The entrance to a subway tunnel that runs under Central Parkway can be seen near I-75. When driving on I-75 south, near Marshall Avenue, just before passing the Harrison Avenue viaduct, look East to see one of Cincinnati’s little known secrets.
In 1884, city officials in Cincinnati were searching for a solution to their polluted canal problem. One potential solution was to develop a rapid transit loop to connect the cities of Cincinnati, St. Bernard, Norwood, and Oakley. It was not until the early 1900’s that one government official seriously considered the plan. Cincinnati’s Mayor Henry Hunt researched the idea and initiated plans based on artists' drawings to create the transportation infrastructure called the Rapid Transit Loop. These plans were further developed by his successor, Mayor Cox. In 1916 Cox passed a bond issue to finance start up construction, however, the beginning of World War I ceased infrastructure development in Cincinnati. After the war, construction resumed hindered by inflation and skyrocketing costs. Seven years later, with only two miles of subway tunnel and seven miles of surface route completed, cost overruns bankrupted the City Rapid Transit Commission in charge of the Rapid Transit Loop.
Over the years many people tried to revive the idea of a rapid transit system for the city. In 1940, The Cincinnati Post conducted a random poll of Cincinnatians. The results showed most citizens in favor of building a rapid transit system. Supporters saw it as a way to relieve growing traffic congestion.
Opponents thought they had heard the last of the subway plans when the city opted to get behind the interstate highway system. In 1966, Mayor Walton Bachrach advised the City Council to reconsider a rapid transit system for Cincinnati. However, as there were fewer proponents to renew interest, in the transit project, plans to continue development failed. In 1979, at the height of America’s second energy crisis in six years, Council Member Tom Bush proposed using C & O railroad track to create a rapid transit line. As in 1966, the proposal created no new interest and the transit project was stalled.
Although portions of the rapid transit system remained incomplete, it has not remained unchanged over the years. 1957 saw the installation of a water main to supply the growing westside of the city. By using the subway tunnel the city saved $500,000 in excavation costs. In 1962-63 the federal government paid $60,000 to have a 300 foot by 150 foot section under the intersection of Central Parkway and Liberty Street turned into a fallout shelter. The facility came complete with toilets, power generators, and decontamination showers for 300 of the most important government figures in the county. In 1993 the City of Cincinnati and an outside contractor went into the tunnels due to concerns that the tunnels were going to collapse under Columbia Parkway. Again, the city spent money on a failed project to reinforce the crumbling concrete walls. It was then that I had my first look at the tunnels underneath Cincinnati.
I entered the tunnels at the entrance near the teachers credit union on Columbia Parkway. I immediately noticed the smell of dust and concrete, the feel of the damp air, and the overwhelming sense of darkness. The pipes and fixtures looked ancient and obsolete; I imagine they could not be bought today. The tracks were covered with dust and dirt. I could hear rats scurrying in the darkness.
I reached the first station, it was very much what I expected a subway station to look like; it contained all the makings of a working system. The walls were covered with tiles and station signs. Light fixtures were not working, but the size and quantity would have illuminated the station very brightly. There were benches for passengers to sit on, poles for people to lean on, and spaces to hang maps and posters. The platform seemed to be waiting for thousands of people to begin their commute. The bathrooms were also ready to be used, with installed stalls, sinks, and mirrors, but they were out of toilet paper and several doors hung off broken hinges. The newspaper stand was in place as if waiting for the salesclerk to arrive and sell you a paper or magazine. In another corner an empty stand could have been used to sell coffee and soda, or maybe flowers for businessmen to take home.
The next station was much like the first with a slightly different layout. There were fewer benches, the color scheme was different, and the newspaper stand was replaced with a shoe shine stand. After walking down more dark and isolated tunnels, I arrived at the station where the county’s fallout shelter was located. You could see where beautifully tiled walls were covered by concrete blocks with empty storage spaces. I could only image them filled with water, food, and light for a possible prolonged stay. It took over two hours to arrive at the main station that was downtown in front of the AAA building, and it was the largest by far. The size must have been as wide as Central Parkway and had space for five sets of tracks.
It was obvious that I was not the first one to walk down these tunnels. Everywhere I looked I saw graffiti covering the walls. There was some trash, but it was mainly near the various entrances that riders would have used. At the furthest point, in a dark corner, was a list of the names of the people who had visited these tunnels.
In this time of rising pollution and increased traffic congestion, I wonder why we solely focus on spending so much money on highway repairs that will be unable to handle future traffic. After exploring the wonders of the underground world of Cincinnati, I think that revisiting the existing rapid transit subway system will provide alternate means of public transportation for future generations. It also provides an interesting look into the past.