CLARKSVILLE, IN (December 11, 2023) – Visitors to the Ohio Riverfront in the Town of Clarksville will notice some big changes in the coming months. Representatives from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), Town of Clarksville, MAC Construction, Lochmueller Group and others met today for a pre-construction meeting on the planned reconstruction of Riverside Drive. Work on this estimated 11-month project is expected to start this month.
The roadway is commonly used to access Ashland Park and Falls of the Ohio State Park, but it also serves as a connection for the Ohio River Greenway from Jeffersonville to Clarksville. Pedestrians and bicyclists are currently forced to walk or ride in the street due to lack of sidewalks from Market Street to Ashland Park. That issue will be corrected with this project which will include new sidewalks, bike paths, crosswalks, on-street parking, lighting, and other beautification efforts.
MAC Construction says that minor preparation work will begin this month, but the real work will begin after January 1, 2024. The project has an estimated completion date of November 2024 and comes with a price tag of nearly $7 Million. Work was supposed to have started in April 2023, but there was an issue with the funding mechanism for the project. Fortunately for the Town of Clarksville, the Indiana Department of Transportation came through with the funds needed to make the project a reality. INDOT will cover 80% of the project with the Town of Clarksville’s Redevelopment Commission covering the other 20%.
As part of the project, MAC Construction is required to maintain pedestrian and bike access through the construction zone, which means the Ohio River Greenway will still be accessible to area residents and visitors. The biggest challenge will come during the annual ‘Thunder Over Louisville’ event in April. Much of the area will be off-limits to visitors due to the large construction zone, so residents may not be able to gather in their normal viewing spots. More information about traffic plans for the event will be announced in the spring.
“Over the years, Riverside Drive has become more than a gateway to the Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center. It now serves as a crucial connection within Ohio River Greenway with hundreds of year-round bikers and hikers,” said A.D. Stonecipher, Clarksville Town Councilman . “It also becomes a community front-porch for Southern Indiana during ‘Thunder Over Louisville’. In the near future, it will serve as a neighborhood park for our developing Main Street neighborhood.“
Residents wishing to visit Ashland Park or the Falls of the Ohio State Park will have to enter the area using Sherwood Avenue or Winbourne Avenue. Once MAC Construction closes Riverside Drive to vehicular traffic, detour signs will be posted to help visitors get to the parks. Anyone with questions about the project can contact the Town of Clarksville at info@townofclarksville.com.
