KJP

Actually, the city of Cleveland did want the IX Center land for airport expansion. Hopkins' long-range plan is to relocate all the terminals into one giant terminal, placed approximately where the IX Center sets. Where the old terminals stand, a third runway would be built, roughly parallel to SR237. The proposed layout is what most mid- to large-sized airports are seeking these days -- a mid-field terminal. Cities in the region which already have this airport layout are Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and now Detroit. Cleveland wants one, too. I have a diagram of the basic proposal, which I modified to include a high-speed rail line (what a shock!). But Hopkins' planners acknowledge the new terminal won't be built for 10-20 years. And, it will probably cost a billion dollars or more to build it. KJP

I agree. The thread's name doesn't accurately describe the discussion, or the way things seem to be going. I guess that's the Cleveland way though, assume the worst is going to happen??? I'm just as guilty as anyone.... KJP

"Pay for linking the center to two nearby hotels. The authority voted not to subsidize construction of a headquarters hotel, although it will try to find space for one in its plans." Yay! KJP

But I do think we should be impressed at how they built their first line. And, just because a city grows, doesn't mean its transit ridership automatically grows as well. See Columbus for further info. How it grows is more important, despite San Diego's recent problems. KJP

I stand corrected. A book I had read about West Coast light rail systems, dated from the 1990s, mentioned that San Diego transit carried 55 million people per year. Given the purpose of the book, I had incorrectly remembered that as being for the San Diego trolley network. Rather, it was for the entire MTS (bus and rail). I found that, in 1980, the first year the trolley (what they call their LRT) began operating, the total MTS system carried about 35 million people. Transit ridership grew to 55 million in a little more than 15 years. It's interesting to note that, since then, ridership on the total transit system has gone up even more... According to the Transport Research Board, annual ridership on the MTS was over 84 million in FY 2001, with about 65 percent of the ridership attributed to the fixed route bus system consisting of 92 routes, and 35 percent to the two light rail lines. http://computing.breinestorm.net/transit+board+metropolitan+diego+development/ And, by the way, to the other poster, I don't agree using Cleveland or Pittsburgh as models for Cincinnati. They may have light-rail lines, but they don't have an emphasis on TOD and promoting other transit-supportive land use around rail stations. It's starting to happen, but nothing yet worth showing off. A better example might be St. Louis -- which has similar demographics and topography to Cincinnati. Plus, there is an active effort to promote TOD around stations. Check out: http://www.cmt-stl.org/ISSUES/stltod.html KJP

San Diego also started with a very basic light-rail line. It was single-tracked with passing sidings, and built on a former freight railroad line. Since then, their system has blossomed. The light-rail lines alone carry as many people per year as the entire Cleveland RTA rail AND bus system (about 50-55 million) -- and that's the busiest transit system in Ohio. KJP

The problem is, ballot issues to build transit lines are often intended to build something near where everybody lives, so that no part of the metro area feels left out. But that gives voters sticker shock, especially when the city doesn't have any rail transit to begin with. They don't know whether it will work in their city or not, even if voters do have experience with rail in other cities. So what's the sense in voting for higher taxes for something that has no track record (pardon the pun) in their community? Get a starter line and use "creative financing" to help pay for it. Denver and Portland started small and, once that had a rail line that proved itself, the big projects came later -- especially in Denver, where voters last year approved funding for a $4 billion expansion of their rail system. KJP

That's pretty impressive. I think it's interesting to note that Greater Cleveland's unemployment rate went from being above the statewide average to below it, even though the statewide unemployment rate also fell. I know one day doesn't make for an accurate appraisal of the overall economy, but when I brought a friend in from Cincinnati yesterday, she had a hard time getting hotel space. Most hotels were booked last weekend, so she came up this weekend. North Coast Harbor was busy with tourists, apparently from all over the world, based on the variety of their accents and languages. The Warehouse District was hopping, Flats West Bank was hopping, Little Italy was overflowing with people (and water, with the hour-long downpour!). She wondered if Cleveland was always this busy and, like a good little promotionalist, of course I said "yes!" There's still a lot of work to do (21% office vacancy), so let's keep plugging away at filling up those vacancies, plus the nasty suface parking lots and keep building more housing. KJP

