February 19, 201213 yr Can someone clarify: What utility relocation has already been completed? What utility relocation still needs to be performed? When will the utility relocation phase be considered complete? When will the first section of track be constructed?
February 20, 201213 yr If that was only the end. Best to heed Sheriff McClelland's advice: "Yeah, they're dead. They're all messed up. If you got a gun shoot 'em in the head. That's the sure way to kill 'em. If you don't - get yourself a club, beat 'em or burn 'em. They go up pretty easy."
February 20, 201213 yr Hard to say, with markings like that, yellow usually indicates gas lines, red electric lines, blue water lines, green sewer, and orange telephone. I'm betting that's the location of an existing gas main. ^Those paint lines refer to EXISTING utilities, with colors indicating the various utilities as JJakucyk said. The standard protocol is to mark PROPOSED utilities (for example, streetcar track) in white. They may or may not paint the streetcar tracks, however. Can someone clarify: What utility relocation has already been completed? What utility relocation still needs to be performed? I am not aware that ANY of the utility relocation work has been started yet. If someone knows otherwise, please share.
February 20, 201213 yr Hard to say, with markings like that, yellow usually indicates gas lines, red electric lines, blue water lines, green sewer, and orange telephone. I'm betting that's the location of an existing gas main. ^Those paint lines refer to EXISTING utilities, with colors indicating the various utilities as JJakucyk said. The standard protocol is to mark PROPOSED utilities (for example, streetcar track) in white. They may or may not paint the streetcar tracks, however. Can someone clarify: What utility relocation has already been completed? What utility relocation still needs to be performed? I am not aware that ANY of the utility relocation work has been started yet. If someone knows otherwise, please share. No utility work has been started that I'm aware of. Water mains are being re-located.
February 20, 201213 yr Can someone clarify: What utility relocation has already been completed? None, that's what the groundbreaking was for- its all being done together as one project. What utility relocation still needs to be performed? see above :) When will the utility relocation phase be considered complete? I'm pretty sure there won't be a clear cut switch. I'm under the impression they will be starting utility on Elm, then probably race, and perhaps, by the time they finish utility there and move to main and walnut they will begin the overhead wire & track in OTR, etc. This is 90% speculation 10% what I've been told by friends close to the project. When will the first section of track be constructed? See above.
February 20, 201213 yr Congrats Cincy! Glad to see this is important project is finally getting done and that Cleveland will no longer be the lone rail transit holdout.... more importantly, UO's whopping 552 pages devoted to one thread are not all for naught! :clap:
February 20, 201213 yr Congrats Cincy! Glad to see this is important project is finally getting done and that Cleveland will no longer be the lone rail transit holdout.... more importantly, UO's whopping 552 pages devoted to one thread are not all for naught! :clap: I wonder how many pages this thread will have once the project is complete and once it's up and running if it will consistently be posted in so much. Is late 2014 too optimistic to hope for running streetcars? I don't think so. Then again, we still need to be wary of the opposition. I'll rest a little easier once the track is in the ground, but won't lose that "subway" feeling until it's up and running.
February 20, 201213 yr I would say late 2014 is entirely possible if things go well. Early 2015 is more realistic.
February 20, 201213 yr Duke Energy's Cincinnati streetcar stance disputed Business Courier by Dan Monk and Lucy May, Senior Staff Reporters Date: Friday, February 17, 2012, 6:00am EST In Cincinnati’s battle with Duke Energy over critical streetcar utility work, experts have picked a side. Duke stunned city officials Feb. 8 when the utility announced its gas, electric and chilled water lines must be moved at least 8 feet away from rail lines for the $110 million streetcar project. And Duke said it wouldn’t pay the $18.7 million estimated cost for moving them. City officials countered that they weren’t convinced an 8-foot separation was necessary. And a Business Courier review of practices in other cities and interviews with streetcar experts found the city appears to be right: Many ... http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2012/02/17/duke-energys-cincinnati-streetcar.html
February 20, 201213 yr I would say late 2014 is entirely possible if things go well. Early 2015 is more realistic. ^ Vehicles running in testing and training in late-2013, open for revenue service in early-2014.
February 20, 201213 yr I'm guessing the next big announcement will be the selection of the rolling stock. Any idea when that will happen?
February 20, 201213 yr As long as the rolling stock is nothing like tampa's I'll be happy. I love the boxier style of the Portland cars and I think it be a huge selling point if we had the ones made in the USA, but the Siemens trains look so sleek and futuristic: I just keep imaging that thing going by The Banks on a crowded night after a ballgame lets out and all the suburbanites seeing it and saying: "Wow, what's that!?" Then they take a ride and fall in love.
