My word.  It's Pavlovian.  Here's a wonderful idea:  Spend over $100MM on infrastructure and then seize on the first opportunity to shut it down.  This is called being a good steward?

 

Smitherman will literally say and do anything to advance his political career.

 

He's gone from one extreme politically to the other in less than a decade.  I've never seen anything like it. 

 

 

When WLW went from constantly making fun of him in their promos, to giving him hours upon hours of airtime to attack the streetcar was a telltale sign. It happened almost over night.

 

I seem to remember one of their promos with a probably remixed quote of his saying "Christopher Smitherman only cares about Christopher Smitherman."

Two legs good Four legs good

http://allaboardohio.org/2014/08/19/cincy-streetcar-progress-tour-aug-24/

 

Cincy Streetcar progress tour Aug 24

admin on August 19, 2014

 

All Aboard Ohio invites you to join with us, Cincinnati Metro RTA and Cincinnatians For Progress in offering a free walking tour of construction progress on the Cincinnati Streetcar project. The tour for the public will start at 10 a.m. Sunday August 24 at the Gazebo in the center of Washington Park. Numerous Metro bus routes are within walking distance and parking is under the park which is bounded by Elm, Race, 12th and 14th streets.

 

Experts Paul Grether of Cincinnati Metro and John Schneider of Cincinnatians For Progress will lead the tour of the Over-The-Rhine loop of the Cincinnati Streetcar route. During the tour we'll learn a lot about the technical aspects of the rail construction, streetcar vehicles as well as the development occurring along the route. If you are not a member of All Aboard Ohio you are in luck! Southwest Ohio Director Derek Bauman will accept your $5 membership fee on the spot and you're good to go!

 

For more information, contact SW Ohio Director Derek Bauman at (513) 262-0345.

Chris Smitherman said a vote to shut down the streetcar from council could happen again soon

 

http://www.700wlw.com/articles/local-news-119585/millions-in-federal-funding-unlikely-to-12683574/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

While I know Chris has a tendancy to talk out of his :behind:, there's no chance that Flynn is feeling overly angry about the operating funds not being secured yet, right?

^How could any reasonable person be angry about that?  Those were never guaranteed funds, just an option that didn't pan out.

^How could any reasonable person be angry about that?  Those were never guaranteed funds, just an option that didn't pan out.

 

Right on, I'm with you on that. I'm guess I'm just nervous that if Flynn doesn't see guaranteed operating dollars pop up sooner than later he's going to get impatient. I'm probably just paranoid.

I don't think that something like this would change his mind, particularly after an additional 8 months of construction have taken place.  Imagine what the cost to cancel vs cost to complete comparison must look like now.  Smitherman is out of his mind, so I wouldn't put anything past him, but the other council members aren't going to want to dredge this up again.

^ If they do, we'll get the signatures again. No problem.

Let's ignore slither-man and instead focus on the positive:) 

 

I think this would be an excellent location for a downtown grocery store.  I'd be able to walk to this from my house and its right on the streetcar line, so all of downtown would be able to get here with ease.

http://www.wcpo.com/money/local-business-news/downtown-residential-project-courts-kroger-as-retail-anchor

Double-posted under grocery stores:

 

Downtown residential project courts Kroger as retail anchor

Rookwood Properties: We'd be happy to have them

 

CINCINNATI - Blue Ash developer Rookwood Properties is exploring a downtown residential project of up to $50 million at the corner of Central Parkway and Walnut Street, where Cincinnati’s streetcar line makes a right turn toward the Banks project and a grocery store could literally be built in the shadow of Kroger Co. headquarters.

 

http://www.wcpo.com/money/local-business-news/downtown-residential-project-courts-kroger-as-retail-anchor

 

Read more: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,10268.455.html#ixzz3AsYlf0F5

Derek bauman will be on 700wlw tomorrow to talk operations and all the economic development along the streetcar route at 1105

No offense to Derek, but why is he going on 700? Shouldn't they get someone who is actively involved in the project or someone who is a professional economist? I know the answer, but it's just disappointing that this is how most of the media treats these types of issues.

Sloanie will probably dedicate at least half the segment to Ferguson.

No offense to Derek, but why is he going on 700? Shouldn't they get someone who is actively involved in the project or someone who is a professional economist? I know the answer, but it's just disappointing that this is how most of the media treats these types of issues.

 

None taken.

Google alert go off?  Good luck tomorrow! 

Derek is one of the few people out there who is both educated about the streetcar project and has the personality to go on talk radio and go head to head with those guys.

Derek is one of the few people out there who is both educated about the streetcar project and has the personality to go on talk radio and go head to head with those guys.

