$185 Million. Is it worth it?

That's a question council candidate Laure Quinlivan asked herself. So she went to see firsthand what the streetcar has done for Portland, she's now convinced that the streetcar is a wise investment that would benefit all of Cincinnati. See for yourself:

Laure Quinlivan's Streetcar Report from Laure Quinlivan on Vimeo.

How many trips have Chris Smitherman or Chris Finney taken to Portland to experience passenger rail before they tried to ban it? None. That's why it's the job of our elected officials to research and develop these ideas before they invest on our city and that's what we elect them to do. Lawyers and special interest groups are in it for their own benefit.

Say no to lawyers and special interest groups running our town! Stand up for proper democracy in Cincinnati! Vote no on 9!

Boss Finney

Cartoonist Nick Sweeney drew this portrait of local lawyer Christopher Finney, author of the Issue 9 ballot language that the Cincinnati Enquirer calls a 'Poison Pill' for the city.

Meanwhile, our friends over at Queen City Discovery can take you on a virtual ride of the streetcar route.

"A "Yes" vote on the Charter amendment [Issue 9] effectively means "No" on the streetcar, but its faux-populist "let the people vote" cachet might draw support from people who otherwise might favor a streetcar. A "No" on the amendment, on the other hand, doesn't necessarily translate into streetcar support." - Barry Horstman, Cincinnati Enquirer 8/8/09

Say NO to lawyers and special interest groups! Stand up for proper democracy in Cincinnati! Vote NO on 9!

How absurd is Issue 9?

Issue 9, no matter which way the 'weasel wording' lawyers and Blue Ash residents at COAST try to swing it, is absolutely absurd. Why? In a recent post, Cincy Streetcar Blog explains:

"Mandating our City Government approves projects in a different manner based on the technology used–not the purpose, not the cost, not the potential hazards, but solely on the technology employed is an absurd way to govern a city. The Anti-Passenger Rail Amendment is permanent, just a few of the consequences are illustrated above. If passed, this amendment will produce a host of uncertain and unforeseen consequences in the future."

Read the full 'absurdities of Issue 9' article here.

Images courtesy of CincyStreetcar.com

And just for good measure, I'd like to throw this one in there that I made myself:

This image is courtesy of the local blog, Queen City Discovery, which has an interesting write up on the Cincinnati Subway/Rapid Transit Line. Approved by voters in 1916, politicking similar to the methods special interest groups like COAST use now, prevented the subway from ever being completed. In the late 50's/early 60's voters didn't get to approve the highway's that replaced the subway right of ways. In the future if a regional light rail line were ever to be built, it could utilize the abandoned subway saving taxpayers and local governments millions of dollars in construction costs. Not if issue 9 passes though! No on 9!

Would Issue 9 Affect the Children's Train at the Zoo? All You Have to do is Read the Ballot Language!

It's a question Enquirer reporter Barry Horstman asked himself.

COAST lawyer Christopher Finney was quick to answer with:

"Our opponents want people to believe this would have all kinds of draconian effects," said Finney, who crafted the wording that will appear on the ballot. "They're trying to drum up hysteria rather than talk about what's actually on the ballot - the merits of the streetcar and passenger-rail transportation."

However, I think it's a legitimate question. Let's take a look at the ballot language proposed by COAST:

"The City, and its various Boards and Commissions, may not spend any monies for right-of-way acquisition or construction of improvements for passenger rail transportation (e.g., a trolley or streetcar) within the city limits without first submitting the question of approval of such expenditure to a vote of the electorate of the City and receiving a majority affirmative vote for the same."

A "yes" vote on Issue 9 would place that vague, far reaching paragraph on the city's charter, but would it affect the little children's train at the zoo? Let's have a look.

The city of Cincinnati purchased the zoo in 1932 and run's it through the board of park commissioners. According to the COAST ballot language it seems that the zoo would fall under "The City, and its various Boards and Commissions." As seen in the above photo the train obviously carries passengers making it "passenger rail transportation." So what if the city/board of park commissioners wanted to expand or "improve" this "passenger rail transportation?" Well, according to this ballot language, since it is within the city limits of Cincinnati and owned and operated by "the city, and it's various Boards and Commissions," no money could be spent on improving the children's choo-choo train without first submitting a vote to the city electorate.

