The contract for Fort Mitchell's Sunnymede Drive project set November 15, 2026 as the day the work would be finished and ready for final payment. The city's road-projects page now gives a different finish date for the same job, "Spring 2027."
Under the original contract, the Dixie Highway work would be wrapping up as November begins. Under the city's current target, it stays active through the Veterans Day Parade, Thanksgiving week and the tree lighting at Iris Road Park. Meanwhile, the Gateway roadwork on Buttermilk Pike has its own open-ended schedule, which makes a second construction zone on the city's other main corridor.
Two Finish Dates on File for the Same Project
The city's bid specifications, published with the invitation to bid in April, said work could not start before July 6, 2026. They required substantial completion by November 1 and final completion by November 15. Bids were opened May 5.
Then on July 6, the first day work was allowed to start, the city posted an update naming Riegler Blacktop as the contractor and giving spring 2027 as the expected finish. The update lays out a big scope for one season:
- Moving the Sunnymede Drive intersection at Dixie Highway so it lines up with Requardt Lane
- Full-depth reconstruction of Cornell Avenue
- Storm sewer improvements
- Water main reconstruction
- Widening US 25/Dixie Highway
The city's five-year plan lists both the Sunnymede realignment and the Cornell reconstruction as in progress. Neither the plan nor the project page includes a closure or detour map. The project specifications require the contractor to keep local traffic and pedestrians moving and to keep bus routes running during scheduled hours. When a road or walkway has to be blocked, the contractor must provide temporary bridges, detours or other safe measures unless the owner or the relevant authority has authorized the obstruction. Questions about the project go to Nick Tewes, Director of Public Works, at 859-331-1212.
Where Each Project Stands as November Begins
The Sunnymede work is one of three projects running at once. Here is the most recent public status of each.
| Project | What it involves | Latest public status | Stated finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnymede Drive realignment | New Sunnymede and Requardt Lane intersection at Dixie Highway, Cornell Avenue rebuild, Dixie widening | City lists it as in progress | Spring 2027 |
| Buttermilk Pike (KY 371) turn lane | New turn lane between Chamber Center Drive and I-71/75 | Sidewalk removed, no reopening date as of Sept. 17 | None announced |
| Royal Drive reconstruction | Road removed, relocated and rebuilt | Open to traffic by mid-September, sidewalk unfinished | City still lists it as in progress |
The last two rows belong together. Both are tied to the redevelopment of the former Drawbridge Inn site, and both have affected people on foot more than people in cars.
Buttermilk Pike Lost Its Sidewalk So the Gateway Could Gain a Turn Lane
In mid-September, WKRC Local 12 reported that the Buttermilk Pike sidewalk between Chamber Center Drive and the I-71/75 interchange was gone while crews added a turn lane on KY 371. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet told the station that the lane work requires the sidewalk to be rebuilt, and that:
"access cannot be provided for pedestrians during construction"
According to WKRC, Mayor Greg Pohlgeers described it as a state permitting issue rather than a city matter.
NKY Current's September 17 follow-up explained why this stretch matters to people without a car. Buttermilk Pike connects to Dixie Highway and the TANK bus line, which riders take to Cincinnati or Florence. Royal Drive works as a detour, but it adds about a mile to what is normally a 10-minute walk, and that route didn't have a finished sidewalk yet either. At that point no reopening date had been set, and weather or utility problems could keep the sidewalk closed "for at least another month." That month ran out in mid-October. KYTC District 6's October 18 roadshow lists no Buttermilk Pike advisory, so anyone walking this stretch should check the signs on site before planning a route that depends on it.
Royal Drive Reopened About Five Months Past Its Estimate
The detour itself comes from a project that also ran long. The city closed part of Royal Drive on December 13, 2024 and estimated the work would take about 16 to 18 months. That estimate pointed to sometime between April and June 2026.
In May 2026, LINK nky reported that the road had been removed, relocated and rebuilt, with final utility work still underway and reopening expected within one to two months. City Administrative Officer Edwin King told LINK nky, "They ran into some rock that they didn't expect." The road was open by mid-September, roughly 21 months after it closed, with its sidewalk still incomplete. The city's project tracker still lists the reconstruction as in progress.
That's the pattern so far on this side of town. Royal Drive reopened about five months past its estimate, and the Sunnymede project moved its finish date from mid-November to spring before work began. Neither suggests that the remaining dates will be early.
What the Buttermilk Pike Work Is Building Toward
The turn lane and the Royal Drive rebuild support the Fort Mitchell Gateway, a 26-acre mixed-use redevelopment of the former Drawbridge Inn site. NKY Current reported in August that the plan includes:
- The Ormsby, a senior living community with 203 units and a 48-bed health center
- Two St. Elizabeth medical office buildings
- Restaurant and retail space
No retail or restaurant tenants had been named publicly, and no opening dates had been given for the retail, restaurant or medical office parts.
The Ormsby held a groundbreaking ceremony on November 1, 2024, attended by representatives of Fort Mitchell, Kenton County, the Kentucky General Assembly, Greenbrier Development, Brandicorp and St. Elizabeth Healthcare. Vertical construction came later on the schedule. LINK nky's May 2026 report said sewer and road improvements were complete and vertical construction was expected "this fall."
In July, the city held a special meeting and approved an agreement to support tax-exempt bond financing for the project, with the bond issue capped at $250 million. According to LINK nky, City Administrator Edwin King said the meeting was called because "Fort Mitchell does not want to delay the project," and Mayor Pohlgeers said the city would not bear any financial liability.
So the Buttermilk Pike construction is early-stage work for a project whose buildings and tenants are still ahead. Around Sunnymede and Cornell, the work is the city's own street and utility project, and it now runs past winter.
Planning the City's Holiday Dates Around Active Work Zones
Three city events fall between now and the first week of December, and all three will take place while the Sunnymede and Cornell work is still on the schedule.
- Veterans Day Parade, Wednesday, November 11, 9:30 a.m. The route runs from Beechwood Swim Club to Beechwood Schools. Veterans are invited to meet at the swim club, 247 Beechwood Road, at 9 a.m. The parade falls on a weekday morning while the Sunnymede and Cornell work is still active, so anyone driving in from the Dixie side should allow extra time.
- Fort Mitchell Night at the Northern Kentucky Ice Center, Wednesday, November 25, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The rink is at 2638 Anderson Road in Crescent Springs, and Fort Mitchell residents get in free with proof of ID. It's the night before Thanksgiving, so plan for holiday traffic on top of the work zones.
- Fa-La-La in the Fort, Sunday, December 6, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The city's Christmas tree lighting is at Iris Road Park, off Fort Mitchell Avenue on Iris Road. The schedule includes carols from the Beechwood Choir, carriage rides, hot chocolate, ornament decorating, photos with Santa and the tree lighting itself.
For anything closer to the corridors, the city's road projects page is the official source for the Sunnymede, Cornell and Royal Drive work. Public Works can answer questions about a specific street.
Spring 2027 is now the city's target for the Dixie Highway work, and the Buttermilk Pike sidewalk has no announced reopening date. If you're thinking about selling a home on or near either corridor, a construction timeline affects how you plan photos, showings and listing dates. Janell Stuckwisch and our team can show you how current Fort Mitchell activity affects your home's position. Start with Get Your Home's Value.