Cincinnati Street Car Gets Go Ahead

[MrFSS]

Cincinnati voters narrowly gave a green light Tuesday to the long-debated streetcar project, clearing the way for construction of the Downtown-to-Over-the-Rhine line to begin by early next year.

In an extremely close vote that perhaps was the only appropriate ending to a contentious issue that has dominated debate inside and outside City Hall for years, Cincinnatians defeated Issue 48, 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent.

FULL STORY

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Wow, by the thinnest of margins.

The linked article goes on to state:

Reprising their central theme from 2009, streetcar and rail supporters attacked this year's proposed city charter amendment as an overly broad measure that not only would block the streetcar, but also prevent Cincinnati from becoming part of other regional, statewide or national passenger rail plans through 2020...

[emphasis mine]
Does anyone know more about that aspect of the story?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Cincinnati voters narrowly gave a green light Tuesday to the long-debated streetcar project, clearing the way for construction of the Downtown-to-Over-the-Rhine line to begin by early next year.

In an extremely close vote that perhaps was the only appropriate ending to a contentious issue that has dominated debate inside and outside City Hall for years, Cincinnatians defeated Issue 48, 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent.

FULL STORY

Thanks Tom! :hi: Will this line someday be expanded to cross the River to Kentucky or is it just for the City itself?Glad to see that such a Conservative Area approves of the future of Rail even if it was a close vote! :help: Someday Id like to get off the Cardinal(at a better Calling time!),visit Beautiful Union Station, ride this Line, then catch a train to Columbus and Cleveland, another pipe dream long as the current Governor and Leg is in power in the Buckeye State, but theres always tomorrow!(and approval does leave open the possibility of future Trains in Southern Ohio which is Great!

 

[spot1181]

Hopefully Kasich will be gone before this is finished and we can continue the CCC railway. Hey, we got rid of SB5 too.

 

[CHamilton]

Cincy Mayor Candidate John Cranley: Stop Streetcar Now, in Case I’m Elected

Never mind that contracts have been awarded and the project is already under construction. One of the city’s leading mayoral candidates, former City Councilman John Cranley, is campaigning on the promise that he will stop the project if elected next month.

A great article at City Beat Cincinnati lays out why this might be the worst idea ever floated by a mayoral hopeful. First of all, by the time Cranley would assume office, in December, more than a half mile of track will have already been laid. ...

 

[Bob Dylan]

Cincy Mayor Candidate John Cranley: Stop Streetcar Now, in Case I’m Elected

Never mind that contracts have been awarded and the project is already under construction. One of the city’s leading mayoral candidates, former City Councilman John Cranley, is campaigning on the promise that he will stop the project if elected next month.

A great article at City Beat Cincinnati lays out why this might be the worst idea ever floated by a mayoral hopeful. First of all, by the time Cranley would assume office, in December, more than a half mile of track will have already been laid. ...

Sounds like other Kooky Cantidates All Over Playing to the NIMBYs and the Lunatic Fringe! Demi-Gods Never Go Away!

 

[Anderson]

Though I've seen examples that would boomerang (I'm thinking of the occasional highway project), I wish someone would tell that guy "If you don't like the fact you'll be stuck with this, get out of the race!"

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Though I've seen examples that would boomerang (I'm thinking of the occasional highway project), I wish someone would tell that guy "If you don't like the fact you'll be stuck with this, get out of the race!"

Hopefully :unsure: that is what the voters will tell the candidate, but obviously when approved the voters were split on whether this project was a good idea, and since the bids for the project came in over the projected budget, plus we live in such an eccentrically car-centric society, if motorists have been inconveinenced one iota during construction... But to say "stop it now - in case I'm elected?" He must think it makes a good 'sound bite' - but it smacks of arrogance to this out-of-towner.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Here is an update on this project since the last posts here.

Candidate Stop-It-Now Cranley WAS elected mayor! :blink:

However, in a classic election rhetoric vs. reality scenario...

Trains News Wire, which is behind a subscriber only wall, is reporting that the system will be completed. Mayor Cranley is quoted as saying "We're going to have a streetcar." This was on the same day - but before - the city council voted 6-3 to complete the project. Mayor Cranley said that while he disagrees with the council it is time to move on to other issues facing the city.

 

[slickvik]

Good for Cincinatti, another subway white elephant would give it an even worse image. Also the feds would remember this and stop giving funding to the city in general.

 

[Scott Orlando]

Considering the fact that Cincinnati already has completed-abandonded-underground-never-been-used-before subway stations already....its probably a good idea to finish a transportation project you start.