2011 Transit Initiatives and Communities ConferenceJune 21, 2011

How Cincinnati is Building a Streetcar?

• Our Streetcar Project

• Building Public Support

• Challenges that we face

Recent Major Projects in Cincinnati

• The Banks Project• Riverfront Park• Fountain Square • Over-the-Rhine Renaissance• Great American Tower

• Reverse Population Trends and Grow– More people paying taxes = More tax

revenue for other city priorities.

• Encourage private development.• Create Jobs• Return 92 acres and more than 500 vacant

buildings into tax-producing properties• Connect our assets• Attract young professionals• Provide an urban amenity• Begin a larger transportation system

Why should we build a Streetcar in Cincinnati?

Cincinnati’s Streetcar History

• 1889 – First electric streetcar in Cincinnati

• April 29, 1951 – Last electric streetcar was shut down

Cincinnati’s Population

• Cincinnati’s population increased uninterrupted from 1890 to 1950.

• 296,900 to 503,998

• Cincinnati’s population has decreased from 1950 to 2010.

• Back to 296,943

What are we building?

• 3.1 mile Downtown circulator loop

• 15 stops• With a 1 mile future connector to Uptown• University and Hospitals

• Connecting our 2 largest employment centers• Uptown – 60,000 jobs• Downtown – 70,000 jobs

• Phased implementation

Original Plan:

River to the

University

First segment connects:

• Government Square• Fountain Square• Washington Park• Findlay Market• Aronoff Center• Gateway Quarter• Music Hall• Casino

First segment does not initially go to The Banks, or Uptown, but spurs will be added for future extensions

Operating Facts• Runs 18 Hours a day, 365 days a year

• 10 minutes wait time/20 minutes off –peak

• 5 vehicles

• Uses a single overhead catenary wire to minimize visual impacts

• Operated by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (Also operate our buses)

Cost to Build: $95 million Revenue Secured: $ 99.5 million• Urban Circulator Grant• OKI Grant • Metropolitan Planning Organization

• City Bond Financing• Private funding (Duke Energy)

Financing

First Segment ImpactsCreates jobs•Est. 310 construction for revised route•Est. 25-30 for ongoing operations

Elevate 92 acres to higher and better use

Accelerate housing and commercial development (500 vacant buildings)

It Will Raise Property Values

• The streetcar will raise commercial property values along the line by as high as 8.8%

• This is based on documented results from transit systems in other cities like:

• Los Angeles• St. Louis• San Jose• San Diego• Dallas

It Will Stimulate Development• Redevelopment in vacant

buildings & new development on vacant lots: – over 1,300 potential new

residential units in currently vacant buildings

– New active storefronts

– Potential redevelopment of over 90 acres of existing parking lots along the route

It Will Grow the Local Economy

• Over 3,700 people will ride the streetcar each day in the first year.

• It will connect patrons to storefronts – grocery stores, dry cleaners, restaurants, bars, and shops along the route.

• For every $1 spent on the project, the local economy will realize a $3 return.

Total Investment:$95.5 million dollars

Total Economic Impact:$1.3 billion dollars

13 to 1 ratio

Possible Phase 2 routes

•University of Cincinnati•Environmental Protection Agency•University Hospital•University Medical College•Cincinnati Children’s•Cincinnati Zoo

Possible Future Vision of Public Transportation in Cincinnati

OperationsEstimated annual operating cost: $2.5 million

Funding Sources:• Casino revenue – up to $3 million• Parking Meter revenue – $400,000• Fare Box - $465,000 - $675,000• Naming Rights, Sponsored stops – $200,000• Conservative estimate

• Establish operating reserve - $2.0-3.0 M

Next Steps:• Environmental Process Complete• Finding Of No Significant Impact issued on June 10

• Signed agreement with SORTA to be the designated recipient of federal funds

• Design work on-going• Finalizing Car Procurement• Researching Hybrid Vehicle

• Working with utilities on relocation issues

Trending Nationally

At least 80 other cities are pursuing streetcars– St. Louis– Tucson– Charlotte– Dallas– Salt Lake City– Detroit– Atlanta– New Orleans

How did we build support for the Streetcar Project?

Building Support

14 different studies since 1998 have recommended building a streetcar in order to drive economic development.

In 2007, HDR did a feasibility study of building a Streetcar in Cincinnati.

Major Milestones• 2007, City Council directed the City Administration

to move forward on building a Streetcar. • Early 2010, Cincinnati won $15 million in State

funding • Spring 2010, City Council passed approval for $64

million in bond financing• Summer 2010, $25 million Urban Circulator Grant• Winter 2010, additional $37 million State Grant

Public Outreach• 39 public presentations, forums, and open

houses since 2007.• In 2009, 11 City sponsored public meetings• 20 meetings with business stakeholders

representing local banks, hospitals, universities, corporations, and utilities.

• February 2011, 6,000 informational postcards mailed to citizens and businesses within a three block radius of the streetcar route.

Challenges faced

• Issue 9•Governor• Changing Council•New Ballot Initiative

Opponents• COAST – the Coalition Opposed to Additional

Spending and Taxes• Local tea party group that pre-dates the tea party

• NAACP – local chapter• City Unions• One former Congressman

Issue 9 in 2009• Ballot initiative to require a vote each time the

City wanted to spend money on ANY rail transportation project.

• They tried to frame it as only about the Streetcar

• Too Clever

Issue 9 in 2009Cincinnatian’s For Progress• Local coalition formed to defeat the ballot

initiative• Framed the debate in terms of jobs and

development – “Progress”• Built a broad base of support across the

community. Over 100 endorsements.• Raised $200,000 to defeat the initiative

Governor Kasich elected in 2010.

Not a rail supporter• Gave back $400 million for Cincinnati to Cleveland high

speed rail

Pulls back $52 million in promised State funding – Hoping to kill the project

Governor

State Legislation

House Bill 114 – amendment to transportation budget bill.• Bans the use of State funding for the Cincinnati

Streetcar – directly or pass-through funding.

Changing Council• Originally 8-1 in favor of the Streetcar• 7-2 – A Republican member switched because

of pressure from the right• 6-3 – An additional Republican is elected• 5-3 – A member is banned from voting on the

project because of conflicts of interest• 4-4 – A Democrat resigns and appoints a

Republican to replace him

StalemateCouncil has approved moving forward with the Streetcar project

Not a majority to stop the project

So, we are moving forward

November election is important for project/city

New Ballot Initiative• Would ban building a streetcar until 2020.

• Their new strategy is “This isn’t the right time.”• Backers: COAST and NAACP

• City Unions are focused on repealing the anti-union bill passed by the Governor

• Struggling to get signatures– Recall Mayor– No police merger– No garbage fee– Spend casino revenue– Ban Streetcar

• Cincinnatians For Progress is gearing up again

Advice• Expect opposition and be ready for it• Be proud of your project• Don’t apologize for it

• Frame the issue – Jobs and Progress• Find examples of other projects from your history that

had opposition and were successful.• There are always naysayers and they are always wrong

• Find a single strong champion• Stay on message• Ask for help

Questions?