Except that the city of Columbus has been voting Democratic for a while now. Once you get into the outlying areas though, then it gets more Republican. That 50/50 situation may be why Columbus isn't getting many new DFAS jobs, using the partisan argument. Out here, somewhere beyond the Beltway, partisanship doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot. If this was a partisan decision, then it pisses me off. I don't want the childish bullshit that goes on inside the Beltway to affect my community any more than it has to. These political good-for-nothing-elses should be banished to a deserted isle. It would be like having a million Gilligans all relying on one another for survival. They wouldn't last two weeks. KJP

I think the most likely project is to extend the Waterfront Line northeastward along the lakefront, tied in with new TODs/high-rise development. But, I think Urbanlife is right. If the TODs really start to take off along the Red Line, then you'll see more communities wanting that for themselves. But I don't think the Red Line will be extended anytime soon, southwest of Hopkins Airport. Berea oldtimers fought the last attempt and Olmsted Falls doesn't seem to want it. Besides, unless they push TOD as part of an extension, Olmsted Falls doesn't have the densities that Berea has. I do like the idea of sending one of the Shaker lines west, across the Detroit-Superior bridge. There is small section of earth separating the Rapid tracks from the bottom of the buried streetcar ramp at the east end of the Detroit-Superior bridge. I would be surprised if it cost more than a couple million dollars to break through that. Of course, ramping up to street level at the west side will inur another few million, and some bucks will be needed for relocating utilities on the lower level of the Detroit-Superior bridge. But, boy, that would cost a lot less than adding another high-level bridge across the valley. And it gets the rail line in a position where it can follow the Lakefront Boulevard (ex-Shoreway) toward Lakewood. KJP

If 2-3 round-trip commuter trains were operated per weekday, it may not conflict with freight train operations (except along the busiest stretch of jointly operated NS/CSX tracks through the Mill Creek valley). A third track was added along much of that 4-mile stretch, but if 2-3 round-trip commuter trains were added, a fourth-main track might be needed. However, that might be the only section where additional track capacity could be required. Yet, 2-3 trains in each direction would have a limited impact on traffic congestion on parallel interstates. That being said, so will any effort or option, including added lanes. Highway traffic, like water, seeks its own level. Ultimately, even with just 2-3 trains, Cincinnati would be setting in place another mode to handle travel growth and begin readjusting commuting and development patterns. If more trains were added, more of an impact could be made, but would conflict moreso with freight train traffic. More track capacity will be needed. Also, bear in mind that if any commuter rail service added to an active freight rail corridor, the freight railroads will require liability insurance of at least $200 million, and perhaps as much as $500 million. While that doesn't mean an outright expense of that amount, it would have to be reflected in operating costs. Unless, of course, Amtrak is the chosen contract operator of the commuter service; Amtrak has the requisite liability insurance. Many other contract operators who say that can run a commuter service often can't because they don't carry enough liability insurance. KJP

Thanks for the tour. I've visited Galion numerous times over the past 10 years or so, to secure support for the 3-C Corridor. I've never had any problem getting the community's interest and support. It's a terrific community that appreciates its past, while looking forward to the future. KJP

I have a question, and I would be the one to raise it.... Why aren't investments in high-speed and regional rail part of the public works component of the Third Frontier? It seems to me that these types of investments would fit nicely with the vision for creating a more "intellectual economy." Using energy-efficient, high-technology rail systems are not only a way to safeguard the state's economy from a future of limited natural resources, but would create jobs that can't be exported overseas and catalyze spin-off development around stations in historic neighborhoods that have sat fallow since the government started the interstate highway program. Has anyone in the halls of power in Columbus thought of including rail in the Third Frontier? KJP

Some military training has also gone on there. Just before the First Gulf War, the National Guard air wing out of Youngstown Municipal Airport was practicing aerial drops of materiel from C-5A's at the Ravenna Arsenal. At least I think they were C-5A's, because they were awfully loud and big when they turned southeast over my house, back when I lived in southern Geauga County. The noise generated complaints from some of my neighbors, but I thought it was all pretty cool. The Ravenna Arsenal also was proposed to be a cargo jetport in the early to mid 1990s, but local opposition killed the plan. In the 1980s, when I was at Kent State University, I came across some photos at the library showing the whole area before, during and after the site's conversion into the arsenal. That was circa 1940. Numerous farmhouses were demolished, roads removed or realigned (or paved!), railroad tracks routed throughout, and countless structures built on the land. KJP