Now, Mr. Finney, if as you say this is all just "hysteria," please point out how my assessment is incorrect and how the charter amendment would not affect the zoo train. I'd like to think that this is all pretty ridiculous, but your charter amendment is so vague and far reaching that even the children's train at the zoo is affected! I'm just going off your own words here Chris. The Charter amendment is nothing but a vague paragraph. As we see thanks to Horstman's article, it's effects are far reaching and there are no details or provisions really outlining the affects of the amendment.

What if a private company such as P&G donated money to the zoo as they've often done? Could that money be used to expand the children's train which would be affected by the charter amendment? Nope, as Chris Finney told us a couple weeks ago; "any means any," no matter the funding source, a vote must be held.

Why would we ever allow something so vague and so ridiculous to become law here in our fair city? You don't have to, vote "No on 9" on Nov. 3!

Stand up for Cincinnati, say "NO ON 9!"

To the Voters and Citizens of Cincinnati:

The time has come. This is the final stretch. Both sides of the debate continue to preach their message. For the voting citizens of Cincinnati, Issue 9, if passed, would amend the city's charter so that a public vote would be required for any money that would be spent on passenger rail transportation regardless of funding sources. That means, even if the city of Cincinnati wanted to research the construction or feasibility of any form of passenger rail, we would have to wait a year or have a tax payer funded special election just to vote any time a single cent was spent on anything involving passenger rail transportation, regardless of where the money comes from whether it be local, state or federal dollars. This process severely hinders and slows down the political process and is meant to discourage our elected officials from researching any new methods of transportation that could help this region grow.No other major metropolitan city has legislation such as this. Typically votes are held on passenger rail issues when taxes are being raised to pay for them, in the case of the proposed Cincinnati Streetcar, your taxes are not being raised!

The charter amendment severely hinders the power of our elected officials to do their job and is meant to indirectly discourage our local government from seeking to improve our transportation options. If passed, the amendment could keep Cincinnati out of consideration for federal stimulus dollars to build it's streetcar line (making an even greater cost to the city), out of consideration for the 3C corridor connecting Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati and out of consideration for the proposed high speed rail network being pushed by the federal government. Charter amendments like this one are deceptive and dangerous, even if you're against the streetcar, say NO to Issue 9 to keep special interest groups like suburban based COAST from dictating our transit options and our transit future.

Are You Registered to Vote?

Regardless of where you stand on the issue, it's your job as a citizen to get educated about the issue and represent yourself by voting. UC Students, the streetcar would link uptown and downtown, providing a new, reliable, higher capacity transportation option for yourself and future students alike. Recently, the University of Cincinnati Student Government Association declared their support of the "No on 9" campaign. If you are a UC student currently living in Cincinnati, you have a say in the election. Here's how to make sure you're registered to vote:

To confirm if you're registered to vote in Hamilton County, click here:

http://www.hamilton-co.org/BOE/votersearchs.asp

To register to vote in Hamilton County, follow the instructions here:

http://www.hamilton-co.org/boe/howtoreg.asp

Are You Unsure of Where You Stand on Issue 9 or the Streetcar?

While the charter amendment proposed on Issue 9 affects any and all kind of passenger rail construction, development, research and planning, the construction of a proposed modern streetcar line is at the forefront of the issue. There are many websites, such as this one, making their case for or against the streetcar. Political rhetoric is thrown around quite a bit. If you're interested in learning more about the exact details of the the streetcar plan, your city officials are holding open houses on the following dates:

5-7 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown.

6-8 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Bond Hill Recreation Center, 1501 Elizabeth Place.

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 28 on Fountain Square, Downtown.

5-7 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, 800 Vine St., Downtown.

6-8 p.m. Oct. 13 at the Oakley Recreation Center, 3882 Paxton Ave. (in Hyde Park Plaza)

6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at the College Hill Recreation Center, 5545 Belmont Ave.

6-8 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Corryville Recreation Center, 2823 Eden Ave.

6-8 p.m. Nov. 4 at the LeBlond Recreation Center, 2335 Riverside Drive, East End.

5-7 p.m. Nov. 10 at Cincinnati City Hall, Room 115, 801 Plum St., Downtown.

630-8:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Price Hill Recreation Center, 959 Hawthorne Ave.

