It's a bit like the Cincinnati flag, so why not go ahead and make the blue lines on the side wavy, like in the flag:

 

 

Yes, the exact same colors too, it's designed to be evocative of the municipal flag

 

I like the lines straight in the logo.  They make me think of track.  Wavy lines make me think of water, which makes sense in the flag.

 

Exactly right on both accounts.

Ok, cool. I hope more people "get it".

 

  "The City has decided on Vine Street as the route to Uptown."

 

  Has the City finalized the rest of the alignment?

^ I think so. Main to Twelfth to Elm, turning east at Henry Street and south on Race for an unknown distance. Not sure how you get to Vine. Streetcar might come off 12th Street and have both directions on Central Parkway for all the wrong reasons. Stops are moving around. The alignment pretty much set at this point.

Now that they have chosen Vine, that would leave opportunity for a future East/West line that could potentially go up Gilbert and connect to Queensgate...after the initial line proves successful, of course.   

Does anyone know the lastest on possible funding for the streetcar project?

I think we are supposed to hear something in the summer...no particular date. I assume you know about the $15m from the state that was granted.

Which distance sounds shortest 993 feet, 331 yards, or 0.18 miles?

"Less than 1000 feet"

Less than a fifth of a mile

Two city blocks

New email from Cincinnatians For Progress:

 

CFP Members,

 

Many of you have expressed interest in the Cincinnati Streetcar over the past year, and CFP wants to keep you up to date on important votes related to this project.

 

Cincinnati City Council will vote on Monday, April 19th at 1:00 pm on whether to approve $2,585,000  in City funding for the streetcar.  If you would like to attend this meeting or speak on the project to your council members, you have two opportunities to do so:

 

 

  1. Show up at City Hall 15 minutes early, fill out a card to speak, and speak at the Budget meeting.

  2. Contact City Council members today. 

 

 

CFP will support the possibility of all modern transportation options, particularly those that will also lead to growth and jobs, and this is an opportunity for us to speak.

If you can make it on Monday, please come and speak if you would like to.  If you can't please call or email you Council Members to voice your support.

Council may vote to approve $64 Million for the Cincinnati Streetcar on Monday

 

Here's the Enquirer story - just out:

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100416/NEWS0108/4170350/City+to+spend++64M+on+streetcar?

  "The city needs $128 million to build the first phase of the project, the Downtown-to-Uptown route."

 

    So I guess the Vine Street route is officially part of the initial project now, and not part of an expansion phase? In other words, the old phase 1 OTR loop and phase 2 uptown extension are history?

Well, they are still phases 1a and 1b.

John, do you know why they are not pushing for financing through TIF's for the Gateway Quarter/OTR area, and relying on a solid $64 million block?

^ I'd rather not get into this right now.

Today, the Cincinnati Streetcar will be before Council at 1pm at City Hall.  City Council will be voting on a local funding match that will help our city leverage the federal and additional state and private funding that will help make this important project a reality.

 

Please attend this very important meeting and show your support for the Cincinnati Streetcar.

 

Previous generations of Cincinnatians have blessed us with all of the wonderful assets and institutions of this great City. Let’s have our generation make this investment in the Cincinnati Streetcar so not only we, but also future generations of Cincinnatians can all benefit.

Streetcar and 3C funding both up for vote today. This could be very good, very bad, or somewhere in between.

When was the last time the Enquirer Editorials got anything right?

^Let's bring this down to brass tacks. The Enquirer, and conservatives, will never support a streetcar system. Suggesting that it be "scrutinized" or "considered for another time" are sweet nothings. The timing is far from bad. With hundreds of property owners literally holding their breath for this thing, the timing is perfect.

 

That said, Bortz's proposal seems prudent. But it leaves me wondering why the ordinance isn't contingent upon the fed dollars in the first place.

 

 

It doesn't seem like the Enquirer has much of an understanding of what is going on.  For example:

 

"With the airport sale, it is opting for ready cash instead of holding on to valuable assets."

 

We sold the airport about two years ago and yet they are writing it in the present tense.

I would like the author of this article to come out and tell us specifically what exactly is the 'right time' and 'right way' of constructing such a project.

 

Exactly!  What's funny is that the public comments are, with only a few exceptions, highly critical of the editorial.  Is there a UO contingent posting comments? 

