Cincinnati Streetcar
Latest Streetcar DevelopmentsHere are the latest developments with the Cincinnati Streetcar Project
Here is a map of where the streetcar is going to go.
I ran for City Council to move our city forward. After doing my homework I became convinced that streetcars are a great investment. Permanent rails through downtown, OTR and UC will attract billions of private dollars and revitalize our city. People and businesses want to locate near public transportation.
Allocating millions for streetcar construction was not an easy vote, but the most important “yes” I may ever cast on Council.
I think it’s my role as a public official to help citizens understand why streetcars are important for Cincinnati’s growth and development. I reported and produced an in-depth video after riding streetcars and interviewing experts in Portland and Germany. Let me know what you think after watching it.
LQ Reports to You on Streetcars in Portland, OR and Germany
Laure Quinlivan's Streetcar Report from Laure Quinlivan on Vimeo.
CINCINNATI SEEKING MORE FEDERAL GRANT DOLLARS FOR STREETCAR EXTENSION
Charlie Hales, nationally regarded as the "father of the modern streetcar," overwhelmingly won election as Portland, Oregon's mayor yesterday -- and there's a Cincinnati connection. For more than a decade, Charlie has been coming to Cincinnati to explain the benefits of light rail and streetcars, and Cincinnatians have been going to Portland and meeting with him on many of our 27 trips there. As a vice president of HDR Engineering, Charlie led the implementation of streetcar systems now under construction in Cincinnati, Tucson, Atlanta and Salt Lake City, plus several more in planning stages. Congratulations, Charlie! - John Schneider
Former city Managing Director Kirk Caldwell won the hotly contested race, defeating former Gov. Ben Cayetano in a contest widely seen as a referendum on rail.
Read here
We need to embrace cities, and walking
"We are sending $612,500 overseas every minute in support of our current automotive lifestyle which is building some truly stunning metrorail systems in Dubai and Abu Dhabi — our cars are buying their trains."
Read Here
Getting on the train
A long-term super-trend is just getting started: the resurrection of America’s rail system.
Read Here
Memphis streetcar ridership way up
The rise in passenger levels largely reflects the growth of Downtown as a residential, tourism and entertainment hub.
Read here
Alanta Streetcar on track
"The project has attracted enormous interest from both the corporate world and the local community and is already generating 'tremendous foot traffic' for local businesses."
Read here
Louisville now talking streetcars
Such a line could spur investment, create jobs, remove cars from the street, and help revitalize West Louisville.
Well now we know where he stands
New Republican Councilman Wayne Lippert this morning called on the city to halt any work on the proposed streetcar immediately.
The indestructible Cincinnati Streetcar
It has seen more assassination attempts and intrigue than the literary heroes of ancient Greece.
Click here: Streetsblog.net » Indestructible Cincinnati Streetcar Faces Another Foe | Streetsblog.net
A new low for Cincinnati rail opponents
The latest in a long series of thuggish and deceptive antics.
Click here: Stay Classy, Smitherman | Metro-Cincinnati.org
Only 60% the size of Cincinnati, SLC opens two new rail lines the same day
They are being completed a year ahead of schedule and about 20 percent under budget.
Click here: TRAX lines opening a year early, 20% under budget | The Salt Lake Tribune
An Op-Ed by Judge Mark Painter in today's print and online editions
"They are attempting to keep any rail transit from being built in Cincinnati for the next decade, leaving Cincinnatians with limited transportation options - and at the mercy of ever-rising gas prices."
Click here: Latest anti-streetcar effort a detour for all light rail | Cincinnati.com
Cincinnati Streetcar clears its final Federal and state hurdles
"We view the resurgence in this type of transit as something that could make the neighborhood better, and we want to make sure we do that."
http://www.soapboxmedia.com/devnews/0628streetcar.aspx
Rail = more people
Bringing more people to Minneapolis will solve all kinds of issues -- more people will mean better restaurants, better public safety, lower property taxes, more arts, more sports, just about any issue you can think of would be solved with more people.
http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.php?&story=17034&page=65&category=92
Nate Wessel wants to publish a frequent transit guide to Cincinnati
Make a contribution, whatever you can, to a project that would help change people's perception of the city where one needs a car to do anything.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1057319855/a-frequent-transit-guide-for-cincinnati
Repopulating the center
College-educated young people living in or near the center of Cincinnati increased by 28 percent as opposed to only 10 percent in the region as a whole.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110403/BIZ01/304030004/Cities-thrive-interaction?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s
Take a ride on the Portland Streetcar
An excellent four-minute video
http://www.soapboxmedia.com/videos/1013portlandstreetcar.aspx
"We're reinventing motor coach travel"
The same travel time as in a personal vehicle without the cost of fuel or parking.