As said before, even if you're against the streetcar proposal, Issue 9 is about much more than that. It severely restricts our city government from doing the things they're elected to do. It will hinder Cincinnati out of consideration for state and national projects while the rest of the country moves ahead. The amendment is deceptive and dangerous to our city's future. It is unprecedented and no other major city has any kind of similar, ridiculous legislation. Don't keep Cincinnati "20 years behind the times," vote NO on Issue 9!

To all those visiting Oktoberfest this weekend, have a safe and wonderful visit downtown, remember:

Stand up for Cincinnati! Vote 'nein' on Issue Nine!

(Cartoon by Nicholas Sweeny)

For Stronger Neighborhoods, Vote NO on Issue 9!

It has been reported that the misleading NAACP/COAST backed Anti-Passenger Rail Amendment has been assigned #9 as it's issue number on this November's ballot. A "Yes" vote would not only delay and possibly prevent the building of the proposed modern Streetcar line but could exclude Cincinnati from future passenger rail projects and prevent this city from receiving State and Federal funding, creating a greater cost to the taxpaying citizen.

Aside from the Streetcar, Cincinnati is being considered and looked at for inclusion on the proposed Eastern Corridor commuter line, OKI Regional Transit plan, the 3C corridor and the Federal Governments proposed high speed rail network. A "Yes" vote on Issue 9 could leave Cincinnati out of these plans, allowing the benefits to go to other nearby cities passing Cincinnati by. The benefits of having rail transportation could be applied to not just the neighborhoods served by the proposed rail lines, but to all Cincinnati neighborhoods. So for stronger neighborhoods, vote NO on Issue 9.

More coverage of Issue 9.

COAST Caught Confused and Contradicting Their Own Charter Amendment

Today the City Council of Cincinnati Rules Committee held a meeting to discuss various subjects, but the main topic of the day was the approval of the Nov. 3 ballot language of the COAST/NAACP backed charter amendment. The ammendment would require a public vote on all passenger rail projects within the city limits of Cincinnati, regardless of where the funding comes from.

I took the #1 Metro Bus from the stop near my apartment to Government Square and enjoyed the cool weather as I walked to City Hall for the 10:00 A.M. meeting of the Rules Committee. Councilman Berding began the meeting at around 10:15 A.M. As the meeting started and the committee began discussion I could hardly hear over the two men talking amongst themselves and cracking jokes in the seats in front of me. That's when I noticed it was no other than COAST attorney Christopher Finney and former Mayor of Cincinnati Tom Luken:

Councilman Berding went over the various other discussion topics of the day as the gentlemen in fron to of me continued their discussion. Most topics were put on hold to address the issue most had signed up to talk to the committee about: the ballot language of COAST's charter amendment. The ballot language reads as this and read as this on the petition COAST circulated:

"The City, and its various Boards and Commissions, may not spend any monies for right-of-way acquisition or construction of improvements for passenger rail transportation (e.g., a trolley or streetcar) within the city limits without first submitting the question of approval of such expenditure to a vote of the electorate of the City and receiving a majority affirmative vote for the same."

The Committee opened the floor to those who had signed up to speak and express their opinions to council:

This woman spoke of how she had gone to visit her daughter in Seattle and was amazed at the amount of development along the Seattle Streetcar line.

Councilwoman Roxanne Qualls listened as Mr. Rockwell expressed his concern to the committee over whether or not the charter amendment would affect the proposed 3C corridor project and future high speed rail projects being pushed forward by the state and federal governments.
Mr. Rockwell wasn't the only confused citizen there. COAST had promoted this petition as a an "anti-streetcar" amendment and even more citizens came forward today to express how they felt they had been duped by petition volunteers just like the folks we heard from last week.
At the conclusion of speakers, all of whom were citizens opposed to the charter amendment (none had come forward to support the amendment), Councilman Berding invited Christopher Finney to come forward and answer some legal questions the committee had in regards to the charter amendment. At this point, council members Leslie Ghiz, Cecil Thomas and Vice Mayor David Crowley had joined the meeting.

Councilman Bortz listened as Mr. Finney answered questions that were put forward to him.