Once again, the Enquirer editorial board's answer to the city's problems is to bury our heads in the sand and do nothing.

I would like the author of this article to come out and tell us specifically what exactly is the 'right time' and 'right way' of constructing such a project.

I'm sure it goes something like this: "Cut all spending but public safety and a couple other things. Once the crime level is down (after throwing tons of money at policing and a new jail), the pension system is fixed, and the city's budget is clearly in the black, then we can think about 'luxuries' like a streetcar."

I hope everyone can make it to Council today but if you can't we'll have a live twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CincyStreetcar

Nothing new.

 

Council debates $64 million for streetcar today

By Jane Prendergast, Cincinnati Enquirer, April 19, 2010

 

Cincinnati City Council members are scheduled to talk this afternoon about the next steps in pursuing a streetcar - including whether to commit $64 million in bond money.

 

Also on the agenda for council's 1 p.m. finance committee meeting: $2.5 million for planning, design and other expenses. Groups including CincyPAC, the young professionals political group, and Cincinnatians for Progress were using social media throughout the weekend to urge people to show up at the meeting and weigh in.

I wrote my letter to Bortz and Berding.  Please do your part and encourage a vote on the 3 bonding ordinances without weakening them with ammendments. The amendments will severely hurt our chances for the June Fed funding.

 

[email protected],

[email protected]

One response:

 

Thank you for your comments.  I have been a consistent project supporter, but will continue to ask tough questions about financing and the operating plan to ensure we aren’t, as the Enquirer said so well this morning, “borrowing trouble with streetcar plan”. Wanting to do the project does not  mean giving up any opportunity to ask questions and ensure it is done right.

 

Jeff Berding

Meeting is streaming online:

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?Dato=99999999&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=90617007&Ref=AR&template=livestream

I'm watching the stream.  Seems to be a possitive vibe in the room.

Listen as Old Man Luken rambles on...

 

 

Luken really is out to lunch.  I can't believe that anyone would still listen that that man.  He is obviously going senile.

I suppose I am rich, a land speculator, a lobbyist and out-of-towner who supports the streetcar. Thanks, Luken.

I am loving these yuppie guys.  They are hitting the nail on the head.

UrbanCincy: According to Luken a group of young people & small business owners are the "lobbyists & land speculators" in Cincy.

 

So according to him, retaining young, creative talent (preventing brain-drain), encouraging small businesses, and land speculation for economic/urban development are all bad things.

 

Ha, ha.  His argument against the street car is that it will drive up the value of the land in OTR.  So he is in agreement with the supporters of the street car.

Council approves $2.8 million in funding for the Streetcars.  Bond issues held over.

Council rejects ban on streetcar funding

By Jane Prendergast and Barry Horstman, Cincinnati Enquirer, April 19, 2010

 

Cincinnati City Council today rejected an effort to ban all future funding for a multi-million dollar downtown streetcar system.

 

Discussion in the finance committee meeting focused on $2.5 million for planning, design and other expenses. Groups including CincyPAC, the young professionals political group, and Cincinnatians for Progress urged people to show up in support of streetcars. About 70 people were in City Hall chambers for the meeting.

Huzzah!

Interesting title...

 

Streetcar funding plan lacks council support

 

Cincinnati City Council has enough votes to prevent the demise of Cincinnati’s streetcar project, but not yet enough for a $64 million financing plan floated last week by Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney.

 

That’s the upshot of Monday afternoon’s meeting of council’s Finance Committee, where five members of council voted against a motion to halt the streetcar project.

 

 

Rejects Ban?  Voted against a motion to halt?  WTF?  Talk about a negative spin. 

After watching the actual comments in council, reading Dan Monk's article was like stepping into an Orwell novel.

Good coverage from the Enquirer, though, imho.

There is no doubt that the passage of the 3 bond issues would've helped our chances with the Feds in June.

^ We're OK. We'll be there when we need to be there.

After watching the actual comments in council, reading Dan Monk's article was like stepping into an Orwell novel.

 

Quote of the Day

^ I sent this to Dan. He could use the feedback.

I wonder why Luken is so anti-streetcar. I hope the streetcar turns out to be Cincinnati's major turning point.

Luken is just very much incoherent. His rambling comments -- at least from what I could perceive listening to it online, did not make much sense. Streetcar or not, he's just all over the place.