I live near the Lakewood-Cleveland border (one the safer parts of the dense urban core), and in the summertime, there isn't a time when I can't hear sirens, from about 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Granted, many of these are from ambulances/rescue squads, but I'm sure many are from police. But there is always a siren someplace, near or far, that can be heard at any given time during these hot summer nights in the city. KJP

Each time I've seen that photo, it makes me think of the North Broadway neighborhood, perhaps somewhere between East 55th and downtown. I don't know if that's right, but consider: A. it's probably near downtown given the extent of development -- even Euclid Avenue wasn't that heavily developed east of East 18th in 1913, and the developed parts didn't look like what's in that picture; B. it's probably within a couple miles of the river, because those areas developed first, being near the Ohio Canal and the first railroads in the area, and most of those buildings look to be of 1860s-1890s vintage. Cleveland's early main thoroughfares, like Broadway, were fairly narrow and it wasn't until later that Cleveland laid out its streets to be 80-100 feet wide; C. it's not some neighborhood street, as it goes a long way into the background, is heavily lined with commercial uses, and that building on the left side appears to be some sort of community institution (like Polish American Society or whatever), plus it's got a streetcar line on it. I was also going to say that the guy on far right side of the picture appears Eastern European, but that sure doesn't help figuring in which part of Cleveland this picture was taken! But the North Broadway neighborhood was heavily Eastern European in 1913. KJP

I don't know how many of you have seen this, but I found on Peter Calthorpe's excellent website a two-page PDF overview of a possible plan for the Scranton Peninsula. Go to http://www.calthorpe.com/ and then click on "Projects" on the top row, then click on the picture above "Urban Revitalization." In the listings, fourth down on the left side, you'll see "Cleveland Gateway Redevelopment Plan." At first, I thought it was for the Gateway District. This plan was commissioned by Forest City Enterprises, and is dated as 2003. Does anyone have more information about this plan? I suspect it was part of FCE's initial proposal to locate the convention center between Tower City and the river (remember the plan that had the pedestrian bridge over the river?). KJP

Click on this link - http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/agenda/01-13-2005.htm# - then click on the link to the photo gallery, seen near the top of the page. It not only has site plans and renderings, but photos of what the Chicle site looked like last year. KJP

I heard he had some disagreements with some Columbus city officials (fellow council members?) and decided it was best to move on. Not sure what the disagreements were, though. KJP

Sorry it to see the historical society plan didn't gain funding partners. Sherry Buk once told me that Columbus is the only city of its size in the U.S. that doesn't have a musuem devoted to its own heritage. How disappointing that Columbus foundations and philantropists wouldn't open their wallets to such an important endeavor. KJP

I like the new plan better. It creates a visual integration between the old parking structure and the new condo mid-rise. The old version looked like some giant came along and set down his 400-ton beer can on top of a coaster and said f*ck it, I'm done. By the way, Pope, don't get too excited about the 400-ton beer can. It was just a metaphor..... :wave: KJP

I learned today that the planner who's been the Ohio Hub point-man for the Ohio Rail Development Commission made a presentation last week before Cincy council. I was told his presentation is what got council to finally pass the resolution. KJP

Seems Cincinnati's council is a little slow. Taft agreed to fully fund ORDC last winter, and ODOT agreed in April to fund the economic impact study. Not sure about the status of the environmental impact study. But council's resolution is appreciated! KJP

Sounds like everyone is downloading the software at the same time! I'm glad I got in on it early. I suspect it'll free up in a day or two. It's worth the wait. And, yes, I really like the transit overlay, but the railroads aren't in the right place! No big deal. KJP

I just downloaded the software last night for Google Earth, and I must say it's pretty damned awesome. I was able to "fly" between (and through!) the 3D buildings in downtown Cleveland (see the graphic below), and I did the same for downtown Chicago. The 3D graphics are pretty basic, but I can't complain. After all, it's a free service. Check it out at http://earth.google.com/ KJP