LOVELAND, Ohio — A new traffic signal at the Little Miami Scenic Trail crossing on West Loveland Avenue will be fully active starting Monday, Sept. 21, the city said in a Facebook post.
The signal, installed where the trail crosses the roadway in the heart of downtown, is designed to coordinate vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic moving through the crossing. It will be synchronized with the existing traffic lights at State Route 48 and Karl Brown Way, the city said, an effort meant to keep vehicle traffic flowing through downtown while still giving trail users a dedicated turn to cross.
Once the new system goes live, cyclists and pedestrians on the trail will follow standard traffic signals — green and red — rather than the pedestrian-activated flashing crosswalk currently in place, and will need to wait for the signal before entering the roadway, according to the city.
The city said the new signal will begin flashing in the days before the Sept. 21 activation as crews finish testing the system. Design work on the project dated to 2023 and 2024, and the installation was funded in part through a grant secured by the city, according to city records.
Loveland Police Department officers will be stationed at the crossing during the transition period to help both trail users and motorists adjust to the new pattern, the city said. The city asked residents to use caution and watch for the new signals as the community gets accustomed to the change.
The crossing sits along the Little Miami Scenic Trail, a paved path that runs more than 78 miles from Springfield to Hamilton County and passes directly through Loveland’s historic downtown business district, home to a concentration of the trail’s cafes, bike shops and rental outfits.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the City of Loveland.