Cincinnati Skywalk, Pedestrian skyway system in Downtown Cincinnati, United States
The Cincinnati Skywalk was a series of walkways, mostly indoors and elevated, that let pedestrians cross downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Built in segments from 1971, the 1.3-mile (2.1 km) system was completed in 1997 at a cost of more than $16 million. Its first link joined the Cincinnati Convention Center to Fountain Square; later pieces crossed streets such as 5th, Race and Elm.
Construction started in 1971 with federal urban renewal funding and expanded gradually over the following decades. After 2002, parts of the system were removed as the city shifted its focus back to encouraging activity at street level.
The system's name comes from its function: an elevated, mostly indoor route above the sidewalks. Cincinnati signed dozens of maintenance agreements with private property owners as segments were built, leaving responsibility for repairs and security unclear. Mayor Charlie Luken told the New York Times in 2005 that the Skywalk was "ugly" and the space beneath it "yucky".
The sections that are still open are generally accessible during normal business hours of the buildings they pass through, so many entrances close in the evening and on weekends. Carrying a map is helpful since the signage is uneven and not all connections are still intact.
The most recognizable piece, a glass-enclosed span over 5th Street linking Carew Tower to Fountain Place (the former Macy's), was removed in October 2020 by 3CDC as part of the Fountain Place redevelopment. A 2003 Cincinnati Enquirer map showed the system running from W. 6th Street near Central Avenue east and south to E. 4th Street near Sycamore.
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