COAST is in full propaganda mode ala Joseph Goebbels on their blog and elsewhere on the net, insinuating that Duke's $130Million rate increase is solely due to the Streetcar.

 

^ Let's see if the Enquirer has the intellectual honesty to call them on this.

Not to derail this thread with non-streetcar news/discussion, but I found the end of this rant, and it's anonymous comment, to be hilarious. The pot calling the kettle black.

 

COAST: Rob Richardson's obsession with Smitherman continues

...

"COAST has a few words of advice for Richardson: Move on.  It's over. The NAACP election has been decided.  Chill out.  You lost.  Deal with it.  End the bitterness."

 

 

1 comment:

 

Anonymous January 28, 2013 at 8:41 AM

COAST's obsession with Streetcar continues

 

Here are a few words of advice for COAST: Move on. It's over. The Mayor, two City Council, and two ballot initiatives have been decided. Chill out. You lost. Deal with it. End the bitterness.

 

 

The Enquirer's front-page story on the Smitherman-COAST link appeared a full five years after CityBeat first raised the alarm.  This whole time The Enquirer has had the power to destroy Smitherman and COAST but even now they are refraining from it. 

After checking around some more today, I'm really confident that things are quickly coming together on several fronts for the streetcar.

 

COAST is a sideshow at this point. And not a very good one.

You keep alluding to coming 'big news'.... I can't wait to hear it!

So what you're saying is that the reports of the streetcar won't be up and running until 2016 have been greatly exaggerated? Shocker.

One thing's for certain: if there's good news about the street car, Biased Barry Horstman and the Fair and Balanced Enquirer won't be reporting it.

This morning on 550, a representative from Delhi Township was on pleading for residents to pass a property tax hike to make up for revenue lost by the elimination of Ohio's estate tax.  Host Brian Thomas countered with a demand that the township "man up" and move to a volunteer fire department.  He returned to the theme that firefighters who demand payment are wimps, then had a caller who said the department should sell its new fire truck instead of raise taxes.

 

It's tough to imagine a county transit tax passing in an environment where this kind of nonsense still prevails.

I heard last night from a reputable source that there was a chance that Duke might revise its schedules shaving off a few months as they realize they were being incredibly conservative, but this person, who is very close to the project, said the idea of an all star game opening is still a huge challenge and is still unlikely. Every modern streetcar has opened late due to delays either with vehicles or utilities. For example, I was told nearly everything we are buying has yet to be made. The poles to hold the hypertension wire, the wire itself, the rails, these things don't sit in a Streetcar Walmart & you just grab them off a shelf. They have to be built after you order them. The federal government finally gave the city final clearance to move forward two months ago, but they still check on everything along the way slowing things down more.

 

I think a polite campaign to Duke (and maybe also bob castellini of the Reds) saying, lets get this done by the all star game to show off cincinnati! Could help.

 

Anyone know who to email at duke about such things?

Anyone know who to email at duke about such things?

 

I don't think that's necessary.

I heard last night from a reputable source that there was a chance that Duke might revise its schedules shaving off a few months as they realize they were being incredibly conservative, but this person, who is very close to the project, said the idea of an all star game opening is still a huge challenge and is still unlikely. Every modern streetcar has opened late due to delays either with vehicles or utilities. For example, I was told nearly everything we are buying has yet to be made. The poles to hold the hypertension wire, the wire itself, the rails, these things don't sit in a Streetcar Walmart & you just grab them off a shelf. They have to be built after you order them. The federal government finally gave the city final clearance to move forward two months ago, but they still check on everything along the way slowing things down more.

 

I suspect that the city, Duke, the Reds and the downtown business community are now, or soon will be, looking at all of these facts and comparing notes. One thing the city could do is split the project into two parts. Start the OTR piece in a couple of months (bids are due February 8th) and then start a second build somewhere in the CBD where there are the fewest underground conflicts and go from there.

 

The great thing about Cincinnati is that we always seem to align our interests and pull together toward a common objective when a deadline is staring us in the face. A few examples:

 

* Getting Riverfront Stadium finished in time for the 1970 All-Star Game. Actually this isn't a great example because the accelerants they put in the garage concrete caused it to deteriorate faster than it should have. On the other hand, it was the need to spend $75 to $100 million in the mid-1990's to completely rebuild the garage that was the impetus for the new stadiums and with them, as happy by-products, Fort Washington Way and The Banks.

 

* Completing Sawyer Point and Bicentennial Commons in time for the 1988 Bicentennial.

 

* Completing FWW in time for the opening of Paul Brown Stadium. Nobody said this could be done. In fact, the first estimate from city bureaucrats, since thankfully retired, was that it would take fifteen or so years. We did it in five.

 

* Opening Washington Park and getting all the downtown sidewalks repaired in time for the World Choir Games.

