The latest and greatest in the continually failing saga of the Cincinnati Street Car:

 

The Cincinnati Fire Department has come forward and stated that they weren't ever brought into the discussion about the design for the streetcar power-wires. Now that they're finally getting to put their eyes on things after having them built and in place, firefighters are unclear as to whether or not they will be able to maneuver their aerial gear around the wires if they have to reach the upper floors of any of the buildings along the streetcar route in the case of an emergency.

Looks like HDR Decision Economics and Parsons Brinckerhoff missed that detail in their feasibility study, SORTA overlooked it, and the City of Cincinnati overlooked it. Nice work, morons. :ohbrother:

 

Firefighters concerned about streetcar wires

 

Good job firefighter leadership. Nothing like waiting three years until the system is built to speak up and say something

As someone who grew up in NKY and now lives in Cincy, I will say things in Cincy have improved 1000% the last 10 years. The Banks and downtown and OTR are dramatically improved. I like the casino.

 

HOWEVER, the street car is truly one of the dumbest things I have ever heard of- especially for a city in red ink. Why not just build buses that look like street cars and not have to tear up half the city and also be able to easily move the routes if deemed necessary. This thing was doomed from the start - politicians spending money they did not have for something stupid...imagine that...

 

Cincinnati's downtown is better than it has ever been in my lifetime. Go down there any night. It is booming. As to the supposed streetcar boondoggle, I just saw where a puny lot in downtown sold for 1.1 million dollars. I wonder why that happened.

As someone who grew up in NKY and now lives in Cincy, I will say things in Cincy have improved 1000% the last 10 years. The Banks and downtown and OTR are dramatically improved. I like the casino.

 

HOWEVER, the street car is truly one of the dumbest things I have ever heard of- especially for a city in red ink. Why not just build buses that look like street cars and not have to tear up half the city and also be able to easily move the routes if deemed necessary. This thing was doomed from the start - politicians spending money they did not have for something stupid...imagine that...

 

Cincinnati's downtown is better than it has ever been in my lifetime. Go down there any night. It is booming. As to the supposed streetcar boondoggle, I just saw where a puny lot in downtown sold for 1.1 million dollars. I wonder why that happened.

 

I took two of my sister-in-laws downtown recently. They are like most people constantly complaining about what a mess downtown is. After spending the evening down there they were amazed by Cincinnati's downtown

Maybe the lot sold for 1.1 million because the buyer thinks the city leaders will buy it for 3 million so the streetcar can turn around there. The streetcar will fail miserably especially in this age of Uber. There is absolutely no reason to use it for transportation.

Good job firefighter leadership. Nothing like waiting three years until the system is built to speak up and say something

 

So it's the firefighters fault they weren't allowed in on the discussions ?

Cincinnati's downtown is better than it has ever been in my lifetime. Go down there any night. It is booming. As to the supposed streetcar boondoggle, I just saw where a puny lot in downtown sold for 1.1 million dollars. I wonder why that happened.

 

I took two of my sister-in-laws downtown recently. They are like most people constantly complaining about what a mess downtown is. After spending the evening down there they were amazed by Cincinnati's downtown

 

Keep fighting the good fight of the shrinking minority defending the street car.

The number of people they need riding this thing on a daily basis is some huge amount just to cover the cost for 1 year. This thing will

be nothing more than a huge white elephant thay travels back

and forth empty after awhile.

 

Cincinnati needs a mass

transit solution but this isn't it. I really wish they would

have visited places like Vancouver BC to see how it should be done.

Good job firefighter leadership. Nothing like waiting three years until the system is built to speak up and say something

 

I was thinking about this thread on my drive home from work this evening and the same thought occurred to me. I guess my question in the situation would be whether or not they had ever been invited or asked t review the plans or not, and whether or not the opportunity for their review of the plans was even there.

Ha...build it to look like a street car, not like a Metro or Tank Bus. Then the thing can go wherever people want it to go, not the limited area it will go now. I am not saying it is a good idea but I am saying that it is a better idea than the street car...

 

Where we vacation in Michigan, they use these more for sightseeing tours. Capacity may not be as much as a Metro bus, but they may be able to negotiate traffic a little bit better too.

Maybe the lot sold for 1.1 million because the buyer thinks the city leaders will buy it for 3 million so the streetcar can turn around there. The streetcar will fail miserably especially in this age of Uber. There is absolutely no reason to use it for transportation.

 

Every person I know that lives downtown cannot wait for the streetcar to be finished. That is one big reason for the streetcar - make downtown a place where more people want to live.

So it's the firefighters fault they weren't allowed in on the discussions ?

 

Did you read the article?

It still is a huge waste of money. No reason to spend that much on something that doesn't give you any benefit. I'll stick with über/Taxi/Walking before I even think of using that thing down there.

 

The main problem is it only effects the people who actually live downtown. And that population is way in the minority compared to the suburbs. They needed a system like St. Louis that can connect the whole area to downtown, not just the people in a mile wide circle. I don't think anyone is going to drive and park downtown just to issue the street car to get places. They'll drive to their destination and leave.

 

Stupid waste of money, and one of the reasons I'm glad I live in NKY vs living in Hamilton county.

Every person I know that lives downtown cannot wait for the streetcar to be finished. That is one big reason for the streetcar - make downtown a place where more people want to live.

 

Please tell me from a financial point of view how the ROI makes sense . It doesn't touch near enough areas . It's putting lipstick on a pig .

 

If the tri-state area wants to come together and build a rail system that would be efficient. But they can't even build a bridge.

 

I know it's the federal govt job for infrastructure on I-75 , but what lunacy for Cincinnati to look for a better solution for Brent Spence when they are flushing cash down the toilet with this project.

Maybe the lot sold for 1.1 million because the buyer thinks the city leaders will buy it for 3 million so the streetcar can turn around there. The streetcar will fail miserably especially in this age of Uber. There is absolutely no reason to use it for transportation.

Not with it's current route.

The explosion of Uber changes the math a little bit. I'm still not as down on it as most people are though. An effective way of connecting the city is a good thing. They key is whether this will prove effective.