Trail That Would Connect Lunken Airport to Sawyer Point Gets Green Light

An agreement has been reached between Hamilton County’s Great Parks, the City of Cincinnati, Metro and the Indiana & Ohio Railway (IORY) on the construction of a new trail that would connect the nearly five-mile span between Lunken Airport and Sawyer Point.

The Oasis Trail will be a shared-use, paved trail linking the two landmarks and extending the Ohio River Trail west from its current terminus at Wilmer Avenue. It will also allow cyclists, runners and walkers to connect to the Lunken Trail and the Little Miami Scenic Trail.

“Building the Oasis Trail to connect downtown Cincinnati with our regional and state trail network will achieve a vision shared by Great Parks and our partners for the past 17 years,” Todd Palmeter, CEO of Great Parks, said in a press release. “This is an incredibly significant moment in trail connectivity, and also a major milestone in addressing the top priority the public has identified for Great Parks – trail expansion and connections throughout Hamilton County.”

The agreement allows Great Park to acquire the trail corridor through an existing railroad easement and allows the northern track easement to be purchased from IORY by Metro, the current property owner. Great Parks will design, build and operate the trail through a lease agreement with Metro, and the City will partner with Great Parks on engineering and construction.

“We are so grateful for the partnership with Great Parks and Metro to bring this exciting project to life,” said Sheryl Long, Cincinnati city manager. “We continue to work to expand the trail system in and around Cincinnati and this next step will only further that mission. The City is focused on creating safe, accessible trails for all who utilize our beautiful outdoors.”

The project is estimated to cost $13 million. Metro is currently committing $3 million in public funds for the easement and Great Parks has committed $1 million for engineering. The Cincinnati Riding or Walking Network (CROWN) has committed $2.75 million in private funds. These funds will serve as a local match for state and federal grants, which Great Parks will start applying for this year.

Great Parks says its focus is now turning to the design and engineering phases, with construction on the Oasis Trail to begin once all funding is secured, which could potentially be by 2027.