Kolar Design is proud to see the completion of the Village of Evendale I-75 Bridge, creating a civic gateway to welcome travelers to Hamilton County and the Village of Evendale, as well as a landmark to define underrepresented and underserved areas and their place in the region.
Leading a holistic design team with Evendale and key community members – we pushed to elevate the design of ODOT’s redevelopment of the I-75 corridor beyond a standard infrastructure project. This innovation to the original master plan serves as an iconic visual landmark – a welcoming gateway to the region and a representation of shared history and civic pride.
Strategic partnerships and inclusive collaboration methodologies played a considerable role in the execution of the Village of Evendale Bridge, connecting GE Aviation and the Aerohub Innovation District.
LOCAL INSPIRATION
We found inspiration in the WPA style of our local infrastructure, the architecture of the village buildings, and the art-deco relief sculptures in city hall – all vital elements that make Evendale and the region unique. Along this newly celebrated section of I-75, medallions were integrated into the retaining walls for the neighboring communities of Lincoln Heights and Lockland, recognizing their role and influence on each other. The style of the bridge structure, also found in the Court Street Steps and Paddock Road Bridge, pays homage to the Ohio River, bringing movement to the design and connecting communities to the broader picture of Hamilton County. A gateway in more ways than one, the Village of Evendale Bridge infuses local story across Evendale to Lockland and upward from Cincinnati.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
What began as a primary bridge to connect Evendale with neighboring communities became a greater vision to extend and expand what is considered Greater Cincinnati to include outlying regions that aren’t well known to each other.
While the Village of Evendale was looking to work on elevating the renovation of the I-75 corridor – it became more important to make the localized community impact the critical project focus. There are many underrepresented and underserved communities like Lincoln Heights and Lockland that this bridge serves as the new gateway to Hamilton County.
Using open engagement sessions for local residents, we gathered feedback from those utilizing the highway interchange daily. We distilled key insights; people wanted their unique community identity represented and a voice for their region.
The power of this is transforming a public infrastructure project into a civic impact initiative.
This project elevated the application of collaboration our firm strives to embed into our work and push to execute beautifully.
PARTNERS
The Village of Evendale, Kolar Design (Design Lead, Design Architect, Environmental Design), Human Nature (Urban Planner, Landscape Architect), IBI Group Inc (AOR, Engineer), Ohio Department of Transportation (Construction Manager)
Project Photography: Ross Van Pelt