Cincinnati City Council has adopted a motion directing City administration to address several Mount Auburn issues that were discussed in council's Health, Environment and Education Committee on March 17.
The motion, drafted by councilmembers Roxanne Qualls and Cecil Thomas, asks for "major progress by July 1" on:
- Resurfacing Auburn Avenue
- Providing better signage at the intersection of Auburn and Dorchester avenues and Sycamore Street, in addition to considering the need for a traffic signal
- Addressing blight along the Auburn Avenue corridor, including blighted buildings, graffiti, illegal street vending, and poorly-kept vacant and City-owned lots
- Prohibiting parking on Auburn Avenue from 7 AM to 9 AM, weekdays
"The City has fallen short in maintaining the Sycamore Hill/Auburn Avenue Corridor, a gateway to Uptown and the main route to Christ Hospital, one of the City's largest employers," the statement says.
The statement also says that the intersection of Auburn and Dorchester avenues and Sycamore Street is confusing.
"Streets from this intersection lead to a major hospital, a major TV station, and many medical facilities and public agencies," it says. "Unless a person is familiar with this intersection, it is almost impossible to understand where to go. Improved signage would help remedy this problem."
But most of all, improvements are needed to attract and retain residents, the statement says.
"Because of Mt. Auburn's proximity to the Downtown and Uptown employment centers, to major hospitals, the University of Cincinnati, and the City's most prominent cultural institutions such as the Zoo and the Art Museum, and because of its historic character, new residents are attracted to the area," it says. "Many more would choose to enjoy this wonderful neighborhood if the City gave it a little more attention."
