tt342998

Open-air market announced for downtown Newark Written by Advocate staff report NEWARK — The vision former Evans Foundation Chairman Gib Reese had for the south side of downtown becomes reality in two years in the form of the Canal Market District. The centerpiece of the district will be the Canal Market Plaza, three separate structures forming an open-air market on what is now a gravel parking lot bordered by Canal, Market, Second and Third streets. http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20140527/NEWS01/305270010/Open-air-market-announced-downtown-Newark

It is on US DOT's website: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2012/dot6812.html

Cincinnati received funds from both programs: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/noncms/projects/streetcar/docs/news_grant.cfm http://www.wlwt.com/money/24182448/detail.html

^why was Cincinnati not considered the first?

Committee Leaders to Roll Out Northeast Corridor High-Speed Rail & Intercity Rail Privatization Plan June 14, 2011 Washington, DC – House Transportation Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL) and Railroads Subcommittee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) at a national briefing on Wednesday will roll out a dramatically new approach to bring private sector competition to high-speed passenger rail in the Northeast Corridor and intercity passenger rail service across the country. “After 40 years of highly subsidized, poorly managed Amtrak operations, it’s time for Congress to change the direction of America’s failed high-speed and intercity passenger rail service,” Mica said. “This new direction will employ private sector competition to bring real high-speed rail to the Northeast Corridor, reform passenger rail service across the country, and lower taxpayer costs. After spending billions of dollars, Amtrak and its snail speed, last-century level of service have reached the end of the line.” “As high-speed trains and passenger rail service around the world speed by, America remains stuck at the station,” said Shuster. “It’s time to leave behind the decades-old, inefficient and unproductive Amtrak monopoly and deregulate passenger rail service.” Chairmen Mica and Shuster will unveil their proposal via live webcast and teleconference from Washington on Wednesday, beginning at 11:00 a.m. (EDT). Members of the media may attend the briefing in person, watch live at http://transportation.house.gov, or call the following number to listen and pose questions: (877) 229-8493 and enter the code 184163. WHO: U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), Chairman, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), Chairman, Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee WHAT: Rollout and Briefing: Northeast Corridor High-Speed Rail and Intercity Passenger Rail Privatization Initiative WHEN: 11:00 a.m. (EDT), Wednesday, June 15, 2011 WHERE: 2167 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Watch via live webcast: http://transportation.house.gov http://transportation.house.gov/News/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1304

Missouri seeks $1B for Kansas City-St. Louis high-speed rail Kansas City Business Journal Missouri will apply for almost $1 billion in high-speed rail financing from the federal government to build a line between Kansas City and St. Louis, Gov. Jay Nixon announced Tuesday morning. The proposal would include two phases — immediately upgrading existing rail lines to improve Amtrak train speeds and reliability, and preparing to build a separate high-speed line. The immediate upgrades would help create more than 1,300 construction jobs in Missouri during the next few years, Nixon said Read more: http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2011/03/29/missouri-seeks-federal-dollars-for.html

High-Speed Rail: Obama's High-Stakes Gamble By Michael Grunwald Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010 The master builder Robert Moses had a legendary strategy for ambitious public-works projects: start now, and figure out how to finish later. "Once you sink that first stake," he liked to say, "they'll never make you pull it up." And that, in essence, is the Obama Administration's strategy for spreading high-speed passenger rail across the United States. It's an understandable strategy, since a true national network of bullet trains could cost as much as $1 trillion, and Obama has secured only $10.5 billion to start. But it's also a risky strategy, because the Administration is preparing to sink stakes in projects that might make perfect sense as links in that larger chain but look silly on their own. The first bullet train, an Orlando-Tampa line, has the feel of a glorified Disney shuttle. The boldest project, a Los Angeles–San Francisco line, was initially designed to begin with a train from nowhere to nowhere. Ohio got $400 million to launch a "high-speed" passenger service — with an average speeds of only 39 m.p.h. (63 km/h). Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2039897,00.html#ixzz19YbXo74l