 

None of this stuff was perfect. For example, not all of the elevators worked when Riverfront first opened. But they all got done. And I think the streetcar will too. One way or another.

 

 

Obviously if the All-Star Game is on a Tuesday in July so we don't want opening day to be the Sunday right before.  So the target opening date needs to be June 2015.

...start a second build somewhere in the CBD where there are the fewest underground conflicts and go from there.

 

I was having this exact discussion with a mutual friend this past weekend. I would think that all construction south of Third Street (maybe even 4th Street?) could be completed with very little fuss. Granted this is a very small portion of the route, but it would send a clear message to downtown/ballpark visitors that the project is indeed underway.

^ Second and Third Streets were set up for light rail when FWW was rebuilt in the late-1990's.

Discussion of USDOT Secretary LaHood's resignation and possible successors was moved here:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,7852.0.html

 

Carry on. :)

^^ Exactly. Installing rail, catenary poles, and shelter could begin at the same time as the OTR loop.

John, you mentioned the all star game in 2015...Is the city actively trying to make sure this system is running by then?  The first thing I thought of when I heard the announcement that we're hosting, was "I wonder if the streetcar will be done by then."  That would really be a huge help for all those out of town visitors and would really make the city look great in the eyes of the entire country (at least all the baseball fans).

OK, you guys are killing me with your "I can't wait to tell you this...." "OK, but don't share it publicly!" "I didn't really mean to share this on a public forum so I'm going to replace my bombshell piece of news with: ...."

 

And then I'm usually the one who gets to clean up your "...."

 

BTW, this is mostly just a :) for me.

...

;)

It's all good ...

Cross posting from Light Rail news outside of Ohio:

 

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Streetcars-Not-Likely-Before-2014-188913511.html

 

DC Streetcars delayed until 2014.  Rail is in the ground (has been since 2012).  They have 3 streetcars already, stations are built, but they have not been able to install the catenary and power supplies due to delays. This is DC- a transportation department with so much more money and influence than Cincinnati.  They still have delays that the City can't just say "hey guys- lets get this done before the inauguration!" or something.  It's really really really hard and so much of it can't be controlled by the host City. 

 

 

Roxanne Qualls is challenging the city administration to complete the streetcar by the All-Star Game.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2013/01/31/qualls-build-streetcar-in-time-for.html

 

However, this is not the big news that's coming.

However, this is not the big news that's coming.

 

You tease!

He is SUCH a tease!!

As one of the things that might hold up the project might be the manufacture of the vehicles - is the city figuring on starting up with a full fleet or just 1 or 2 cars?

 

We'll need a minimum of three cars to operate any normal service

As one of the things that might hold up the project might be the manufacture of the vehicles - is the city figuring on starting up with a full fleet or just 1 or 2 cars?

 

 

Trying to operate with half the complement of vehicles is really screwing up Portland's system right now.

Smitherman babbled and lied on Brian Thomas show about how the city and Mallory are directly taking money from SORTA to use for the streetcar.  They said that bus routes will be cancelled now.  Then they proceeded to say that Duke is raising prices because of the streetcar

 

Do these opponents ever give up?  Do they just go home and constantly think of new lies to attack the project?  Do they have any lives whatsoever?  Chris Smitherman, Mark Miller, and the rest must literally have no life

^who cares?

Smitherman babbled and lied on Brian Thomas show about how the city and Mallory are directly taking money from SORTA to use for the streetcar.  They said that bus routes will be cancelled now.  Then they proceeded to say that Duke is raising prices because of the streetcar

 

Do these opponents ever give up?  Do they just go home and constantly think of new lies to attack the project?  Do they have any lives whatsoever?  Chris Smitherman, Mark Miller, and the rest must literally have no life

 

Why doesn't Smitherman ever show up to anything that's positive for downtown/OTR, like today's dunnhumby USA groundbreaking? He's never at anything like tree-lightings, groundbreakings, project announcements. The only time you ever hear from him is when he's flaming away on WLW (I'm not sure anyone listens to 55KRC - I sure don't - so he's even more irrelevant there).

Has anyone mentioned on here that the city gave CAF the notice to proceed on building the cars this week?  I just heard that today at lunch and was surprised I didn't notice it on here

Notice to proceed was given to CAF on Friday, commencing construction on the Cincinnati Streetcar fleet.

Cool- must have missed it! I suppose next up is the mystical operating agreement Duke had been insisting on. Hoping that's done in the next week or so!

