Paving the Way
A Bold Step Toward Smarter, Safer Streets
On August 18, 2025, the City of Cincinnati and Flywheel Social Enterprise Hub officially launched Pave the Way, an innovation lab designed to transform how potholes are detected, repaired, and prevented. Backed by Tire Discounters as presenting sponsor, the program marks a significant collaboration between civic leaders, entrepreneurs, technologists, and community stakeholders, all aiming to address one of the most persistent—and costly—urban infrastructure challenges.
Potholes are more than an annoyance. They create serious safety hazards, cause costly vehicle damage, and accelerate the deterioration of neighborhood streets. According to national studies, U.S. drivers spend billions of dollars annually on repairs linked to poor road conditions. For municipalities like Cincinnati, road maintenance consumes a large share of public works budgets, often leaving officials reactive rather than proactive.
Councilmember Evan Nolan, who is spearheading the initiative alongside Flywheel, put it plainly:
“This initiative is about more than road repair; it’s about investing in innovation that protects our residents’ quality of life.”
By applying modern tools—such as data analytics, geospatial mapping, sensor technologies, and even AI-powered predictive models—the Innovation Lab hopes to develop solutions that anticipate and prevent potholes before they form.
The Innovation Sprint Structure
The program is designed as a targeted innovation sprint with clear milestones:
Screening & Team Selection (Aug 4 – Aug 24, 2025)
Applicants from across disciplines are reviewed by a committee of city officials, Flywheel leaders, and subject matter experts. Approximately 10 teams will advance, bringing a mix of startup energy and civic expertise.Sprint Week (Week of Sept 8, 2025)
Selected teams enter an intensive sprint, refining their concepts with mentorship from transportation experts, data scientists, and urban planners. Participants will access a dedicated municipal data portal, enabling them to ground their solutions in real-world insights.Demo Day (Sept 24, 2025)
Teams present their final solutions before a panel of judges and community members. The winning solution will receive a $5,000 grant, ongoing mentorship, and the possibility of a pilot project with the City of Cincinnati, supported by Flywheel.
Community and Industry Backing
Tire Discounters, a Cincinnati-based company, is playing a central role as presenting sponsor. Crissy Niese, Senior VP, underscored the company’s commitment:
“We’re proud to support Pave the Way. This initiative reflects the innovation and collaboration needed to improve our roads and strengthen our community.”
By combining corporate support, civic leadership, and community-driven entrepreneurship, the lab creates an environment where solutions can move beyond the drawing board into city streets.
About Flywheel Social Enterprise Hub
Flywheel has long been a launchpad for social innovation in Greater Cincinnati. Its mission is to equip impact-driven entrepreneurs with strategies, skills, and connections to scale ideas that create lasting social change. From supporting early-stage startups to advising on scalable community impact models, Flywheel is uniquely positioned to bridge civic challenges with entrepreneurial solutions.
Executive Director Donna Zaring emphasized the lab’s collaborative nature:
“By connecting diverse problem-solvers and giving them access to real data, expert guidance, and civic insight, we aim to uncover breakthroughs that are scalable, sustainable, and immediately relevant.”
If successful, Pave the Way could serve as a replicable model for other cities nationwide. Municipalities across the U.S. face similar challenges with aging infrastructure, climate-related wear, and strained budgets. Cincinnati’s willingness to test innovation-first approaches may set a precedent for how urban areas embrace cross-sector collaboration to tackle everyday quality-of-life issues.