Miami’s Oxford campus now sports two new gateways
There are new OXFORD —
“front doors” at Miami University.
The school recently completed work on large gateways along two main roadways leading on to the school’s main Oxford campus that handle most of the 50,000 vehicles that travel through the school grounds each day.
It’s part of the university’s plan to highlight some of the entrances to its architecturally acclaimed and historical, 800-acre main campus in western Butler County, while improving safety.
The new, curving, redbrick entrances — at the southern and eastern campus borders where U.S. 27 and Ohio 73 connect with school grounds — also pay homage to Miami’s intertwined history with the city of Oxford, with both names engraved on the large structures.
Miami’s main campus has been lauded nationally for its historically stately and consistent, red-brick structures that give the school a rare architectural cohesiveness rarely found at other notable universities across the country.
But the school previously lacked clear, visual markers noting the beginning of its campus boundaries, said school officials.
“Many other similar-sized universities are more self-contained than our campus,” said Cody Powell, associate vice president of facilities planning and operations for Miami.
“Our campus is more integrated into the city of Oxford and it is not always obvious when you are on or off the campus. Part of the objective was to enhance these important entry points and define the entrances with a similar architectural aesthetic as our buildings while honoring the connection with the city of Oxford,” said Powell.
Miami, which enrolls 17,246 undergraduates and 2,425 graduate students at its main campus, is the largest employer in Butler County and its network of schools include regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown and the Voice of America Learning Center in West Chester Township.
Beyond aesthetics, said Powell, are practical safety enhancements that prompted the gateway projects on the Oxford campus.
“The most important objective of the project has been to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety,” he said. While the gateways signal the entry to campus, the overall design incorporated features to act as traffic calming elements. In addition, pedestrian safe havens, enhanced pedestrian crossing signalization, improved lighting and additional bike lanes were added on the U.S. 27 and Patterson Avenue corridor and on State Route 73.”
“Miami’s campus sees an average of 50,000 vehicles per day driving through the campus. Traffic counts have found that the campus averages more than 86,000 pedestrian crossings daily,” he said adding that so far “the safety enhancements of the gateway project have been very successful (and) the gateway project has certainly improved the two most frequently traveled entryways into Miami’s campus.” Staff Writer
Two Butler BUTLER COUNTY — County holiday light displays commemorating their 20th anniversaries are being promoted across the state.
TourismOhio, the state’s tourism promotion agency, has launched the Ohio Holiday Lights Trail this year. Visitors can go online and find the brightest and the best holiday lights displays across the state.
Light Up Middletown and Pyramid Hill’s Holiday Lights on the Hill in Hamilton are among the 30 distinctive light displays across the state where visitors can enjoy millions of twinkling holiday lights. In addition to online browsing, travelers can download and print a map of the Ohio Holiday Lights Trail to share or take along in the car.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the annual Light Up Middletown at Smith Park. Local volunteers spend nearly two months readying the nearly 60 lighted displays for the opening on Thanksgiving.
This year, Brave Berlin, the creators of Lumenocity and BLINK Cincinnati, will have an art installation as part of the 20th season for Holiday Lights on the Hill.
“The Ohio Holiday Lights Trail is a fantastic way to help visitors find outstanding light displays and activities to enjoy with those who mean the most to them,” said Mary Huttlinger, Middletown Visitors Bureau executive director. “We are thrilled that Light up Middletown is part of Tourism Ohio’s Holidays in Ohio campaign, encouraging visitors to travel Ohio and sharing what makes our state special.”
Located within roughly 600 miles of 60 percent of the U.S. population, Ohio receives an average of 20 million visits in November and December, many from people visiting Ohio for the holidays.
“The holidays are a popular time to visit Ohio, and millions of dazzling lights are a big part of the attraction” said Matt MacLaren, director of TourismOhio. “The Holiday Lights Trail and Holidays in Ohio web page are both designed to help Ohioans and visitors make new memories while experiencing Ohio’s seasonal attractions.”
The Ohio Holiday Lights Trail is a part of Tourism Ohio’s #HolidaysInOhio campaign, encouraging travelers and visitors to make new memories while experiencing Ohio’s seasonal attractions and events.
For more information about Ohio’s captivating lights displays, festive events, seasonal spirits and more is available at Ohio.org/ Holidays.