New bridge may be coming to downtown Hamilton

Butler County Commissioners have asked the county engineer’s office to develop preliminary plans and cost estimates for a new bridge over the Great Miami River in Hamilton.

“The whole idea would be to make a connection to Hamilton’s west side other than High Street,” Commissioner Don Dixon told the Journal-News. “They’re talking about the development there at Spooky Nook, but whatever happens over there, there still needs to be another connection. It’s going to make a huge difference in that whole area.”

Hamilton has been working with Spooky Nook mega sports complex employees to create what will be called Spooky Nook Sports at Champion Mill, at the former Champion Paper facility on North B Street. City leaders envision the Hamilton complex as a spark for a new entertainment district along Main and High streets.

Credit: Robert Dibrell

Credit: Robert Dibrell

Dixon said he envisions a new bridge originating at Washington Boulevard on the west side of the river, spanning over the railroad tracks on the east side and a new road ending up in the vicinity of Ohio 4.

He said it will be pricey but “doable.”

“My best guess it’s going to be $50-plus million,” he said. “We can do the engineering and in 2020 we can do a sizable amount. The state wants 50 percent (local match) so that means we’ve got to put up $25 million, that’s doable. That puts it in the realm of being something we can handle fairly easily, taken over a few years.”

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