Cincinnati Seeks to Repurpose Its Unused Subway Tunnel

In the 1920s, the city of Cincinnati abandoned construction of its subway with only 2 miles of twin tracks laid. Today, nearly a century years later, “the subway tunnel not only sits empty but costs city taxpayers money to maintain,” writes Sharon Coolidge in a recent article for the Cincinnati Enquirer. Now the city has issued a request for proposals for ways to repurpose the tunnel, for commercial or other purposes, reports Coolidge.

The city manager called the tunnel a “unique, underutilized, asset” and told the Enquirer they’re looking for “creative, fresh ideas on what could be done with the space, if anything.” When news hit social media, user after user on X — formerly Twitter — jokingly suggested the city use the tunnel, which sits below Central Parkway in downtown Cincinnati, for its original, much-needed purpose: a subway. But according to another Cincinnati Enquirer article from a few years ago, the city proposed using the tunnels for a light-rail system in 2002, but it was rejected by voters.