Feb 10, 2011 by Loki
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I must admit that as a relatively recent transplant I have been flabbergasted as I watch the poor man’s circus act that has been the streetcar debate.
One of the things that caused me to move here, buy a home here, and relocate my business here was the coming implementation of light rail and the economic benefits that come with it.
Even though it would not directly impact my neighborhood of Northside that still most certainly includes the Cincy streetcar. You see, the streetcar will have a positive economic impact that will be good for the entire Queen City and that’s good for Northside.
Let’s round up some of the better commentary on the subject shall we? If you’re not already familiar with these denizens of the Cincy Blogosphere you should be. (Also I strongly advise reading their entire posts, there is a lot of useful info on them besides the little bits I’ve excerpted.)
CincyStreetCar gives us a lot of data but the one that jumps out at me is this:
Portland has seen $2.8 billion in added value to the city. Tampa’s streetcar line stimulated $1.1 billion of development. Little Rock’s route brought $700 million into the city. Even Kenosha, Wisconsin, a metro area with1.9 million fewer residents than Cincinnati’s metro, has seen $175 million in added value along their streetcar line.
‘Blogging Isn’t Cool brings us the voice of Quimbob, who lived in the area slated for the streetcar ad also worked there for over two decades:
The modern streetcar is not a bus on rails. It is designed to get people traveling relatively short distances on and off quickly. It is a people mover. It is designed to promote spontaneity in the rider to stop and go that a bus or car cannot duplicate. It will make a downtown area that is dang near car hostile a more livable area. It will make it more attractive to new tax paying residents and businesses in an area where a car frequently becomes an albatross around the neck.
- The streetcar is expected to have a ROI of 3 to 1.
- The streetcar is expected to have an economic impact of 15 to 1.
- The streetcar is expected to cost 2-3 million a year to operate and funding is being targeted from casino revenue in addition to the user fees.
- Ohio’s TRAC gives the development it’s highest rating. link
The goal of the streetcar is to enable the private sector to create new jobs, new business, new residents, an improved tax base and a better quality of life.
Metro | Cincinnati has a brilliant post by David Cole up right now. I classify it as essential reading as it is chock full of hard numbers and detailed knowledge of the players involved. One thing he touches on is something I have noticed more and more lately, mindset:
While Mayor Mallory and a new generation of civic leaders have decided that our notorious “We can’t do that in Cincinnati” modus operandi is no longer acceptable, the naysayers are perfectly content with the dysfunctional status quo that has defined the city during the post-war period. The naysayers have no ideas of their own, but they furiously shout down anybody else’s ideas. They build nothing, but they fight like hell to tear down what others work hard to build. Their biggest fear is a healthy, vibrant urban core that will further discredit their world view and further erode their power base. Their political fortunes depend upon the streetcar’s failure.
It is those naysayers that disturb me the most. The more I learn about groups like COAST the more disgusted I become with the blatant way facts are cast aside in favor of screaming nonsensical emotion. In addition the local chapter of the NAACP seems to have fogotten what the second “A” stands for- advancement. The level at which personalities dominate the politics here is at least as bad as in my home state of Louisiana. That is NOT a compliment.
Kate’s Random Musings has a copy of the letter that she wrote to TRAC. The whole thing is lovely but I think this is my favorite part:
Today, I look at the proposed streetcar line as a great opportunity to encourage concentrated economic investments in key communities in Cincinnati’s core. By building a new streetcar system, the people who work or live in Cincinnati will develop lifestyle habits that encourage more foot traffic and more spending along the route. By making a permanent streetcar line, more potential business owners will decide to put down roots in Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine, Clifton and other communities along the route.
This is 100% accurate. I watched it happen first hand in New Orleans when the Canal Street line was put back in a number of years ago. The area along it’s route had been pretty bleak and it exploded with coffee shops, restaurants, art galleries and small businesses of all sorts. Foot traffic went on the rise and crime dropped, after all who wants to commit a robbery with lots of witnesses around. Kate goes on to note anther essential point:
More 20 or 30-somethings like me will choose to move back to the urban core. We’ll buy condos or buildings for single-family homes. We’ll raise children and support the neighborhood schools, walk to parks near the streetcar route. Instead of hopping in our cars to drive downtown for a night out on the town, we’ll catch streetcar lines to see shows at the Aronoff and linger in the city a little longer, grabbing dinner or nightcaps before catching a safe streetcar ride home. (Aside: Did you know Cincinnati was voted the tenth most walkable city in the U.S. in 2008?)
It seems like the majority of voices raised against the project are those with no perceived interest in the area that would benefit. As I stated at the start of this post that is just plain wrong. Improvements in the economy along the route will improve the economic standing of the city as a whole. This is our community and it is up to us to overcome this inertia. As is all too common in modern America this issue will be decided by those who get off their tails and vote.
Fortunately it is not merely COAST that is getting mobilized, here is another excerpt from David Cole’s article:
As COAST has returned to keep rail transit from Cincinnatians who voted their support for the project in November 2009, Cincinnatians for Progress has also returned to the scene to once again defeat those special interests. In 2009, CFP led a massive grassroots campaign that gathered approximately 10,000 Cincinnatians to make phone calls, canvass door-to-door throughout the city, organize fundraising efforts and run a get out the vote campaign.
The group is getting fired up for what may be a vote this May or November (Yes, in November when the city will be well underway building the streetcar system – approximately $50M worth of construction). If you would like to get involved, show up at their kickoff event to be held at Grammer’s (map) on Wednesday, February 16 from 6pm to 8pm.
So COAST is against spending but want a new vote that would cost the city $400,00 to put on. This after millions have already been deployed ad streets ripped up for the project? Wow. That level of separation from reality demands a response. Support the efforts of Progress Cincinnati, and get involved. More jobs and better transit improve things for everybody!
BUT WHAT CAN I DO?
If you live in the City make sure to register to vote now. Then make sure you get to the polls in May and vote down the anit-rail ballot initiative. If you support the efforts and live elsewhere please write the Ohio State DOT an email or letter in support of the streetcar by February 11, 2011. Make sure to stress positives and be specific in support of the two pertinent allocations:
- “Cincinnati Streetcar Phase 1″ – $35 million of Constuction Funding
- “Cincinnati Uptown Streetcar” – $1.8 million of Preliminary Engineering funding
Here is where to express your opinion
Via Snail Mail:
Ohio Department of Transportation
attn: Ed Kagel, TRAC Coordinator
1980 W. Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43223
Via email:
[email protected]
This is too important to the Queen City for any of us to remain silent.
-Loki, Founder and Curator
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