 

Exactly. And don't forget that once you've established your 'go to guy' on a subject, there's not a whole lot of incentive for a radio host to find a lot of other speakers

Derek is one of the few people out there who is both educated about the streetcar project and has the personality to go on talk radio and go head to head with those guys.

 

Exactly. And don't forget that once you've established your 'go to guy' on a subject, there's not a whole lot of incentive for a radio host to find a lot of other speakers

 

Also probably not enough clout, even in the WLW studios, to start throwing BS at a guy like John Deatrick with such a calm demeanor. That would blow up in their faces.

^How could any reasonable person be angry about that?  Those were never guaranteed funds, just an option that didn't pan out.

 

Right on, I'm with you on that. I'm guess I'm just nervous that if Flynn doesn't see guaranteed operating dollars pop up sooner than later he's going to get impatient. I'm probably just paranoid.

 

It would have to be a switch of two council members to somehow cancel it (after having spent untold additional millions on it), not just one.  Remember it was 6-3 to restart it after it was paused, because of the veto threat. 

Cincinnati has signed a contract with the Feds and many others to complete a modern streetcar and operate it for thirty years. There is zero chance it will be canceled at this point.

John Deatrick tweeted that there is a press briefing at 9 this morning with Flynn and Mann. Any idea what this is about?

 

EDIT: Sorry, David Ginsburg. Not Mann.

John Deatrick tweeted that there is a press briefing at 9 this morning with Flynn and Mann. Any idea what this is about?

 

EDIT: Sorry, David Ginsburg. Not Mann.

 

The tweet says it's about trackwork.  I'm assuming they're just letting everybody know what the schedule for street closures in downtown will be.

The press briefing was to highlight the start of track work moving into downtown.

 

Flynn also made a statement saying that he is not going to give up on federal dollars for operating funds. Glad to see him remaining somewhat optimistic on that source of funding.

Chris Smitherman just revealed the game plan for the opponents here:

 

http://www.55krc.com/media/podcast-brian-thomas-morning-show-55krcMornings/55krc-morning-show-25185661/

 

He indicated that he is preparing to put the streetcar on the ballot again if the project moves one penny over budget...He's already notified cranley, murray and winburn.

 

So I would expect any and every trick to drive costs up(Delay or otherwise)

 

Smitherman said if the issue goes to ballot again, construction would cease until election day

 

He also claimed operation costs could be as high as 10m/year.  Said supporters need to get their heads out of the sand

 

Is Smitty working off the same napkin Monzel is?

They are so dumb.  Wasn't the 5 Million dollar grant just an "extra"?

Smitherman is also demanding another vote from council on the streetcar.

There is no way that council would vote to "pause" the project again. Flynn, Mann and Sittenfeld have already been called "flip-floppers" by many of the people that voted for them; would they really change their minds again? Even the most hardcore streetcar opponents (except Smitherman) aren't even trying to stop the project anymore; they are just trying to blame every problem in the city/universe on the streetcar.

There is no way that council would vote to "pause" the project again. Flynn, Mann and Sittenfeld have already been called "flip-floppers" by many of the people that voted for them; would they really change their minds again? Even the most hardcore streetcar opponents (except Smitherman) aren't even trying to stop the project anymore; they are just trying to blame every problem in the city/universe on the streetcar.

 

You are probably right but Never say never.  This issue has brought out some downright weird scenarios.  I remember people saying that a public streetcar vote would never happen for a second time.

 

'This is one thing we've said from the beginning...I don't know if it helps air quality bc its not taking people from where they live to where they work' Amy Murray

 

'PG has laid low on all of the streetcar...He was talking about a tif district but now He hasn't been involved in that at all'  Amy Murray

 

'Other ppl are already talking about phase 2...were talking another 150-200million dollars in operating costs' Amy Murray

 

 

http://www.700wlw.com/media/podcast-bill-cunningham-bill_cunningham/kenwood-purge-ferguson-81914-25183545/

Smitherman is desperate to have the streetcar fail. Otherwise he looks totally stupid for opposing it for so long and so fiercely and will lose whatever credibility he has left.

 

And so he figures the best way to have it fail it to make sure it never operates. Think about it.

^It's also good theater for him so he can campaign telling gullible people he fought for them.

Dunno what Murray's problem is.

I don't actually think the success of the streetcar matters to him. Many people in his camp won't recognize it as a success, no matter what. The only way he is likely to "lose" this fight is if farebox revenue exceeds operating costs.

