Ohio River Vision & Strategic Plan
On this webpage, you will see ideas and concepts for the future of the Evansville region, Downtown Evansville, and the Riverfront Park based on the community engagement feedback and site analysis in the first phase.
Please go through each section tab to review the ideas and concepts for sites at each scale.
Take the Design Concepts Survey below to share your input!
Ohio River Vision & Strategic Plan
On this webpage, you will see ideas and concepts for the future of the Evansville region, Downtown Evansville, and the Riverfront Park based on the community engagement feedback and site analysis in the first phase.
Please go through each section tab to review the ideas and concepts for sites at each scale.
Take the Design Concepts Survey below to share your input!
Ohio River Vision & Strategic Plan
On this webpage, you will see ideas and concepts for the future of the Evansville region, Downtown Evansville, and the Riverfront Park based on the community engagement feedback and site analysis in the first phase.
Please go through each section tab to review the ideas and concepts for sites at each scale.
Take the Design Concepts Survey below to share your input!
Thank you for your feedback!
The planning process has engaged thousands of residents from the Evansville Region. Feedback from the survey, open house, and focus groups has provided the foundation of the design concepts you will see today.
Thank you for your feedback!
The planning process has engaged thousands of residents from the Evansville Region. Feedback from the survey, open house, and focus groups has provided the foundation of the design concepts you will see today.
Thank you for your feedback!
The planning process has engaged thousands of residents from the Evansville Region. Feedback from the survey, open house, and focus groups has provided the foundation of the design concepts you will see today.
Summary
Summary
Summary
Engagement Summary
Engagement Summary
Engagement Summary
Planning
Planning
Planning
Regional Planning
Regional Planning
Regional Planning
Regional Cooperation,
Regional Outcomes
Conservation
Through Urbanism
Conservation Through
Urbanism
Reorienting
to the River
Regional Themes
Regional Themes
The regional plan includes overall planning of the 50-mile long riverfront corridor from Mount Vernon to Evansville to Newburgh.
Three themes have emerged for the planning work at the regional scale: Regional Cooperation, Regional Outcomes; Conservation by Urbanization; and Reorienting to the River.
Downtown
Downtown
Downtown
Downtown Evansville
Downtown Evansville
Downtown Evansville
Downtown Evansville
Downtown Evansville is the heart of the region. As a place with the greatest concentration of economic, civic, cultural, and active uses and one of the most established relationships with the Ohio Riverfront, there is great potential to grow and enhance the experience of downtown.
Three themes have emerged for the planning work at the downtown scale: Hug the River, Stitch the City, and Main Street and More.
Hug the River
Hug the River
Hug
the River
Stitch the City
Stitch the City
Stitch
the City
Main Street and More
Main Street and More
More than
Main Street
Downtown Evansville Themes
Downtown Evansville Themes
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Hug The River
Growth, Development and Activation
Hug The River
Mobility and Transportation
Hug The River
Ecology and Open Space
Downtown Evansville
Hug the River
Downtown Evansville was originally sited where it is today because of its proximity to the vital waterway of the Ohio River. For generations the river served as an economic engine and a gateway to the larger region.
As we embark on planning and design work to envision a strong future for the region and Downtown Evansville, we look for opportunities to strengthen and enhance the relationship between Downtown and the Ohio River.
The hug the river theme is about the multi-layered ways in which the city can embrace the riverfront as an engine of commerce, ecological health, resilience, tourism, and community vibrancy.
Downtown Evansville
Hug the River
Downtown Evansville was originally sited where it is today because of its proximity to the vital waterway of the Ohio River. For generations the river served as an economic engine and a gateway to the larger region.
As we embark on planning and design work to envision a strong future for the region and Downtown Evansville, we look for opportunities to strengthen and enhance the relationship between Downtown and the Ohio River.
The hug the river theme is about the multi-layered ways in which the city can embrace the riverfront as an engine of commerce, ecological health, resilience, tourism, and community vibrancy.
Downtown Evansville
Hug the River
Downtown Evansville was originally sited where it is today because of its proximity to the vital waterway of the Ohio River. For generations the river served as an economic engine and a gateway to the larger region.
As we embark on planning and design work to envision a strong future for the region and Downtown Evansville, we look for opportunities to strengthen and enhance the relationship between Downtown and the Ohio River.
The hug the river theme is about the multi-layered ways in which the city can embrace the riverfront as an engine of commerce, ecological health, resilience, tourism, and community vibrancy.
Downtown Evansville
Stitch the City
Downtown Evansville, like many urban centers across the country, saw fundamental reshaping of its connectivity to the rest of the city in the middle of the 20th century. With the introduction of highways like the Lloyd Expressway and an expanded Riverside Drive, this higher capacity means of traversing the region were also barriers to slower means of movement in and out of the downtown area.
The stitch the city theme organizes ideas related to enhancing connections to, from, and through downtown to create safer and more comfortable access to and from Evansville’s neighborhoods.
Downtown Evansville
Stitch the City
Downtown Evansville, like many urban centers across the country, saw fundamental reshaping of its connectivity to the rest of the city in the middle of the 20th century. With the introduction of highways like the Lloyd Expressway and an expanded Riverside Drive, this higher capacity means of traversing the region were also barriers to slower means of movement in and out of the downtown area.
The stitch the city theme organizes ideas related to enhancing connections to, from, and through downtown to create safer and more comfortable access to and from Evansville’s neighborhoods.