Smitherman babbled and lied on Brian Thomas show about how the city and Mallory are directly taking money from SORTA to use for the streetcar.  They said that bus routes will be cancelled now.  Then they proceeded to say that Duke is raising prices because of the streetcar

 

Do these opponents ever give up?  Do they just go home and constantly think of new lies to attack the project?  Do they have any lives whatsoever?  Chris Smitherman, Mark Miller, and the rest must literally have no life

 

All of this is good for us long-term. For example, just wait until all these people show up at the hearings on Duke's rate increase next month and find the streetcar is not to blame for it. It will be like the hearing at City Hall last May when Cranley got a bunch of citizens to come down to City Hall to complain that the streetcar was stealing gobs of money from neighborhood programs. Turns out, that wasn't the case. And a lot of people probably felt they had been used.

 

They just keep doubling-down on the anti-streetcar talk. They have made a massive wrong-way bet. It will make our jobs easier down the road.

As one of the things that might hold up the project might be the manufacture of the vehicles - is the city figuring on starting up with a full fleet or just 1 or 2 cars?

 

 

Trying to operate with half the complement of vehicles is really screwing up Portland's system right now.

Do they still have large vacant areas? I'm thinking that since we're loking a 0% ridership currently, we could start up with maybe 1 or 2 cars. 1 would be dicey, tho because a motorist is sure to ram one of these suckers within 6 weeks of operation.

bloody streetcars.....

^ The problem is, since Portland doubled its miles of streetcar track to 15 from 8 without adding any more cars, the headways have gone to something like 17 minutes at peak from under ten. So what used to be a real convenient thing is now kind of a pain. And it's affecting ridership.

 

Portland's first new car was delivered this week and several more are supposed to arrive this spring. But the sure way to sour people on a new streetcar line is open it with too few vehicles.

 

I doubt vehicle delivery will be a problem. CAF is very experienced. Cincinnati is a small order for them.

John my one complaint about the system in Portland was the headways, and that was before the expansion.  I think along long straightaways somebody is much more likely to wait for the streetcar if they can see one coming, even if it's pretty far in the distance.  We'll have that on the straightaways downtown and above 12th St. 

Barry has been busy today...

Not only does Biased Barry hate the Streetcar, he hates *covering* the Streetcar too.

Barry has been busy today...

 

Poor guy... God forbid he has to research a document written at a literacy level above that of a COAST press release. What a rough life.

 

Funny how all the naysayers have spent years screaming "this project needs further study!" and "we simply don't have enough information!" And then when they're presented with the binders full of information they claim doesn't exist, they scream "that's too much to read and it's all written in a way that makes my head hurt!"

^ Truer words have never been spoken. Today at least.

^^Hear Hear!!

Mayor Mallory blocked and shut down yet another attempt by Smitherman to ban Duke's funds from being used for Streetcar construction costs (undoubtedly penned by Smitherman's puppetmaster Finney). TOAST is furious about it and lashing out on their sad blog:

 

"Christopher Smitherman has introduced a resolution before the Council opposing this cash-grab from City residents. Using what Smitherman claims is an illegal procedure in violation of the Charter, Mayor Mallory refuses to allow the proposal to even come to a vote before the Council.

 

Of course, there are six lemmings on the Council that slavishly obey each dictate of the Mayor, so even if the proposal saw the light of day, it would fail, but at least we could get these Council members on the record for selling out their own voters for the sake of their beloved trolley.

 

Remember in November! "

 

Oh we *will* remember, that John Cranley is another anti-City, anti-progress obstructionist.

Barry has been busy today...

...And then when they're presented with the binders full of information they claim doesn't exist, they scream "that's too much to read and it's all written in a way that makes my head hurt!"

 

The only binders Horstman and his buddies like are full of women.

Barry has been busy today...

...And then when they're presented with the binders full of information they claim doesn't exist, they scream "that's too much to read and it's all written in a way that makes my head hurt!"

 

The only binders Horstman and his buddies like are full of women.

 

LOLZ!!

 

 

The  mayor and city manager have an important annoucement this afternoon. Duke?

After how many years - Cranley now cautions against 'rushing' the project.

""No matter the motivation, rushing to complete the streetcar while there are millions of dollars in unresolved issues and a looming mayoral election is just not a good idea," he said in a statement."

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2013/02/01/mayor-city-manager-plan-cincinnati.html

Mayor to Announce deal with Duke and have the Streetcar up and running by the All Star game in 2015

 

The mayor is holding a 1 p.m. news conference. News 5's John London said that Mallory will announce that a deal has been reached with Duke Energy to move utilities to make room for the streetcar.

 

Mallory will also announce that the timeline is being moved up to get the streetcar running by the 2015 All-Star Game at Great American Ballpark.

 

http://www.wlwt.com/news/local-news/cincinnati/Mayor-to-announce-deal-with-Duke-faster-streetcar-timeline/-/13549970/18369218/-/r93uqy/-/index.html?utm_source=Hootsuite&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_campaign=wlwt#comments

As Reds fan Kenny Powers would say:

 

PHENOMENAL!