Attendees encouraged to use public transit, park & ride

CINCINNATI – The City of Cincinnati is excited and proud to once again bring the nation’s largest immersive event, BLINK®, back to our City. The festivities begin on Thursday, October 13, 2022, with the Blink Parade. In order to accommodate this parade, the following streets will close at times listed below Several traffic restrictions will be in place during evenings from Oct. 13 through Oct. 16 so Downtown and Over-the-Rhine streets.

Commuters and visitors are encouraged to carpool and use public transportation due to anticipated traffic and limited parking.

Metro and TANK are offering free bus service after 6:00 p.m. during BLINK. For more information, including details about Park & Ride options, visit: Go Metro or TANK Bus.

The Connector is adding extra streetcars during BLINK. Cincinnati Police will ride ahead as an escort for the streetcar. All 18 station stops will be open. Station stops are wheelchair accessible with level boarding and accessible seating on every streetcar.

Public and private parking garages and surface lots will be open in areas surrounding the event location.

For more information about the event, please visit blinkcincinnati.com.

EVENT MAP LINK

BLINK: Vehicular Access Points

Through traffic will be allowed with police assistance on several major streets while BLINK is under way each of the four nights. Those include the following:

East & West:

• Liberty Street
• Central Parkway

Westbound:

• Third Street
• Fourth Street
• Sixth Street
• Ninth Street

Eastbound:

• Second Street
• Fifth Street
• Seventh Street

North-South:

• Vine Street north of Second Street to Sixth Street
• Vine Street north and south between Central Parkway and Liberty Street

Please note: Although these roads will be open with police assistance, motorists should allow extra time because of expected delays at all crossings due to the large number of pedestrians who will be walking the route to see the event.

BLINK: Road Closures

The following roads will be closed while BLINK is under way from approximately 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. each night.

Over-the-Rhine: Findlay Market to Washington Park

• Elm Street: 12th Street north to McMicken Street
• Race Street: 12th Street north to McMicken Street
• Pleasant Street: Liberty Street north to 14th Street
• Dunlap Street: Findlay Street north to McMicken Street
• Elder and Findlay streets: Central Parkway east to Vine Street
• Green Street: Vine Street east to Logan Street
• Wade, Odeon and Magnolia streets: Central Parkway to Elm Street
• 15th Street: Walnut Street west to Central Parkway
• 14th Street: Central Parkway east to Sycamore Street
• 13th Street: Vine Street to Sycamore Street
• 12th Street: Vine Street to Main Street
• Central Business District: Kroger Store to The Banks
• Main Street: Third Street to Liberty Street
• Walnut Street: Second Street to Liberty Street
• Vine Street: Sixth Street to Central Parkway
• Eighth Street/Garfield Place: Elm Street to Sycamore Street
• Seventh Street: Race Street to Sycamore Street
• Fourth Street: Sycamore Street to Vine Street
• Roebling Suspension Bridge

BLINK Public Hospitality Areas: OTR, Central Business District, The Banks

There are several public hospitality areas that necessitate continuous street closures in the following locations.

OTR: Findlay Market and Cincinnati Art Academy Areas

• Logan Street: Findlay Street to Elder Street
• Eton Alley: Elm Street to Race Street
• Jackson Street: Central Parkway to 12th Street

Central Business District

• Court Street: Race Street to Walnut Street
• Walnut Street: Ninth to Central Parkway
• W. Eighth Street: Vine Street to Elm Street

The Banks

Freedom Way: Rosa Parks Street to Joe Nuxhall Way

Marian Spencer Way: Second Street to Ted Berry Way at Roebling Bridge

BLINK Parade: Fifth Street between Broadway and Central Avenue

Fifth Street will be closed between Central Avenue and Broadway starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, for the parade. Through traffic also will be prohibited one block north and one block south of each intersection along Fifth Street at Lawrence, Broadway, Sycamore, Main, Walnut, Vine, Race and Elm streets.

Local access to garages along the route will be maintained.

Please note: For safety reasons, the streetcar will not operate the Downtown loop during the parade. Service in OTR, however, will continue.

In addition, the following streets will be closed for equipment and float staging beginning at 4:00 p.m. until approximately 10:00 p.m.

• Sentinel Street between Fifth Street and Eggleston Avenue
• Reedy Street between Broadway and Eggleston Avenue
• Seventh Street between Broadway and Culvert Street
• New Street between Broadway and Culvert Street
• Culvert Street between Reedy Street and E. Fifth Street

Additional Information:

• Local access for residents will be maintained with the assistance of Cincinnati Police officers on site.
• Cincinnati Police may close additional streets as needed, depending on traffic volumes.
• Government Square will be closed beginning at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13. Patrons should catch their buses via the public entrances to the Transit Center along Second Street.

For the latest information from the City of Cincinnati Department of Transportation & Engineering, check @RoadmapCincy on Twitter.