Riverfront Transit Center

Known as «Cincinnati’s other abandoned subway system,» Riverfront Transit Center was built in 2003 underneath Second Street and remains unused except for rare occasions. A half-​mile long tunnel was originally created as a public transportation hub for visitors to the stadiums, Freedom Center, and other riverfront attractions.
Despite being city property, it is normally off-​limits to the public. That’s a shame, because it is gorgeous and underutilized. Similar to the design plans for the unfinished 1920s Cincinnati Subway System, the Riverfront Transit Center boasts tiled walls filled with mosaics representative of the Queen City. From baseball, to stained glass windows, to cooking, and our machine tool history, the northern wall of the tunnel is covered in these Art Deco inspired murals. While they may not be made of Rookwood tile, they certainly come close as a modern equivalent.
The Riverfront Transit Center is not a failed transit project; it is structurally complete but is not being used to its full potential. Currently, it could be used to decrease stadium and bus traffic along Second Street. The design is also able to support light rail if ever implemented in the area.
While you may never see below the street level of the RTC, the portals to the underground hub are visible along Second Street. Just look for the futuristic glass entryways. The doors may be locked, but those dark stairwells descend into a tunnel of opportunities.