Great Miami River Bike Path Flooding??

Haven't read anything about this in the Journal. If true, one must wonder about the placement of the newly planned fancy building they are going to build. If this area is prone to flooding with any heavy rain, just wonder if it will see the same fate as the Bicentennial Commons and the bike path. Still, with the planning people aware of this potential problem, and knowing the city's history on failed project attempts, it wouldn't surprise me if they placed the building right in the middle of the disaster area.

Sure has been a long time since we first heard about the plans to build this bike path/river front/rest stop/gathering point for potential homeless people-drug users-prostitutes to frequent. Still haven't broken ground for it have they?

Between the Bicentennial Commons, the AK Pavillion, the bike path and the attempt at building a lake by the river, there has been millions in city money wasted yielding no return on investment. Now, I presume, more city money will be used for this new building with questionable returns on it as well.

Might be a case of the city leaders being AWOL in the common sense department once again. They never learn by their failures do they.

While on the subject of the bike path, just wondering how many people use it on a weekly basis. Is it 1% of the population? 5%? Any of you folks who frequent the river area/bike path see many people using the path? In your opinion, was the money spent on the bike path worth the return on investment?

Let's see......

Town has acquired more poverty thanks to the overflow of low income/HUD recipients.

Town has let the streets go for so long it will take millions and decades to bring them up to acceptable standards.

Town stood by and watched Armco/AK Steel downsize from 9600 employees in the 60's and 70's to around 2300 today without trying to replace the jobs lost shortly thereafter.

Town saw all the decent paying jobs at the numerous paper mills close and didn't lift a finger to replace those lost jobs as well.

Town has seen the school system go from a respected district both in academics and sports to a last place disaster in both categories.

Town has seen a drastic increase in druggies in town with mega numbers in the overdose area, straining the medics, police and fire departments.

Town has seen reduced shopping amenities, entertainment options and general malaise over the last four decades. Many shopping locations once active are now deserted.

Town has seen it's once decent reputation dragged through the mud in the eyes of the surrounding communities while those same communities have gone the opposite direction toward more prosperity.

Town has spent millions force fitting an arts/cultural theme downtown with only mediocre success to date. The demographics of the city are polar opposites of arts/culture city leaders. It is blue collar and always has been. It is time you recognized that fact.

Town has loaned taxpayer money and moved funds from one account to another to aid friends and shady developers with few positive results to date in the downtown area.......some money fund movements allegedly have been illegal as well.


And here we are talking about a bike path, a new bike path rec center, flooding and money spent in a futile attempt to develop the river front.

So many problems and failed ventures left unsolved over the years by weak, ineffective leadership with no common sense nor ability to prioritize what is really important in growing this city. So many plans and dreams offered by city leaders that always die on the vine and never are heard from again. Incompetence at it's best. Sad to see.

itsamee wrote: buddhalite wrote: Who wants to ride a bike next to that?       Maybe go for a walk down there and check it out? There are a lot of people who enjoy the path, especially runners and bike riders. A lot of the views are very nice.

Interesting observation itsamee.

You said "there are a lot of people who enjoy the path, especially runners and bike riders"

Just curious. How many runners and bike riders use the path each day in your humble opinion? Of course, there is no way to know how many are from Middletown as opposed to surrounding communities to assess only Middletown participation.

Do you think the numbers would approach 100 or more each day? I would think there would be more runners and bikers on the weekend and the numbers would drop off during the week and in inclement weather.

My contention is that for the money spent, and considering the population percent in this community being less than 3% as to users of the path, I submit it is not worth the money spent to build and maintain the path. Remember when they had erosion issues and the path caved in a while ago? City money was used to build/maintain it that could have been put to better use IMO. Couple that with the wasted money for Bicentennial Commons and the failed Lake Middletown attempt and it only adds insult to injury along the river area.

If Middletown was in decent shape in all facets, this would be a nice ammenity. As it is now, because the city is struggling, instead of this being a nice extra for the city, it is another money wasting source the city can ill afford. The bike path should be on the agenda after all other basics have been taken care of. It was constructed because a select few health conscience people wanted it done. Hardly a majority approval by city residents. They never asked the people if they wanted it. They just went and did it on their own. Classic cart before the horse mentality by city officials. Again, another demonstration that they don't have a clue how to prioritize important projects this town needs.

Sorry for the double post, but yea, the trails in Butler County are maintained by the parks system: https://www.yourmetroparks.net/parks/great-miami-river-trail

Buddah,  

The bike path pavilion is next to one of the combined sewer outfalls.  Thanks to city hall you will be enjoying the festering stench while at the pavilion for years to come.  Remember; its a win-win.

Matt,  

The canal is one of the combined sewer outfalls in the city.  Sanitary sewage is combined with stormwater at that point.  The paper plant is the primary contributor.  A complicating factor is the damage that was done to the point where the canal flows into the river by the dredging that was done by the city, causing the canal to stagnate at that point.  Your tax dollars at work.

Ok, an article in the Journal today about the bike path building they are now constructing by Bicentennial Commons and the AK Pavilion.

Seems the lady in the article seems to think this is going to be a major draw for the river front with 80 miles of continuous bike path usage in the Middletown/Franklin area.

Yep, according to Adkins and this spokesperson for the Metro parks, this will be the real deal as to making the riverfront a major attraction for the downtown area. (This is riverfront development effort number two. Number one was the Bicentennial Commons, the AK Pavilion and the failed Lake Middletown, all of which have been used sparingly to say the least the last decade or two)

Wish them luck on that. Still wondering just how many will benefit who will be the potential users of this facility. (How many bike riders and path walkers are there when compared to the overall population of the area? If a small number, is all of this really worth the effort?)

OR.....will it eventually become an eyesore where no one goes because the prostitutes and drug users will use it as their haven, negating the positive vibe for which is was intended.....

Time will tell for all of us whether this will be a success or just another white elephant for the city. We will be watching Mr. Adkins and company.