As Mr. Finney spoke, Councilwoman Ghiz was busy checking something on her phone. In the past, using Mobile Twitter has gotten her into some trouble. I checked her Twitter account though, no Tweets during the time the meeting took place. Perhaps she was playing Brickbreaker on that pink Blackberry Curve of hers?
The meeting became heated when Councilwoman Roxanne Qualls posed a question towards Mr. Finney, the attorney representing COAST who authored the charter amendment. Councilwoman qualls wanted to know if the charter amendment affected the use of stimulus dollars from the federal and state levels. Mr. Finney replied with: "any means any," referencing the line from his charter amendment. Despite more questioning by Qualls as the amendment is not specific on funding sources, Mr. Finney intently kept answering with the words "any means any." Mr. Finney through his repeated phrase confirmed that any funds whether they be local, federal or state dollars, could not be used on rail projects within the city. This means that Cincinnati could be kept out of serious consideration for a stop on the proposed 3C corridor and Midwest Hub High Speed rail, which would link Cincinnati with other major cities.
Wait a second, I could have sworn just the other day that COAST said this charter amendment wouldn't affect the 3C plan. Wait! They did:

From the COAST blog on August 27, 2009.
Despite COAST claiming less than a week earlier that this charter amendment would have no affect on the 3C project because this is a "city law," Christopher Finney sat right in front of City Council saying otherwise. "Any means any." All sources of funding would be affected in regards to any and all money spent on passenger rail.
The discussion became even more heated as Vice Mayor David Crowley began questioning Mr. Finney, claiming that Mr. Finney's wording of the ballot language was what had been confusing voters and had been misleading to petition signers. Finney, began to raise his voice in opposition to Mr. Crowley as Councilman Berding asked Chris to lower his voice and calm down.

Councilwoman Ghiz was still hard at work on Brickbreaker:

My high score is 4440, wonder what hers is?
As Mr. Finney returned to his seat, former Cincinnnati Mayor and Congressman Tom Luken raised his hand and began to speak. He had to be reminded by Councilman Berding that if he had wanted to talk he had to sign up before the meeting started like all the others did. Mr. Luken continued to speak upon which he was warned by Berding that he was "out of order." "The last thing I want to be is out of order" joked Luken as he smiled at Mr. Finney who was now being joined by Leisure Suit sporting COAST treasurer Mark Miller.

In the end, despite testimony by confused citizens and citizens who had felt COAST petitioners misled them, Councilman Bortz summed up that 11,000 signatures had been collected with the ballot language as shown above. The Rules Committee passed on the measure, leaving the language unchanged. The ballot language will proceed to the full council session on Wednesday and the state attorney generals office later in the week.
Please keep in mind that the ballot language as it stands today would affect ALL passenger rail in this city, not just the proposed streetcar project. As Mr. Finney told us today: "any means any." That means any money we have whether it be capital funds, federal dollars, state dollars, etc. can't go towards the research, planning, development, construction of any type of rail project without first going to a public vote. No other city in the United States has such a broad measure on passenger rail like this and such a measure could effectively keep Cincinnati out of consideration for the proposed 3C corridor and Midwestern Hub high speed rail projects. Your taxes are not going to be raised for the streetcar and Capital Fund money to be spent on the streetcar's construction could not legally be diverted towards the city's general budget.
Even COAST is confused by their own charter amendment. They claim it will have no affect on ohter rail projects while their own attorney today told us that "any means any." When the people who authored such a broadly worded amendment don't get it, who would? This charter amendment is deceptive, too general and completely sidesteps the ideals of representative democracy set forth by our founding fathers. Take a stand and vote no on the COAST charter amendment!

Metro and Streetcar Services Would Complement Eachother

In a recent Cincinnati Enquirer article, Barry Horstman, questioned whether the construction and operation of the proposed modern streetcar would take away riders from the Queen City Metro bus service. COAST was quick to post on their blog a new segment calling streetcar supporters "snotty" and attempted to imply that streetcar supporters somehow feel those currently riding buses are "inferior." The folks at COAST went directly to name calling and generalizing instead of reading Mr. Horstman's article thoroughly. Here's what Queen City METRO had to say about the streetcar:

"We really see it being more complementary than competitive," said Sallie Hilvers, Metro's chief administrative officer. "We'd work with the streetcar operator to make sure we coordinate schedules so that the services don't overly duplicate each other."

So here we have METRO officials admitting that the streetcar could be a complimentary service. When asked about how the streetcar would affect ridership they said:

"And even if the streetcars produce a drop in Metro ridership, buses could be redirected to other routes needing additional service, Hilvers said."

