Why Cincinnati public transit sucks? (Reading, Ada: neighborhood, subsidized, taxes)

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by cali3448893

Hope is coming...streetcar system.

I want to see the streetcar succeed. In my opinion, it needs to get started and prove it's worth first. That depends on funding and ridership generated by good routes. If they skip Clifton Ave. in favor of Vine St. (if/when they do an uptown route) they are making a huge mistake IMO.

[jmecklenborg]

The tracks will not be built up Clifton Ave. because there is higher ROI building on the Vine/Jefferson side of campus. Clifton Ave. to Ludlow Ave. is more or less entirely built-out whereas there is all kinds of room for improvement on the east side of campus, PLUS there is all the ridership from the hospitals.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

The tracks will not be built up Clifton Ave. because there is higher ROI building on the Vine/Jefferson side of campus. Clifton Ave. to Ludlow Ave. is more or less entirely built-out whereas there is all kinds of room for improvement on the east side of campus, PLUS there is all the ridership from the hospitals.

Ok, now that makes sense. Thanks!

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

The tracks will not be built up Clifton Ave. because there is higher ROI building on the Vine/Jefferson side of campus. Clifton Ave. to Ludlow Ave. is more or less entirely built-out whereas there is all kinds of room for improvement on the east side of campus, PLUS there is all the ridership from the hospitals.

I see the logic in what you are saying here. Since the objective of the streetcar has been stated to spur development then put it where the most development is needed and the potential exists. I just wish they would kick it into a little higher gear so we can see results. Have they even begun any work on the infrastructure changes required for the uptown route?

[yayoi]

Originally Posted by motorman

Agreed. Wanna experience perhaps the most "peopled" Metro routes--then check out the #17s, #4s, and #33s. As an example (because I routinely ride the #4 back and forth from Norwood to downtown), I always try to catch this bus home at 4th & Main, before it swings up past the Federal Building and then the Courthouse. Boarding a #4 at either one of these two stops virtually guarantees standing in a long or long line of people!

The express routes from the burbs to downtown are pretty packed too. The #3 express route is always packed. That route uses the long bendy buses too.

[jmecklenborg]

>Have they even begun any work on the infrastructure changes required for the uptown route?

No, the funding was cut by Kasich in early 2011. We will be seeing track construction by Jan or Feb of 2013 in DT and OTR.

I am aware of some conversations that have explored digging tunnels to UC as an alternative to the current Vine St. hill plan or in addition to that plan. One would continue the current streetcar route due north from Findlay Market under Fairview and would emerge on Clifton Ave. somewhere near Deaconess Hospital. The other would emerge on Auburn Ave. near Christ Hospital.

[kjbrill]

I have a question about the streetcar. It it a double or single track layout. That is, does it have tracks for the two separate directions or will sidings be used to permit cars going in opposite directions to pass each other? Or will it be a single track loop with outbound cars taking a different route then inbound? I can't recall seeing much on actual layout.

[jmecklenborg]

>There's no way they would have the money for that. It would actually be a fairly good thing to do it they got the route right, letting the vehicle speed up once it's out of traffic. But digging a tunnel, and especially boring a tunnel through stone (as opposed to cut and cover) would be astronomically expensive for a transit project in Cincy. Now if we could divert some highway money, it would be another story ;-)


Oh believe me they're working on it. The cost of tunnel boring with TBM's has come way down. The cost of track/electrical is fixed, of course, and the route can actually be much shorter. Then there is the long-term cost savings of faster operation and reduced wear on the streetcars (brakes, wheels, etc.) due to the lower grade.

It's already going to cost about $30~ million to get up the hill. About $20 million of that is track/engineering with the remainder being two additional streetcars. A tunnel might cost over $50 million, but they could buy one less streetcar. This is part of the justification.

[Chemistry_Guy]

The problem with Cincinnati public transit is that it is most available for people that need it the least, and hard to use for those that need it the most. My best friend is a lawyer who lives in Hyde Park. When he tore his ACL playing soccer and was unable to drive for a few weeks, he was able to hop on the bus a quarter block from his house and take it straight to his downtown office.

On the other hand my sister's patient in Price Hill has to sit on a bus for 90 minutes and do 2 transfers each way in order to get a 30 minute medical procedure in Clifton several times each week.

I think that the streetcar's real potential would be connecting Metro hubs. Maybe have transfers count for a streetcar ticket or something and have a dedicated route from a downtown hub to an uptown hub. I would have a lot less problems with transportation that enables elderly and vets to get better access to health care than a system that enables college kids to get home easier after a night at the downtown bars.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Chemistry_Guy

The problem with Cincinnati public transit is that it is most available for people that need it the least, and hard to use for those that need it the most. My best friend is a lawyer who lives in Hyde Park. When he tore his ACL playing soccer and was unable to drive for a few weeks, he was able to hop on the bus a quarter block from his house and take it straight to his downtown office.

They have made so many of the routes so long that it is just not worth the hassle.

The OLD Route 24 went Beechmont-Linwood-Observatory-Madison-Woodburn-Gilbert-Government Sqaure.

The NEW Route 24 goes through Clifton.

The express route 26 used to go Columbia Parkway but that is gone.

The last time I took the bus from downtown to Beechmont Mall, it was 90 minutes and taht was off-peak.