community members can also collaborate with local artists to paint murals in the park, collect bottles to recycle into park benches, or even take home diy projects from the visitor center to take or bring back for a display. These would instill a community sense of pride in the parks. 

Based on research of the Mill Creek district and our vision statement, access in the Mill Creek can be broken down into visual, perceptual, and physical access. These three components cover all the different obstacles that need to be overcome to achieve access to the creek. People need to be able to see the creek, have a positive perception of the creek, and enjoy the physical means to get to the creek. These can further be broken down into our main objectives for access along the Mill Creek.

Examining successful plans and spaces gives inspiration and sets aspirations for the future of access to the Mill Creek.

Central Williamson Creek Greenway - Austin, TX (Began 2019)

The Central Williamson Creek Greenway is 70 acres of land with the vision of giving all residents a healthy community both physically and mentally.  Including:

• Removal of invasive species
• Amenities such as a fitness lawn, gathering spaces, hammock groves, programming ideas for public art, and seating areas
• Interactive online map for community members to share opinions and ideas for development and implementation

Indianapolis Cultural Trail - Indianapolis, IN (2013)

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is an 8.1-mile urban multi-use trail that impacts residents through unique experiences and connections to multiple resources. Including:

• Art installations
• Identifiable character and recognizable pavement patterns
• Multiple transit stations
• Shared-use paths
• Bike amenities
• Universal accessibility
• Connections to natural environments, urban settings, and commercial districts in a fluid and innovative way

Lick Run Greenway - Cincinnati, OH (2021)

The Lick Run is 1.5 mile greenway that eliminates 800 million gallons of combined sewer overflows and includes amenities such as stage areas and heritage plaques. Including:

• 100% visibility of waterway
• Interactive spaces
• Historic and informational plaques
• Identifiable visual characteristics
• Trail is adaptable to the demands of the environment

Smale Riverfront Park & Friendship Park - Cincinnati, OH (2015 & 2003)

Smale Riverfront is 32 acre park that promotes connecting the urban environment of downtown to the riverfront. Friendship Park is 22 acres of intertwining bike and walking paths, representing five continents with their native flora and art. Including:

• Connects directly to riverfront commerical district
• Identifiable and significant pedestrian bridge
• Bike shop located in Smale Riverfront
• Multiple bike racks
• Bathrooms and drinking fountains on site
• Unique and cultural interactive spaces

These selected strategies will help to improve how people access the Mill Creek. Each strategy is rated on four factors:

Strategic Plan

This strategic plan emphasizes bringing four overall positive impacts to the community: 

Expanding Economic Markets

Increasing Stormwater Management

Improving Pedestrian Safety 

Highlighting Neighborhood History

Multiple short term routes are shown because the final trail contains elements that are costly and time intensive. This will allow people to connect to the Mill Creek during development until the final trail that is directly along the Mill Creek is complete. The Mill Creek will always be an urban waterway, so this plan highlights all those unique elements in a safe and engaging manner. The purple sites are key focus areas that are important to development and will have the greatest impact on the community access to the Mill Creek.

• The strategic plan consists of 25 total strategies to improve access along the Mill Creek with varied degrees of impact, levels of complexity, and duration of development. This workflow demonstrates the timeline for the strategic plan along with the degrees of impact on the Mill Creek District (Carthage, Elmwood Place, Winton Hills, Spring Grove Village, and Village of Saint Bernard) based on its effects on user experiences and surrounding environment. 

The shared-use path runs along 5.5 miles of the Mill Creek trail. It will be installed in four sections starting at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds and moving South. The industrial section will be put in last because it will require the most remediation and negotiation. Until it is completed, Spring Grove Avenue will connect Section 3 to the North end.

Neighborhood collaboration and community ownership are essential in realizing the immense potential of the Mill Creek Trail. The following public engagement methods are inspired by the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, the Downtown Loveland Strategic Plan, and the Ombrone River Agreement.

The Mill Creek is an important ecological river, but it is also an urban waterway that can’t be understood without context. The distinctly urban structures are reminders of the Mill Creek’s industrial history and progress. The variety of landscapes should be highlighted and appreciated because they are a part of the character of the creek and surrounding neighborhoods. Creating a trail that follows directly along the Mill Creek can illustrate to visitors how the different scenery along the creek is all important. Surrounding neighborhoods are a crucial part of the Mill Creek and should have a sense of pride and connection to their own community and the creek. Access for all people to all parts of the Mill Creek is at the core of our vision. The Mill Creek has the potential to serve as a community asset and make a meaningful impact on the district and beyond.