Everything posted by GHOST TRACKS
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
To me it doesn't seem to matter what Smitherman thinks of the streetcar or Obama for that matter since the stimulus bill send funding out along formula allocation to the states etc. The biggest determinant on how much money the streetcar could potentially get will be decided in Columbus and at OKI not in DC. It will be interesting over the next few months to see how things play out. Everybody's wish list is much larger than the money that's accutally going to be available. The biggest chunk of money locally listed by ODOT for shovel ready projects is the replacement of the Jeremiah Moorow Bridge over the Little Miami River. Hopefully one of the vendors for the streetcar or some other private money will be able to plug the funding gap because it still seems like there is a lot of ground to cover.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
Does anybody know if the City is going to interview all four vendors who responded to the RFQ and when they will select one of them? I would have to think that First Transit base locally and one of the largest transit operators in the nation would also be on one of the teams.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
I remain hopeful that the project will move ahead but I also think we need to be careful of getting too far ahead of ourselves. From what I have read the transportation dollars in the the stimulus bill will be distributed along existing formulas for allocation to the state DOT, Transit Agencies and MPO's. There will not be project specific earmarks. Total transit funding would be around $10 billion for the entire nation. While the streetcar project may get some dollars I don't see how it could be under construction in 2009. I would still be surprised if any private companies are going to give up any big dollar amounts in today's economic climate. Any heard how many responses the City got for the RFQ?
-
Metro Cincinnati: Road & Highway News
I believe this is the next phase of the OKI Uptown study done a couple of years ago. I think it would be wise to keep on top of this since it would affect future alignments and feasibility for the I-71 light rail as well and some interface with the planning for an Uptown Streetcar if they are looking at the streets in Uptown as well. It was my understanding that this is a City study and not ODOT.
-
Sycamore Township: Kenwood Collection
What ever happend to the plan to relocate the FBI from downtown to Kenwood?
-
Cincinnati: General Transit Thread
I believe the presentation said that the average running speed in the tunnels for the LRT would be 22 mph. Another consideration was that they would have to put safety walkways in the tunnels that would restrict geometry and running speed. I don't think you could run LRT at 45-50 mph in the tunnels.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
I also heard that Michael Moore the City's project manager for the Streetcar has been named as the interim Director of the Department of Transportation and Engineering. Does anybody know if this is a good sign for the project? I just hope he doesn't get bogged down with everything on the City's plate to devote enough time to the project. I wonder if the city will make public the list of vendors who submit a response to the RFQ?
-
Cincinnati: General Transit Thread
If you had signal priority for the LRT I don't know that it would be that much slower than in the tunnels. I think I read that the average running speed in the tunnels would be just over 20 mph. I also cant imagine that the tunnels would be extended though the CBD given the huge cost and disruption. Also the tunnels would have much larger O&M costs involved than would surface running. I personally would rather wait for a train on the surface along Columbia parkway than below grade at Brighton or Liberty especially at night or on the weekends. It just seems a stretch to me for people to embrace or be willing to pay for such a system even though I wish the subway would have made it to operation in the 20's.
-
Cincinnati: General Transit Thread
It seems to me that running LRT on Central Parkway would be much more economical than below grade in the tunnels. The traffic volumes are not that great and there would not be the need for a ventilation system, underground stations etc. Does anyone know what the City's subway study gave for the value of the tunnels that were estimated to be 100M plus by Metro and Parsons ?
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
Does anybody know when Dohoney is going to address Council on the status of the project? Should we expect to hear an update after the RFQ deadline.
