Cincinnati area questions...

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by restorationconsultant

I happen to be pro streetcar, having said that I will also say that wheeled streetcars like Louisville and other cities have "may" make more sense as it gives the city a flexibility to change routes and such.

Which are why developers and investors are more than likely hesitant versus a permanent, set-in-stone track. They know the route cannot be changed on a dime.

I've gone to the council meetings and heard investors stand up and speak and they all say the same thing ... "we'll put our money here, but we want a permanent track first."

Ask jlrosen, he'll tell you all about it.

[Hartwell Girl]

Originally Posted by Cincy-Rise

Hartwell Girl, you do know that, that first leg would be one of many? Believe it or not, our Mayor and council members (well, most) want full LRT up and running, but know that we have to start small with this city.

And some of those same council members who want this approved are the same ones who are not focused on our neighborhoods as a whole.
And whats wrong with the bus? Sorta has already requested that the City of Cincinnati transfer up to $1.1 million from the Transit Fund reserve for their 2009 budget according to sortas web page and the City pays for the majority of the operating expenses. And the bus serves a lot of the area already. I guess I just dont get it.

[hillside]

Originally Posted by restorationconsultant

I happen to be pro streetcar, having said that I will also say that wheeled streetcars like Louisville and other cities have "may" make more sense as it gives the city a flexibility to change routes and such.If wheeled cars work then make the routes permanent. You will know within the first year if it will work or not and you will not have made a huge financial committment.

I don't believe that streetcars are the cure for Over-the Rhine, you wont 'restore' OTR until we scrap the 'prefferred developer' concept and putting the entire future of OTR in 3CDC.

If the city wants to turn OTR around they need to do some basic things.

Get rid of the parking meters. Or at least make them free on Saurdays

Take city owned vacant lots and create neighborhood permit parking lots so current residents have a place to park and visitors to OTR going to Main, Vine and Findlay Market can actually find parking.

Get a billboard ordinace to eliminate Billboards from historic districs.

Pass a strong anti panhandling ordinance and ban charities from dispensing items on city owned parks.

Require 3CDC to divest itself of 10 percent of its holdings over the next 5 years to owner occupants willing to come into OTR and restore.

That will turn OTR around.

Cincinnati has been criminal to its poor and sick. The panhandling laws in the city are as tight as anywhere, even unconstitutional due to very vague language. Here's the decision.

http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/do...07-ohio-91.pdf

Improving our elementary schools, regional transportation as well as the Metro, era-sensitive infill, a dispersal of social services and unified developmental plan could possibly, maybe turn around downtown. The City needs to take a map of the downtown area and make one plan instead of giving developers and hipsters free reign down there, and also do a better job of keeping their own projects under one vision clearly expressed to the community.

[Cincy-Rise]

^ You want to see unconstitutional panhandling laws ... see Atlanta. lol

[jlrosen]

Originally Posted by Hartwell Girl

And some of those same council members who want this approved are the same ones who are not focused on our neighborhoods as a whole.
And whats wrong with the bus? Sorta has already requested that the City of Cincinnati transfer up to $1.1 million from the Transit Fund reserve for their 2009 budget according to sortas web page and the City pays for the majority of the operating expenses. And the bus serves a lot of the area already. I guess I just dont get it.

The problem with buses is that they simply don't attract development like streetcars do. These sites have more info:

Cincinnati Streetcars and Light Rail | Welcome
Cincinnati Streetcar - Connect the Dots
CincyStreetcar Blog