The Horstman article sparked some heated debate within the comment section of COAST's post where COAST supporters continued continued the name calling, word twisting and generalizations. Long time COAST blog reader and supporter "Bris Chortz" posted this:

The poster that user "Bris Chortz" quoted was speaking of how buses can be delayed when accommodating passengers with restricted mobility or passengers who need to fasten their bicycles to the front rack of a bus. The poster was making a point of how modern streetcars do not require handicap ramps or bike racks, rather passengers in wheelchairs can roll right onto the streetcar straight from the curb and bikes can be brought onto cars that can hold up to 200 passengers at a time. The poster whom "Bris Chortz" attacked never mentioned excluding anyone, he made that up. Unfortunately, this is the level COAST and it's supporters feel they need to stoop to.

The streetcar is not a snobbish toy, it's an improved transit option that will be more appealing to attracting new ridership and promoting economic development along it's route all while complementing our current public transportation options for all citizens.

Did COAST Mislead Petition Signers? Citizens say: "Remove Our Signatures"

A snippet from the story by Channel 5 WLWT:

"CINCINNATI -- At least three people have asked the Hamilton County board of elections to remove their names from a petition that places a transit issue on November's ballot."

"Attorney Barbara Howard said she asked officials to remove her name because she believes she was misled by the man who collected her signature.

"The representation he made to me that this was in favor of streetcars," Howard said."

On message boards and blogs discussing the streetcar issue, there have been numerous claims and accusations stating that COAST might have been intentionally trying to mislead potential petition signers into thinking it was a pro-streetcar amendment. These quotes are from a large streetcar debate/discussion on UrbanOhio.com:

"The same tactics that some have gushed over in this thread previously - standing outside of bars to get intoxicated people to sign their 'trolley petition,' not mentioning to these same people that if you actually support the street car then you shouldn't sign"

"Streetcar *ahem* passenger rail petition guy is out from of arbys downtown (6th and Vine). I tried to convince people not to sign it. He is preying on the people near the bus stop."

"They are COMPLETELY misleading people into signing something much bigger than they are telling them. My sister-in-law was approached by one of these petition gatherers in Clifton the other day and she was simply asked "Would you like to sign the Trolley Petition?" Luckily for her she knew from me that this was actually the petition that would alter the city's charter amendment and she kindly said no."

"He was asking people if they were registered in the city, and then he would say "Would you like to sign a petition for the streetcar?". Most people just sign anything and with that type of wording it sounds like the petetion is pro-streetcar."

"I was in town this weekend for Easter, and went down to Findlay before heading to the Reds game on Saturday. I grabbed some food and saw a guy getting people to sign a petition "For the Streetcar". I went up and called him on it and I was able to get several people not to sign the petition after telling them he wants to stop the streetcar from being built. By using some clever language he was tricking people to sign it."

Until now these claims seemed to lack validity, however as the recent story from Channel 5 shows, it seems more and more citizens feel that they have been duped by COAST.

COAST's attorney Chris Finney stated in the article:

"This is really electioneering, politicking by our opponents, to suggest that," said Chris Finney, attorney for the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes. "There's nothing in the charter amendment that prevents anything; it requires a public vote."

Chris, buddy, I don't think these folks are trying to "politick" you, they're quite upset. They're upset because they believe you and COAST mislead them. It seems now that citizens are coming forward maybe the claims from Urban Ohio and others have some validity.

Perhaps COAST has been intentionally misleading petition signers?

If you feel you've been deceived and would like to inquire about having your signature removed from the petition, contact the Hamilton County Board of Elections.

Full WLWT article with video here.

Why go through Over-The-Rhine?

In our most recent post, "Addressing Common Streetcar Questions and Concerns," reader "Dungy" brought up a very good question/concern that seemed to be left out. His question regarded the routing of Cincinnati's proposed 7.9 mile streetcar line (The initially planned route would cost an estimated $124 Million, $185 Million if the initial line was extended towards the Cincinnati Zoo)

"The most common concerns about the streetcar are not "how does it work" or "who makes it". The most common concern, the one I've heard over and over is "why is it going through Over-The-Rhine"? "

While the proposed line (as it stands by it's most recent plan) would not travel solely through Over-The-Rhine, it's routing through a neighborhood that has been known in it's past for poverty and crime, has many understandably skeptical. The answer of "why" will be addressed in an upcoming post to be done in conjunction with another blog/site. Here's a sneak peek:

A composite image showing what a Modern Streetcar might look like traveling North on Elm St. through Over-The-Rhine.