February 20, 201213 yr It was a fantastic day to be in Cincinnati for the ground breaking. I brought my wife and son (he was one of them yelling outside, sorry about that) but we were able to attend. I gave the protestor with the sumbrero the respect of a decent conversation for a few minutes. Some suit was standing next to him who I did not know but appeared to be friendly with him. The protestor was talking about the utility issue and I pointed out how currently, utilities are worked on right next to traffic. He asked me if I got nervous with a huge machine rolling next to me and i said that at least it is on rails and I know it wont swerve like a car. He and the suit both stopped arguing at that point and I wished them well. It was nice to meet a few of you as well. I ran into at least a few people who's blogs I read on a regular basis. My wife took a lot of nice photos, but we do not have them off the camera yet. We walked around Findlay Market and admired all the old buildings still standing. Thanks for the hospitality Cincinnati! See you all again very soon. We had a great time. :)
February 20, 201213 yr Some suit was standing next to him who I did not know but appeared to be friendly with him. Sounds like a COAST plant with a Finney club lawyer waiting for something to harp on. Glad you enjoyed Cincinnati. I've been reading your Urban Indy site for awhile. Love that city and hope its rail transit future comes along as well. Isn't Indy pursuing a streetcar?
February 20, 201213 yr Isn't Indy pursuing a streetcar? yes, but it is much further behind than the Cincinnati effort and sadly, not as ambitious.
February 20, 201213 yr As long as the rolling stock is nothing like tampa's I'll be happy. I love the boxier style of the Portland cars and I think it be a huge selling point if we had the ones made in the USA, but the Siemens trains look so sleek and futuristic: I just keep imaging that thing going by The Banks on a crowded night after a ballgame lets out and all the suburbanites seeing it and saying: "Wow, what's that!?" Then they take a ride and fall in love. While I do like the Siemens cars, I have an affinity to the Skokada (sp?) cars. As long as it's assembled in the USA I'll be happy though.
February 20, 201213 yr :clap: First "construction" photo: "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
February 20, 201213 yr Author ^Nice, I'll be documenting the construction I see at www.cincystreetcar.tumblr.com If anyone wants me to post any pictures there, let me know. The first one I stole from Noel (sorry Noel).
February 20, 201213 yr Congrats Cincy. I can't wait to come down there soon and experience your awesome streetcar!
February 20, 201213 yr :clap: First "construction" photo: "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 20, 201213 yr Streetcar odds aren’t very good 02/20/12 at 12:02pm Larry Schmolt Price Hill Replace streetcar with trolley-style bus Bob Rece Edgewood Let’s go for a ride on the streetcar 02/20/12 Mollie Wilke Clifton Mallory must be taking lessons from Obama 02/20/12 at 8:20am Charlie O’Leary Hyde Park A streetcar alternative 02/17/12 at 4:53pm Thomas Cheeseman West Chester Streetcar work might hit wrong note with Choir Games 02/17/12 at 8:33am by Letters Editor | 7 Comments Sandy Westerbeck White Oak Put streetcar on ballot with simple language 02/15/12 at 11:56am Robert S. Holzman East Walnut Hills City’s leadership failures 02/15/12 at 11:56am Loretta Victoria Hyde Park Mallory takes cues from Obama 02/14/12 at 11:59am | 5 Comments David Agee Crestview Hills MESSAGE EDITED TO CONFORM TO POSTING/COPYRIGHT RULES. NO WEBLINKS PROVIDED.
February 20, 201213 yr Streetcar odds aren’t very good 02/20/12 at 12:02pm One has to laugh as he reads the article “Ceremony begins streetcar” (Feb.18) wherein Mayor Mallory and all his associates tout the greatness of the coming streetcar. A recent poll by a local TV station found that 90 percent of those polled said they would never ride the streetcar. Would not any smart businessman with odds against a project such as this pick up stakes and turn to another venture? Larry Schmolt Price Hill 10% of local TV coverage would be about what? 150,000 - 200,000 people? How many people will fit in the basin?
February 20, 201213 yr Streetcar odds aren’t very good 02/20/12 at 12:02pm One has to laugh as he reads the article “Ceremony begins streetcar” (Feb.18) wherein Mayor Mallory and all his associates tout the greatness of the coming streetcar. A recent poll by a local TV station found that 90 percent of those polled said they would never ride the streetcar. Would not any smart businessman with odds against a project such as this pick up stakes and turn to another venture? Larry Schmolt Price Hill 10% of local TV coverage would be about what? 150,000 - 200,000 people? How many people will fit in the basin? Each of them using it, say, ten times a year. There's your two million riders per year.
February 20, 201213 yr 10% of local TV coverage would be about what? 150,000 - 200,000 people? How many people will fit in the basin? ~150,000 resided in the basin including Downtown, Over-the-Rhine, the West End, what is now Queensgate, Pendelton, and part of Mt. Auburn around 1950, which was near the peak population of the City of Cincinnati. Today, ~80,000 are employed downtown. Roughly 1/3 take the bus to work, 2/3 drive, and a few live there. The listed capacity of the football stadium is 65,000 for comparison.
