Business and community leaders in the greater Cincinnati area have formed a working group to examine the future impact of the Ohio River as a freight corridor, and its potential economic impact to the area, according to an article in Cincinnati.com. The working group sees the Ohio River as a key driver in the movement of freight in the Cincinnati area and another catalyst for job creation throughout the region. Their goal is to determine how best to develop and utilize this enormous asset.
The group includes representatives from The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, the Hamilton County Commission, and representatives from the area’s river businesses. One of the drivers prompting the group’s work is the current expansion of the Panama Canal to accommodate the passage of larger cargo ships, which will enable freight to reach East and Gulf coast ports in the U.S.
Greater freight volume at these ports will, in turn, generate larger volumes of freight reaching Cincinnati, according to a study by the Ohio Kentucky Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI). Ultimately, the potential increase in freight traffic will bring greater business opportunities along the Ohio River, and may result in significant job creation throughout the S.W. Ohio region and the State of Ohio.
