urbanOut

Yesterday, Monday May 10^th, the Cincinnati City Council voted 6-2 to approve $64 million in bonds for the streetcar project, moving the plan very close to reality.  Because all City council members serve on the finance panel, the bonds measure is all but guaranteed to pass by the same margin when it goes before the full council this Wednesday.  Ultimately, this is a very important step in the ever-lasting streetcar debate as this sends a strong message to the federal government of a firm local commitment to the project, something top Washington officials say is important to receiving federal grants in the future.  And with $50 million more needed to fund the $128 million project, such sources of funding is key to the streetcar becoming reality in Cincinnati.

The streetcar has long been a pet project of mine, as I am a strong supporter and advocate of the idea and have been since day one.  Back in late 2009, I ran numerous pieces against Issue 9, a ridiculous anti-rail referendum put forth on the ballot last November.  Thankfully, the Issue failed in a dramatic fashion, and in doing so sent a clear message to City Council that the residents of Cincinnati support progressive transportation options like the streetcar.

So why are the people of Cincinnati and myself so gung-ho about the streetcar?  Here are a few reason why:

• The streetcar will give Cincinnati a competitive edge in the Midwest.  No other city in the region is currently implementing this type of progressive rail transportation and Cincinnati has the chance to be the first and in doing so, redefine itself a place that takes urbanism seriously. 
• The only way to truly revitalize Over-the-Rhine in a proper, contextually sensitive manner is through mass transportation (ala  the streetcar).  The neighborhood was developed before the car and thus has an incredible pedestrian scale and environment.  Essentially, there is no room for a car culture in OTR and  unless major transportation improvements serve the neighborhood, the only way to encourage investment is by providing ridiculous parking requirements and demolishing numerous buildings to make room for all the cars.  If the streetcar is built, parking requirements for new developments will be lessened and the neighborhood can revitalize in a true urban manner.     
• Building a streetcar line that connects downtown and uptown is a giant first step towards a regional mass transit system.  The City has to start somewhere and connecting the region’s two largest employment centers is the perfect place to do so.  If the streetcar proves to be successful and a link to Ohio’s 3C Corridor is created, expect future rail expansions to happen in the region, both light and heavy. 

As it stands today, the City has done all it can to make the streetcar a reality.  Now, we are forced to sit and wait to see if the federal government will kick in the additional funding in their next round of stimulus monies.  Based on what local experts and inside sources are saying, the City’s federal grant application is a ‘top contender’ to receive support, with some people going as far as assuring the money is all-but-guaranteed.  As a Cincinnati lover and a true advocate, I truly hope this is true because the City deserves a world-class transportation system and this is the first step in achieving such a goal.  Make in happen Cincinnati!

By the way, for a complete, in-depth analysis and discussion about the Cincinnati Streetcar, check out the CincyStreetcar Blog, a site also featured on my blogroll to the right.  The site is known for numerous photoshopped images of a streetcar running through Cincinnati streets, a great feature that allows people to see exactly what it would be like to have this type of transit in the Queen City.