February 20, 201213 yr It's too bad the Uptown spur didn't work out for Phase 1. That would have been a boon for the image of Cincinnati, a city that has its Zoo, public university, Victorian jungle and its downtown stadia on one transit line. That's a lot of entertainment on one line. A more comprehensive plan, MetroMoves-lite if you will, may have done more for Cincinnati in the long run. Streetcars for McMillan and Taft, Woodburn, Mt. Adams and Ludlow connecting to Northside. LRT to the airport from the Transit Center. The unpopular Oasis line to throw a bone to Portune, via the Wasson Line. I wonder if a package of a similar size would have gotten at least the amount of support in Hamilton County that Phase 1 has.
February 20, 201213 yr ^ Would have required a tax increase, and few people are in the mood for that. Also, the potential LRT ridership to the airport was studied extensively early in the past decade -- when there were more than twice as many flights as there are today -- and it was vanishingly small.
February 21, 201213 yr Wow, didn't know passenger flights had dropped off that much. I knew they were down.
February 21, 201213 yr I can see some ridership challenges with CVG, even now that there are more people living in the city. Big airport doesn't mean lots of Cincinnati-originating passengers though...common misconception. CVG was only massive back in the day because of all the connecting pax Delta sent through. Also, CVG traffic is primarily business travelers who tend to favor taxis or private cars over public transit, even if it is perfectly convenient.
February 21, 201213 yr :clap: First "construction" photo: That machine is digging a fixed transit line in Cincinnati. My brain just exploded.
February 21, 201213 yr ^And some of those connecting passengers were Cincinnatians who drove to Columbus or Indianapolis and flew through Cincinnati to get a better ticket price. This just shows that transportation systems aren't necessarily rational.
February 21, 201213 yr I'm pretty sure the work being done right now is by Greater Cincinnati Water Works; I'm under the impression the first construction project is replacement/moving of an old water main. Not sure if an overall contractor has been determined. I remember once reading that Jostin Construction was involved somehow though.
February 21, 201213 yr FYI....... http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,1666.msg604301.html#msg604301 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 21, 201213 yr I'm pretty sure the work being done right now is by Greater Cincinnati Water Works; I'm under the impression the first construction project is replacement/moving of an old water main. Correct.
February 21, 201213 yr I'm pretty sure the work being done right now is by Greater Cincinnati Water Works; I'm under the impression the first construction project is replacement/moving of an old water main. Correct. Cincinnati Bell will soon follow-on and move its facilities.
February 21, 201213 yr Author Jogged by yesterday and there was work on the site at about 6pm and an open trench. It's happening and quickly.
February 21, 201213 yr Author On the right track http://www.soapboxmedia.com/features/022112streetcargroundbreaking.aspx The inimitable P. Casey Coston has this Soapbox story on the groundbreaking.
February 21, 201213 yr Looks like COAST is now trying the "Streetcars are Communist" angle COAST @GOCOAST · Open #1-Leningrad #2-Budapest #3-Prague #4-Warsaw #5-Moscow, world's top streetcar cities. Is this REALLY a club we want to join?
February 21, 201213 yr Can someone clarify: What utility relocation has already been completed? None, that's what the groundbreaking was for- its all being done together as one project. What utility relocation still needs to be performed? see above :) When will the utility relocation phase be considered complete? I'm pretty sure there won't be a clear cut switch. I'm under the impression they will be starting utility on Elm, then probably race, and perhaps, by the time they finish utility there and move to main and walnut they will begin the overhead wire & track in OTR, etc. This is 90% speculation 10% what I've been told by friends close to the project. When will the first section of track be constructed? See above. Thanks. I only asked because someone implied that some of the utility work happening downtown over the past year was streetcar-related.
February 21, 201213 yr I guess somebody forgot to inform COAST that Leningrad hasn't been "Leningrad" since 1991. Or for that matter, that the Cold War ended that same year.
February 21, 201213 yr Looks like COAST is now trying the "Streetcars are Communist" angle COAST @GOCOAST · Open #1-Leningrad #2-Budapest #3-Prague #4-Warsaw #5-Moscow, world's top streetcar cities. Is this REALLY a club we want to join? Ummm....I've been to all of those cities except Leningrad Saint Petersburg. YES! I would LOVE to be a part of that club. Besides...Communism is SO 20th Century. If he's trying to keep up with the Tea Party he should be labeling it Socialist. Whatever, COAST...
February 21, 201213 yr Looks like COAST is now trying the "Streetcars are Communist" angle COAST @GOCOAST · Open #1-Leningrad #2-Budapest #3-Prague #4-Warsaw #5-Moscow, world's top streetcar cities. Is this REALLY a club we want to join? Ummm....I've been to all of those cities except Leningrad Saint Petersburg. YES! I would LOVE to be a part of that club. Besides...Communism is SO 20th Century. If he's trying to keep up with the Tea Party he should be labeling it Socialist. Whatever, COAST... Socialist and Muslim are interchangeable.
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