William Howard Taft Expressway

The Taft Expressway was to have connected Columbia Parkway with I-75 and the Western Hills Viaduct, roughly following the route of William Howard Taft Ave.  Partial and full interchanges were to have been located at I-75/Western Hills Viaduct, Ravine St., Vine St., I-71, Gilbert Ave., Victory Parkway, Woodburn Ave., and Columbia Parkway.  Construction was to have required destruction of 660 properties as well as Inwood and Fairview Parks.  No right-of-way was secured and no construction was undertaken.

Taft Expressway Maps from 1959:
Western Hills Viaduct to Vine St.
Vine St. to Stanton Ave.
Stanton Ave. to Woodburn Ave.
Woodburn Ave. to Columbia Parkway
 
 

Queen City Expressway
Was to have connected Cleves with the western end of the Western Hills Viaduct.  Combined with the Taft Expressway, it would have created a lateral route from Cleves to Columbia Parkway.  I-275 was originally to have crossed the Ohio River at Cleves, and an interchange would have been located there.  Interchanges would have been located at the western end of the viaduct, Grand Ave., Quebec Ave., Queen City Ave., Glenway Ave., and Anderson Ferry Rd.
No right-of-way was acquired and no construction was undertaken.
 

Colerain Expressway
Originally to have connected I-74 at the Colerain Ave./Beekman St. interchange with I-275 between the Colerain Ave. and Hamilton Ave. interchanges.  Local interchanges were to have been located at North Bend Rd., Galbraith Rd., and Compton Rd.   Cross County Highway was originally planned to connect I-75, I-71, and I-275 on the east side, and so would not have intersected the Colerain Expressway.  As built, the Cross County Highway segment between Colerain Ave. and Hamilton Ave. intersects where the Colerain Expressway would have run.

The project was renamed the "Colerain Connector" when the plan was significantly downsized, now only to connect I-74 with Kirby Ave. at North Bend Rd., just 1/4 mile east of Colerain Ave. in Mt. Airy.  Right-of-way was acquired by the city and state, and the North Bend Rd. interchange was partially constructed and several city blocks were demolished for the I-74 interchange.  The project met fierce opposition by the residents of Northside, who have succeeded in derailing every attempt to revive the project by traffic planners. As recently as 1999, ODOT has proposed a route connecting the partially built I-74 interchange with Hamilton Ave. at the base of the hill, as well as Colerain Ave. north of the West Fork Rd. intersection.   Meanwhile, the "temporary" I-74 Colerain Ave. entrance and exit ramps are still in use, and the state and city retain ownership of the right-of-way.   The large mound shown below was leveled in 2002 but it is currently an empty lot.
 

Looking across Colerain Ave. in summer 2001, where an overpass was planned.  This mound was
leveled in 2002.

Looking in the opposite direction, from the Colerain Expressway grading
back towards the I-74 interchange.

Looking northwest on the "temporary" Colerain Ave. I-74 entrance ramp.
The stubs for the Colerain Expressway are clearly visible.
 
 
 
 

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