-
Cincinnati: Downtown: The Banks
Does anyone know if they are going to incorporate the tracks for the streetcar into the contruction of the streetgrid around the Banks. I would think they would want to do that now and not later when it would cause disruption and be more expensive etc.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
NAACP/CAOST aside I feel its unlikely that anybody is going to bring a substantial amount of private dollars to the project. This may be the reason fro the delay in the RFQ for vendors. I think the project is only going to get off the ground if Obama and company come through at the Federal level in a big way or P&G or Linder etc. write a check. With the realestate market in the tank TIF funding is also questionable at least in the near term. Lets hope something materializes in 2009 because its seems to me that the project is not as viable as it may have been at the beginning of 2008.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
I guess I'm surprised they didn't announce the change earlier. I wonder if anyone was ready for the deadline or if somebody already submitted prior to today's deadline what happens then? I'm wondering if they thought nobody would submit today.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
Does anyone know the reasons for the delay by the City? Was this due to budget concerns/ funding potential contributions/ political pressure from prospective vendors etc.? It seems odd to delay the deadline with such sort notice since they basically refuted a request to delay the deadline in the questions which were previously posted on the forum. Does anyone have a feel for this being good news or bad?
-
Ohio Intercity Rail (3C+D Line, etc)
Does anyone know where the station would be in Cincinnati?
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
Does anyone know if the City manager is going to make a presentation to Council before the end of the year as originally planned? Do you think it depends on fundraising or the vendors who respond to the RFQ? Just curious what next on the City's end. If there is no money do they pick somebody to design the system or what is plan B?
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
Did anybody hear the Council meeting this afternoon on the Council members budget proposals. I know Cranley and Monzel introduced motions to eliminate or reduce the funding that has been allocated or assumed for the streetcar (Blue Ash Airport sale etc). Just curious what may have come of it. With Mallory and most of Council opposed to any increases in fees or taxes the funding for the streetcar may be an attractive source for reallocation of funding to other areas.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
I thought the Metromoves plan included a value engineered version of the I-71 light rail that did not include the tunnel in favor of running along I-71 to downtown. Is that the current thinking and if so how would those interchanges at MLK and or Taft change things? Are they being designed for LRT?
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
If the streetcar used Gilbert to Taft it would likely get caught up in the reconstruction of the interchanges on I-71 in the area that the City of Cincinnati planning which will likely include Taft/McMillan. That could delay construction and make the design more complex to accommodate all the traffic.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
While there are a couple sentences in the managers budget remarks there is no provisions for funding the projet in the capital budget or at least discussion of the project in the 6 year capital improvement plan even if unfunded at this point for the largest City capital project during that span assuming it gets built. Under normal circumstances it seems to me there would be more documentation in the capital budget for the most ambitious project. I read in the RFQ that responses to the vendors questions would be answered today. Did anything get posted publicly. I would think that may be interesting reading.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
I noted that the streetcar is not explicitly included anywhere in the City managers' proposed 2009-2010 budget nor is it in the 6 year capital improvement program. Given the uncertainty for the financing this would make sense but I would have thought there would be at least some mention of the project.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
I can't imagine any of the companies that have downloaded the RFQ would pony up significant money given the current economy. I don't believe any of the companies are "bidding" on the project at this point but are just presenting qualifications. I would imagine that local firms would not lead this except possibly First Transit headquartered downtown.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
Has anyone read the RFP to see if the City has financing or what they propose to do next? Surprised there has been nothing in the press etc. especially given the budget crunch facing the City and the County in the near term.
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
Since the RFQ has been issued by the City should we assume that the the short fall in the public funding has been pick up by someone in the private sector (besides Duke Energy) or is the City thinking that prospective vendors will need to finance the project? Is the RFP posted on line?
-
Cincinnati Streetcar / The Connector News
The HDR/HLB report is predicated on dozens of interdependent assumptions which are just that and I would say are open to interpretation if they are realistic or not. It assumes a reduction in 128,000,000 VMT over 30 years and an average transit trip length of 3.8 miles and a very high percentage transit trips diverted from existing auto and bus trips. Progressive changes due to increases in density could also be assumed to generate additional automobile VMT within the core as new residents and commercial activity increase (not a bad thing). I have not seen any detailed analysis or simulation of the electrical traction power demands for the propose streetcar route yet since a vehicle has not been selected and the route has not been finalized. While a supporter of the streetcar in general I don't think anyone should assume that it will have a tremendous impact (positive or negative) by itself on GHG emissions locally. It is not "the" reason to invest in the streetcar.