 

What matters to him is having a broad constituency, which includes his long-time backers in the black community and his new conservative/Westside/WLW drones. He's banking on this coalition keeping him around in city politics long enough to get him in the mayor's seat and/or county/state office. Keeping the streetcar as a proxy culture war wedge issue gives him red meat to throw to rally his constituents; without it, he has to find something else which motivates them equally -- that's hard to come by. (Same reason the local media has fanned the flames of the streetcar debate for years -- it excites people more than other things.)

I don't actually think the success of the streetcar matters to him. Many people in his camp won't recognize it as a success, no matter what. The only way he is likely to "lose" this fight is if farebox revenue exceeds operating costs.

 

What matters to him is having a broad constituency, which includes his long-time backers in the black community and his new conservative/Westside/WLW drones. He's banking on this coalition keeping him around in city politics long enough to get him in the mayor's seat and/or county/state office. Keeping the streetcar as a proxy culture war wedge issue gives him red meat to throw to rally his constituents; without it, he has to find something else which motivates them equally -- that's hard to come by. (Same reason the local media has fanned the flames of the streetcar debate for years -- it excites people more than other things.)

 

Correct. 

You guys put flames from opponents down fast :clap:

 

Did any of you guys read the Enquirer article on REDI Cincinnati giving a tour of the city to site selectors?  One of the site selectors gave the Enquirer an interview.  Here are some of his comments:

 

 

"• Urban core development: "I can see three cranes going from my hotel. (Downtown's renaissance) shows the business community is committed. You've had some problems, and you're trying to rectify them."

 

He continued: "I can look a lot of metrics up online without visiting a place. But when you actually go out and meet the people, you find out whether they're really committed or just going through the motions. You can see they're committed here and want to make this a success. I think my colleagues here with me would say the same thing."

 

• Transportation infrastructure and options: Hansen noticed traffic on Interstates 71 and 75 moving well during rush hour. He likes that rideshare companies Uber and Lyft are operating here, and that the streetcar is being built Downtown – good selling points in attracting recent college graduates and young talent."

 

Link: http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2014/08/15/jobs-leader-cincinnati-exceeded-expectations/14150273/

 

Anyways,  not like the opinion of "Terry Hansen, the Washington, D.C.-based principal of Hickey & Associates, a global site selection and public incentives firm (from above article)" really matters though, right??

Anyways,  not like the opinion of "Terry Hansen, the Washington, D.C.-based principal of Hickey & Associates, a global site selection and public incentives firm (from above article)" really matters though, right??

not to

"his long-time backers in the black community and his new conservative/Westside/WLW drones"

They probably bristle at the name, Washington D.C.

You guys put flames from opponents down fast :clap:

 

Did any of you guys read the Enquirer article on REDI Cincinnati giving a tour of the city to site selectors?  One of the site selectors gave the Enquirer an interview.  Here are some of his comments:

 

 

"• Urban core development: "I can see three cranes going from my hotel. (Downtown's renaissance) shows the business community is committed. You've had some problems, and you're trying to rectify them."

 

He continued: "I can look a lot of metrics up online without visiting a place. But when you actually go out and meet the people, you find out whether they're really committed or just going through the motions. You can see they're committed here and want to make this a success. I think my colleagues here with me would say the same thing."

 

• Transportation infrastructure and options: Hansen noticed traffic on Interstates 71 and 75 moving well during rush hour. He likes that rideshare companies Uber and Lyft are operating here, and that the streetcar is being built Downtown – good selling points in attracting recent college graduates and young talent."

 

Link: http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2014/08/15/jobs-leader-cincinnati-exceeded-expectations/14150273/

 

Anyways,  not like the opinion of "Terry Hansen, the Washington, D.C.-based principal of Hickey & Associates, a global site selection and public incentives firm (from above article)" really matters though, right??

 

I thought the Brent Spence Bridge was "functionally obsolete" and we need to spend $3 billion to replace it and widen I-75 for a few miles. Apparently he disagrees!

Anyways,  not like the opinion of "Terry Hansen, the Washington, D.C.-based principal of Hickey & Associates, a global site selection and public incentives firm (from above article)" really matters though, right??

not to

"his long-time backers in the black community and his new conservative/Westside/WLW drones"

They probably bristle at the name, Washington D.C.

 

 

Serious question because I just moved here in February 2013, but what is Smitherman's M.O. on council, besides opposing the streetcar and parking lease?  Has he brought forth any agenda that has passed through council, like safety measures, etc.?

 

PS: Sorry Mods probably a better topic for Cincinnati City Council but since we were talking about him here....

He's got a lot of ballot initiatives on the ballot. He's got about a 50% success rate.