Meanwhile, for an opinion on what some believe the benefits of a route through a revitalized OTR are, check out the Cincy Streetcar website:

"The benefits for the rest of the city will be considerable. A cleaner, safer Over-the-Rhine means more public resources can be used elsewhere. New residents, business, and rehabilitated buildings will result in new tax revenues that can be spent in all 52 neighborhoods. And revitalized, historic neighborhood will drive tourism and create jobs in Cincinnati. "

Full article: Over-The-Rhine and the Streetcar. Stay tuned for more!

Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section.

Photo Credits: Jake Mecklenborg and Queen City Discovery. Composite image by Tairy Greene

Addressing Common Streetcar Questions and Concerns

Why is it always Portland, Portland, Portland?

When it comes to the Cincinnati Streetcar it seems everyone always screams: "Portland, Portland, Portland." Why? Why is Portland so special? Well, in 2001 Portland completed it's 7.8 mile modern streetcar line, Cincinnati is proposing a 7.9 mile modern streetcar line using a similar right-of-way system and the same modern vehicles. Like in Portland, Cincinnati hopes to see new economic development and redevelopment of established areas along the streetcar's line. Portland saw this to great success, even having a formerly abandoned downtown rail yard spur into a an affordable neighborhood of retail and living space known as "The Pearl District." Their streetcar is so successful that a 3 mile extension is already underway and set to open soon, with another 6 mile extension proposed on top of that.

The Skylines of Cincinnati, Ohio and Portland, Oregon

What is the "Modern Streetcar" and how does it differ from the "trolley's" of days past?

Modern Streetcars, like the ones seen in Tacoma, Seattle and Portland seat approximately 170 to 200 passengers. The design Cincinnati would use for it's streetcars follows suit of these systems. Unlike the "trolley's" of our past, these modern streetcars are quiet, low to the ground and run seamlessly with automobile traffic in the same right-of-way.

Left: Cincinnati Streetcar of the past. Right: A "Modern Streetcar."

Who makes the "Modern Streetcar?"

The modern streetcars seen in Portland, Seattle and Tacoma are of a design by Czech company Skoda. These streetcar were made in Czechoslovakia and shipped to these American city's. In July 2009 Portland added to their fleet the first American made Modern Streetcar. Made by Oregon Iron Works, the Portland fleet's latest streetcar proves that not only do streetcars spur jobs and development along their route, but they are helping to put Americans to work in other capacities, further benefiting our domestic economy.

The crew at Oregon Iron Works unveils the first American Made modern Streetcar which is going into service in Portland in late 2009.

All of what you say is nice, but does it work?

Have a look for yourself:

Taken in 2002, this photograph shows the Portland Streetcar Stop at the Bridgeport Brewpub. The only business along the line at this point is the pub.

Five years later, in the same location as the above photograph the Brewpub has been extensively renovated and a new high rise residential condo is being build right along the line.

Again the same location, this time in 2008, new condo tower is complete, development has fostered.

Photos Credited to John Schneider of Pro-Tranist

New residential condo towers under construction along the streetcar route in Portland, OR.

Photo credit: The Phony Coney

In Charlotte, NC new restaurants, shopping centers and condos are already under construction along the streetcar route...and the streetcar's construction isn't even finished yet!

Photo Credit: Randy Simes of Urban Cincy

These artistic renderings show what a previously vacant building on Race St. in Cincinnati, Ohio will look like once Rookwood Pottery completes their move from Corryville to Over-The-Rhine. Located right on the proposed streetcar line, public relations manager Suzanne Blackburn says: "We think what's going on in Over-the-Rhine is really authentic – authentic architecture, authentic history, authentic tile. It just kind of fits in together, so we want to be a part of that. The hope is that we can, with Findlay Market, just have people come over to Rookwood and have kind of a walking neighborhood." Not even under construction yet and Cincinnati businesses are already lining up to be on the streetcar line!

Photo Credit: Building Cincinnati

We've seen it work elsewhere. We've seen how Cincinnati businesses are already lining up to be a part of it. The Cincinnati Streetcar is an innovative plan to revitalize and develop our downtown core while linking our two largest employment centers, uptown and downtown. In a time of economic uncertainty Cincinnati has the chance to step forward and emerge from the economic recession as an attractive location for business and development. The Cincinnati Streetcar is not just a step in the right direction for transit options, but a step in the right direction for Cincinnati.