Click here: Megabus to offer $1 Pittsburgh rides | NKY.com | cincinnati.com
Other cities are having a lot of success with the streetcar. Here are some articles about the effects of the streetcar.
Seattle
The Seattle e-commerce giant wants to pay for streetcar and bicycling improvements that would help its employees get work.
Portland
"Wherever the streetcar goes, investments in good neighborhoods and jobs follow."
Here is an article about the success of the streetcar in Portland
Kansas City
"We're moving forward today as if it's completed, done."
Washington D.C and St.Paul, Minnesota are planning to try it out too.
St. Paul
"It's great that we're finally looking at it because we're behind a lot of places. We need to get this plan done and get ready to start competing."
Washington D.C
D.C residents will start to see the streetcars running as soon as this winter
I recently wrote a letter of support for the Cincinnati Streetcar Project to Ohio's Department of Transportation. I asked them to follow through on their promise to fund $36.8 million for the project. You can read it by clicking here.
Question: Can capital funds for the streetcar be used to balance the budget?
Answer: NO! Click here to read more.
Where will the streetcar take you? Click here for a map of the proposed streetcar route.
Streetcar FAQs
To clear up the misinformation of the streetcar project, ProTransit compiled a list of questions and answers. If you’re looking for a basic understanding of its operational details, this site is a good place to start.
NEWS AND UPDATES
5.12.11 Streetcar meeting shows debate is far from being settled, Cincinnati Enquirer
5.4.11 Cincinnati Plans Shortened Streetcar Route, Cincinnati Enquirer
4.24.11 Streetcar: Picking the Right Track, Cincinnati Enquirer
4-14-11 Quinlivan responds to Kasich's Definition of 'Cool,' Channel 5
04.12.11
Council Member Quinlivan says "It's not over" with the Streetcar project for the State's TRAC Review Hearing, Fox 19
Laure Quinlivan talking Streetcars with Dan Hurley on WKRC-TV12 from Laure Quinlivan on Vimeo.
03.24.11 Panel decision clouds streetcar |PDF version
03.19.11 Ohio governor wants to withhold streetcar funding
03.19.11 Editorial: Answer questions, or put brakes on streetcar
03.18.11 Kasich: state plans to pull streetcar funding
12.10.10 Streetcar receives millions from the state
12.09.10 Streetcars, bridge to get millions
11.18.10 City Adds Streetcar Manager
11.19.10 Estimates Too Low for Project
11.15.10 Streicher Ordered Streetcar Protection
10-11-10 Like it or not, Streetcar is reality
10-11-10 A reality check for Cincinnati Streetcar
10-11-10 Streetcar a financial gamble
10-8-10 Casino interested in Streetcar link
9-9-10 Streetcar line to follow up Vine to UC
7-8-10 Cincinnati received a $25 million Urban Circulator Grant to fund the streetcar project.
5-21-10 SORTA-City partnership to develop operating plan for the streetcar.
5-14-10 Council Member Quinlivan’s op-ed piece discusses benefits of streetcar
5-6-10 Cincinnati to have largest number of residents living on the proposed streetcar line than any other U.S. city
4-21-10Mayor Mallory talks about Cincinnati Streetcar project in annual State of the City address.
4-19-10 Budget and Finance Committee gives streetcar a “thumbs up”
Supporters of the Cincinnati Streetcar Initiative
Cincy PAC, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce, Messer Construction
Photo courtesy of Metro-Cincinnati
For more information, visit:
-City of Cincinnati Department of Economic Development Want details on the streetcar plan? Visit this website to learn about the economic benefits that the streetcar will bring to Cincinnati.
-Cincinnati Streetcar Feasibility Study This 2007 economic study has calculated that the predicted return of investment ratio for the Streetcar Project will be 2.7 times that of its capital investment. Read this study for more facts and figures.
-University of Cincinnati Streetcar Assessment Read an evaluation of the 2007 Cincinnati Streetcar Feasibility Study by visiting this website.
-ProTransit.com ProTransit.com provides a comprehensive source for information on modern streetcar systems.
-Cincinnati Streetcar Watch videos, look at route maps, and see who is supporting the project by learning more about the basics at Cincinnati Streetcar.com.