But ON council?

In Case you haven't seen, 12th & Race curb to curb is 95% finished.  They still need to rebuild the sidewalks at the corners, but the street is essentially all done now. 

 

If you haven't been by, the entire intersection, and about 100-150 feet on all 4 sides is concrete now.  The whole thing has rebar underneath it, etc.  A properly built concrete road has a lifespan of 30-40 years, compared to 14-18 years for asphalt (which would still need pothole filling) and doesn't get potholes or warp from truck traffic.  The downside is, you can't just cut a trench and refill it like you can with asphalt roads if something needs repairing.  No utility work is going to happen underneath that street for a long long time, though most of the utilities were recently repaired/replaced. Other downside is concrete roads are more slippery in rain than asphalt.  That, paired with the major mix of tracks will make that intersection a cyclist death trap on a wet day. 

Charnel 12 will be investigating the effects on businesses as streetcar construction moves into the CBD.

^^Then maybe Channel 12 can do a follow-up story on how much more foot traffic and visibility these businesses will have once the project is complete compared with minor inconveniences of construction for this short period of time.

 

 

Sheesh, I didn't live in Cincinnati back in the late 1990s when Fort Washington Way was rebuilt, but did we have the same outcry from the media and businessses along 3rd Street during that construction project?  I understand there will be some impact during the construction work to the surrounding businesses, but at the same time, sometimes you have to take a small step backward before you can take a giant leap forward.

There was a huge flood in 1997, which FWW rebuild helped bolster against another, and enthusiasm for new ballparks (and by extension the Banks). The FWW rebuild was not controversial, from what I can recall.

 

1997 flood:

We actually closed down the westbound lanes of Fort Washington Way for nine months during its construction. Nine months! No one at the time could recall a major component of the IHS ever being closed down for anywhere near that length of time.

 

Having written that, I can tell you that traffic and business disruption on account of light rail or streetcar construction is a major ongoing story. I recall really negative stories coming out of Seattle a few years back when they were building LRT through the Rainier Valley to SeaTac and more recently, from Tucson during its streetcar construction.  Things will get worse here before they get better. Just wait until they close down a block of Walnut soon to facilitate streetcar construction.

 

We are just going to have to power through it. I think people have generally been pretty supportive here so far. Media is just trying to stir things up.

If you're going to eat mexican any time in the next few months, consider Taqueria Mercado.  If you're looking for a cheep happy hour downtown for the next few months, consider Righteous Room.  Everybody stopping by a few more times than they used to may help.

There was a huge flood in 1997, which FWW rebuild helped bolster against another, and enthusiasm for new ballparks (and by extension the Banks). The FWW rebuild was not controversial, from what I can recall.

 

1997 flood:

 

Oh, trust me, some people desperately tried to shut it down early-on, but no one ever heard about it. One elected official tried to get me thrown off the DCI Board for proposing it. He told P&G that "Schneider's idea for changing Fort Washington Way is 'messing with the Pyramids.' " -- his exact words as recounted by the Procter exec who told me about it.

If you're going to eat mexican any time in the next few months, consider Taqueria Mercado.  If you're looking for a cheep happy hour downtown for the next few months, consider Righteous Room.  Everybody stopping by a few more times than they used to may help.

 

Thanks for reminding everyone of this.  Unfortunately the public is fleeting and people -- even regulars -- skip over businesses simply because there are orange barrels in front of them. 

 

That said, Main, Vine, 6th, and especially Walnut have been experiencing gridlock on Friday and Saturday nights this summer due to the crush of people patronizing downtown restaurants and bars.  The loss of a lane for streetcar construction means we'll see gridlock on Walnut for hours straight on big nights. 

Clifton Hills has been closed off down by Central Parkway because residents are ticked off at commuters using their residential street to avoid construction at CP & MLK. Meanwhile the commuters are furious about the construction (meant to help them). People were seriously taken by surprise on this city project that has been in the works over 10 years and are suggesting alternatives like building a bridge over Central Parkway.

It's not getting much/any press, tho.

Charnel 12 will be investigating the effects on businesses as streetcar construction moves into the CBD.

 

Hopefully, they'll at least mention the increased foot traffic following construction, but I doubt it.

 

"Construction causes inconviences". That's right up there with "dog bites man". Nice work, channel 12.

Charnel 12 will be investigating the effects on businesses as streetcar construction moves into the CBD.

 

Hopefully, they'll at least mention the increased foot traffic following construction, but I doubt it.

 

"Construction causes inconviences". That's right up there with "dog bites man". Nice work, channel 12.

 

They interviewed a disgruntled business owner