Downtown Evansville
Main Street and More
Today, Main Street in Downtown Evansville is a vibrant place, full of retail, restaurants, bars, entertainment, and other amenities, all supported by a rich, walkable public realm.
The Main Street and more theme looks for opportunities to build on the success of Main Street to expand that development, adaptive reuse, event programming, and commerce to new, secondary nodes of activity within the downtown.
Leveraging existing city assets and underutilized sites, the plan will recommend focused areas for investment and enhancements that better connect these sites to Main Street, the riverfront, and the entirety of Downtown Evansville.
Downtown Evansville
Main Street and More
Today, Main Street in Downtown Evansville is a vibrant place, full of retail, restaurants, bars, entertainment, and other amenities, all supported by a rich, walkable public realm.
The Main Street and more theme looks for opportunities to build on the success of Main Street to expand that development, adaptive reuse, event programming, and commerce to new, secondary nodes of activity within the downtown.
Leveraging existing city assets and underutilized sites, the plan will recommend focused areas for investment and enhancements that better connect these sites to Main Street, the riverfront, and the entirety of Downtown Evansville.
Riverfront
Riverfront
Riverfront
Downtown Evansville Riverfront
Downtown Evansville Riverfront
Downtown Evansville Riverfront
The planning and design team is paying particular attention to the zone between downtown Evansville and the Ohio River—the Downtown Evansville Riverfront. You can explore the two conceptual alternatives in this section.
The planning and design team is paying particular attention to the zone between downtown Evansville and the Ohio River—the Downtown Evansville Riverfront. You can explore the two conceptual alternatives in this section.
The planning and design team is paying particular attention to the zone between downtown Evansville and the Ohio River—the Downtown Evansville Riverfront. You can explore the two conceptual alternatives in this section.
Existing Conditions
Existing Conditions
Opportunities
Opportunities
Opportunities
Opportunities
Riverfront
Riverfront
Riverfront
Concept Alternatives
Concept Alternatives
Concept Alternatives
Ripple Park:
Pulling the park into the City
Urban Wilderness:
Extending city to the River
Riverfront Concept Alternatives:
Riverfront Concept Alternatives:
Riverfront Concept Alternatives:
Ripple Park
Ripple Park
Ripple Park
Ripple Park
The Ripple Park concept aims to pull the river and park into the city and create a continuous riverfront green space experience with multi-level spaces for gathering and diverse activities.
Ripple Park
The Ripple Park concept aims to pull the river and park into the city and create a continuous riverfront green space experience with multi-level spaces for gathering and diverse activities.
Ripple Park
The Ripple Park concept aims to pull the river and park into the city and create a continuous riverfront green space experience with multi-level spaces for gathering and diverse activities.
Ripple Park
Sections
Riverside Drive would be transformed into a grand, two-lane traffic, tree-lined boulevard with parallel parking, multi-modal paths and easy connections to Downtown Evansville.
The park connects the city level and the water's edge through slopes and terraces linked by meandering paths, shade and greenery.
Upper level retail and plaza spaces will be protected from flooding, while opportunities to touch and interact with the water is provided via floodable landscapes at the lower levels.
Ripple Park
Sections
Riverside Drive would be transformed into a grand, two-lane traffic, tree-lined boulevard with parallel parking, multi-modal paths and easy connections to Downtown Evansville.
The park connects the city level and the water's edge through slopes and terraces linked by meandering paths, shade and greenery.
Upper level retail and plaza spaces will be protected from flooding, while opportunities to touch and interact with the water is provided via floodable landscapes at the lower levels.
Riverfront Concept Alternatives:
Riverfront Concept Alternatives:
Riverfront Concept Alternatives:
Urban Wilderness
Urban Wilderness
Urban Wilderness
Urban Wilderness
The Urban Wilderness concept works to push the city's edge closer to the river by creating a new urban frontage for waterfront retail and other mixed uses. Riverside Drive would be transformed into a shared street* with slowed vehicular traffic and a greater emphasis on a safe and comfortable pedestrian experience at key downtown blocks.
*Also known as a “pedestrian-priority” street, a shared street is a roadway designed for slow travel speeds where pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists all share the right of way.
Urban Wilderness
The Urban Wilderness concept works to push the city's edge closer to the river by creating a new urban frontage for waterfront retail and other mixed uses. Riverside Drive would be transformed into a shared street* with slowed vehicular traffic and a greater emphasis on a safe and comfortable pedestrian experience at key downtown blocks.
*Also known as a “pedestrian-priority” street, a shared street is a roadway designed for slow travel speeds where pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists all share the right of way.
Urban Wilderness
The Urban Wilderness concept works to push the city's edge closer to the river by creating a new urban frontage for waterfront retail and other mixed uses. Riverside Drive would be transformed into a shared street* with slowed vehicular traffic and a greater emphasis on a safe and comfortable pedestrian experience at key downtown blocks.
*Also known as a “pedestrian-priority” street, a shared street is a roadway designed for slow travel speeds where pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists all share the right of way.
Urban Wilderness
Sections
The new urban edge will create “rooms” for different programs, activities, and experiences along the river while also unlocking new development sites that could help fund and support the transformational improvements envisioned for the riverfront.
Dress Plaza would become a grand new urban balcony, surrounded by soft edges and wetlands with boardwalk access at the other parts of the riverfront.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Please choose a survey link below to share
your feedback and input.
Please choose a survey link below to share your feedback and input.
