Cincinnati Street Car Design

[lawildcat]

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.[ATTACH=CONFIG]51911[/ATTACH]

 

Looks kind of like the Southbank shuttle that currently runs through Cincinnati/Newport/Covington.

[Getslow]

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.

 

Public transit works best as a way to connect densely populated areas with other densely populated areas.

 

I'm as big a public transit advocate as anyone, but I think the jury is still out on just how much transit encourages density and growth in the areas it serves. Personally, I'd like to believe that if Louisville built a north-south streetcar route connecting downtown, Old Louisville, UofL, and the airport that it would be a massive success. I'm confident in it, but I would remain concerned about whether the growth that would be hoped for between Old Louisville and the southern parts of downtown would come to fruition.

[2 Humped Camel]

As someone who works downtown, myself and a lot of my co-workers cannot wait for the streetcar to be up and running. It will open up the ability to have lunch at many great spots in OTR/findley market that are pretty tough to do within an hour as is.

[Habib]

Public transit works best as a way to connect densely populated areas with other densely populated areas.

 

I'm as big a public transit advocate as anyone, but I think the jury is still out on just how much transit encourages density and growth in the areas it serves. Personally, I'd like to believe that if Louisville built a north-south streetcar route connecting downtown, Old Louisville, UofL, and the airport that it would be a massive success. I'm confident in it, but I would remain concerned about whether the growth that would be hoped for between Old Louisville and the southern parts of downtown would come to fruition.

 

From my reading of the proposed route it will connect Clifton (UC) with the Banks with stops in between. That would seem to connect two relatively populated and bustling areas. (It would be a boon to connect it to Newport or NKY, but I imagine the hurdles to doing something like that are byzantine.)

 

I'm not sure if their goal is that the "middle" stops will be catalyzed to grow via transit access. Depending on the effectiveness I'm not sure it would hurt, especially if real estate is cheaper there.

 

I'm not sure how much personal use I would get out of the street car. Maybe if it gets connected to the casino I would use it. Maybe I would go to Clifton more often (with the new soccer club there this is heightened). But I'm wondering how different this is for people actually living in the city.

 

Either way, I don't think it will actually hurt the city, unless they have to uproot the thing within a few years. Most of the outrage about it comes from people who don't live there, pay taxes there, or vote there, and I largely suspect is fueled by a hyperbolic aversion to public transit anyway.

[lawildcat]

From my reading of the proposed route it will connect Clifton (UC) with the Banks with stops in between. That would seem to connect two relatively populated and bustling areas. (It would be a boon to connect it to Newport or NKY, but I imagine the hurdles to doing something like that are byzantine.)

 

I'm not sure if their goal is that the "middle" stops will be catalyzed to grow via transit access. Depending on the effectiveness I'm not sure it would hurt, especially if real estate is cheaper there.

 

I'm not sure how much personal use I would get out of the street car. Maybe if it gets connected to the casino I would use it. Maybe I would go to Clifton more often (with the new soccer club there this is heightened). But I'm wondering how different this is for people actually living in the city.

 

Either way, I don't think it will actually hurt the city, unless they have to uproot the thing within a few years. Most of the outrage about it comes from people who don't live there, pay taxes there, or vote there, and I largely suspect is fueled by a hyperbolic aversion to public transit anyway.

 

It is not going up to Clifton (UC) at this point in time even though that was the original plan. Not enough money.

[Getslow]

It is not going up to Clifton (UC) at this point in time even though that was the original plan. Not enough money.

 

So at this point it's basically north/south from The Banks up to Findlay Market or so?

[lawildcat]

So at this point it's basically north/south from The Banks up to Findlay Market or so?

 

Yes.

[lawildcat]

Design & Route - Streetcar

[HammerTime]

From my reading of the proposed route it will connect Clifton (UC) with the Banks with stops in between. That would seem to connect two relatively populated and bustling areas. (It would be a boon to connect it to Newport or NKY, but I imagine the hurdles to doing something like that are byzantine.)

 

 

There is already a bridge that is used for walking only that they could use to swing over to NKY.

[Habib]

It is not going up to Clifton (UC) at this point in time even though that was the original plan. Not enough money.

 

I guess I'm out of the loop.

 

(Ha! Do you guys like my street car pun?!)

[Habib]

There is already a bridge that is used for walking only that they could use to swing over to NKY.

 

I'm thinking more like signing agreements between the two cities (or KY) and all the headache that will cause. I also imagine Kentuckians immolating themselves on the proposed bridge route in protest of it.

[HammerTime]

I'm thinking more like signing agreements between the two cities (or KY) and all the headache that will cause. I also imagine Kentuckians immolating themselves on the proposed bridge route in protest of it.

You are likely right. If you want to bring some new money and new people to each area that's the way to do it. I think people would be much more likely to ride the street car over each way. If I have to drive and park downtown to use the street car what is the point? I doesn't go far enough to make it worth it. This thing is going to be operating wayyyy in the red. That will cause it to fold long before it could ever reach it's real potential with an expansion IMO.

[Getslow]

You need residents for it to work. Very few visitors to downtown or OTR will ride the thing unless they're staying at a hotel. Nobody's driving in from the suburbs to hop on a train just to have to take the train back to wherever the car is.

 

I know residential life in OTR is booming, but I just hope it's enough.

[Getslow]

You need residents for it to work. Very few visitors to downtown or OTR will ride the thing unless they're staying at a hotel. Nobody's driving in from the suburbs to hop on a train just to have to take the train back to wherever the car is.

 

I know residential life in OTR is booming, but I just hope it's enough.

 

The other alternative to this is a suburban express connection with parking lots.

 

A big stop somewhere down off I-71 near Hyde Park or something where folks can drop their cars in a protected lot and not have to drive downtown like the Metro in DC or something. Would be extremely functional on game days.

 

But that is a MUCH larger project and the usage numbers had better be on point or you're looking at a real mess. You're also now looking at a full rail transit system and not a simple intraurban streetcar.

[Getslow]

Hey Louisvillians, this used to exist. As a frequent visitor to Germantown and someone looking to possibly buy a home there in the near future, this would have been amazing. I wish it was still around.