McClain gives peek into plans for multi-use development in Newark Written by KENT MALLETT Advocate Reporter NEWARK -- Construction could begin next year on the first building in developer Jerry McClain's plans to revitalize downtown Newark around the Ohio 16 interchange. McClain released a rendering of a proposed three-story building, adjacent pond, greenspace and walking trail on land surrounded by Ohio 16, Mount Vernon Road, Locust Street and Hudson Avenue. The stunning structure is Second Empire style, with red brick, limestone block, mansard roof, dormers, and a cupola bringing in natural light from atop the building. READ MORE: http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20101128/NEWS01/11280307/1002/McClain-gives-peek-into-plans-for-multi-use-development-in-Newark

Casey, mayor promote commuter rail line development Monday, November 08, 2010 By Jon Schmitz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl today hailed a $1.5 million federal grant that will be used to plan construction of a "green boulevard" with a commuter rail line and biking-walking trail in Lawrenceville. The two met with officials of the federal Transportation and Housing and Urban Development departments in the heart of a proposed redevelopment area, at 43rd and Railroad streets. "This is about jobs, this is about the quality of life and it's about the future," Mr. Casey said. Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10312/1101734-100.stm#ixzz14kGCgp2k

True, Ohio is considered a donor state in terms of the Highway Trust Fund, but its more along the lines of 92-94% rate of return. That is about as low of a ROR of any state however.

Arcade owner wants to restore building BY KENT MALLETT AND AMY HOLLON • Advocate Reporters • August 23, 2010 NEWARK -- Not long after Deb Donley moved to Newark from Westerville, she spotted The Arcade through one of the downtown alleys and was immediately intrigued. Like many Newark residents, Donley found the historical architecture of the city's first enclosed shopping center compelling. But like others, Donley was disappointed to find it mostly empty. "I just drove by and could see through here and I thought, 'That's really cool,'" Donley said. "It is so neat. So, we walked through here, and there's nothing here. I can't imagine the rent being that much." And although many of the city's leaders have spent years reminiscing about regularly visiting The Arcade in their youth, other residents largely have forgotten the historic structure, defining Newark's downtown as the Licking County Courthouse Square. http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20100823/NEWS01/8220305/Arcade-owner-wants-to-restore-building

Four-lane link not in plans July 31, 2010 - By PAUL GIANNAMORE, Business editor COSHOCTON - A year-old draft that one ODOT official said might not change much might mean no four-lane link between the end of the U.S. Route 250 expressway portion at Newcomerstown and U.S. Route 22 at Cadiz. The Columbus-to-Pittsburgh Corridor Steering Committee met Friday morning at Central Ohio Technical College's Roscoe Village campus to discuss steps to be taken as the release of a feasibility study for the highway approaches toward year's end. http://www.heraldstaronline.com/page/content.detail/id/544822/Four-lane-link-not-in-plans.html?nav=5010

Typically, "student" trips are included as work trips. What is not included are recreational trips - trips to sporting events, concerts, shopping, etc.

My guess is that they did not apply for funding to the Federal Transit Administration.

McClain: Funding set for manager to 'ramrod' downtown vision BY L.B. WHYDE • Advocate Reporter • July 7, 2010 NEWARK -- Developer Jerry McClain, invited speaker of the Downtown Newark Association, told a Tuesday morning gathering about funding already committed for the needed next step in realizing a Newark renaissance. What's required, McClain told DNA members, is to hire a manager to "ramrod" the project and proceed with what McClain envisions as a four-phase project to give the downtown a new face. Already, $50,000 in private funding has been committed to hiring such a person, although McClain is looking for more. Along with $25,000 pledged from Park National Bank, McClain also committed $25,000. He hopes to raise about $200,000. "We need a manager to get some things done," McClain said. "The opportunity is in our paw. We need to take advantage of it to make Newark come back to life again." Read More: http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20100707/NEWS01/7070316/McClain-Funding-set-for-manager-to-ramrod-downtown-vision