Mallory: Free Metro rides to link teens, Kings Island jobs

[Browntggrr]

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stor...ml?ana=from_rss

[Gordon Bombay]

If only they would build the I-71 above ground light rail line...

[Browntggrr]

^ Has there been talk of such a thing?

[Gordon Bombay]

A couple of times. The plan was first thought of during the construction of Paul Brown stadium in which an above ground rail line or monorail would run from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport to downtown, then along I-71 out to Kings Mills, Mason, and Kings Island with stops along the way. The line, if proven to be successful would hopefully spur the expansion of rapid transit in the Queeen City. However, due to poor management of the Paul Brown Stadium and much higher than anticipated cost, the plan was axed. The last time it was brought up was in 2002 when METRO borrowed the idea for the rail lines they hoped to create. The I-71 line would be the first line built running from downtown to Blue Ash, then with expansions to CVG and out towards Kings Mills as well as a 2nd line to run from Clifton/U.C. to Over the Rhine and downtown. The plan was estimated to cost around 2.6 billion dollars alone and take over 30 years to complete. Although funds would be provided by the state, city, taxes, and the federal government, the county had already had two very signifigant tax increases for both new stadiums and the freedom center, all of which ran way over budget and the halted start of the Vine St. renovations and Banks's project caused vote for Metro's light rail plan to fail miserably. Here is what the metro light rail line would have looked like when completed...

In both the original subway plans of 1927 and the modern 2002 plans of Metro, the subway rail lines would be shared with interurban streetcars that could jump from the light rail lines, onto city streets and about town. As part of the new Vine St. renovations (OTR revitilization) and the Banks project, a street car line has been approved from Cincinnati. These street cars will run from the banks, up Vine street, to Clifton and U.C. Many hope this is the start of what will hopefully be light rail in Cincinnati soon. With the increasing economic growth of Blue Ash and Mason, many business' there are still pushing for a commuter subway line to run along I-71 to downtown and the airport as it would be a vital artery for Cincinnati business.

Meanwhile the original subway still sits there, half finished, abandoned, and even if a new subway does come full circle....not likely to be used again...

-Sorry for the rant and thread hijack brown, but you did ask lol. I have been researching Cincinnati light rail heavily lately.

[Browntggrr]

^ Actually that is some pretty intresting information.

And in all reality, $2.6 billion is a ton of cash, but with today's gas prices combined with greenhouse gasses created from automoblie exhaust, it really is not all that much.

[WooferBearATL]

^ Actually that is some pretty intresting information.

And in all reality, $2.6 billion is a ton of cash, but with today's gas prices combined with greenhouse gasses created from automoblie exhaust, it really is not all that much.

No, No, It really is a lot of money.

And it really is a lot of money that the government should not feel entitled to take from the people.

And hence why it has never been successful on any ballot initiative in Ohio.

I'm all for light rail if a business thinks that it's beneficial and wants to privately subsidize.

[Browntggrr]

I'm thinking more long term, like how much money will this save the bus system over the next 30 years if done correctly.

Only 1/3 of Go Metro's revenue come from actual riders. The rest comes from local, state, and federal tax revenue.

[Purplehaze]

Cincy's Subway

[flightoffear1996]

I think a light rail or soemthign would be great for Kings Island and downtown. Think of all the people from Mason that woudl be more likely to go and watch a reds game or bengals game cause they could get there in a much quicker time and not deal with the traffic. This is what the city needs more so than a new stadium. Cincinnati needs to get there heads out of the asses before Newport takes over.

[Gordon Bombay]

I think a light rail or soemthign would be great for Kings Island and downtown. Think of all the people from Mason that woudl be more likely to go and watch a reds game or bengals game cause they could get there in a much quicker time and not deal with the traffic. This is what the city needs more so than a new stadium. Cincinnati needs to get there heads out of the asses before Newport takes over.

What do the Red's have to do with Newport? There's no competing baseball team or sports attraction directly across the river. If anything, they benefit from having Newport right over there. Now if only the city would have planned better and had the Bank's project underway and completed, Cincinnati may be doing a lot better.

I'm thinking more long term, like how much money will this save the bus system over the next 30 years if done correctly.

Only 1/3 of Go Metro's revenue come from actual riders. The rest comes from local, state, and federal tax revenue.

With the rising cost of oil and increasing environmental awareness, it would not surprise me if we see Cincinnati spring for light rail. When I used to work in Mason I would often have to take 71 south past the Reagan highway, through Kenwood, and eventually to Downtown at about 4:30 when I got off work. These corridors get very crowded and allowed me to listen to a lot of great music while I crawled along. However, Metro buses are permitted to drive in the emergency lane during certain hours when it is extremely crowded on the highway. In a recent survey, the governments of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana found that the Cincinnati regional highway infrastructure (I-74, I-75, I-275, etc.) will be operating dangerously close to "service level F," meaning they are failing in their mission to provide adequite transportation routes for people and goods. Hopefully this is some drive to get Cincinnati and its outlying areas to push for light rail to reduce stress on the highways. 2.6 billion dollars sounds like a lot, but if you have ever seen the inter-cincinnati highway system and remember the hassle of the re-done Fort Washington Way, 2.6 billion dollars may be the cheaper option.

[CoastersNSich]

Of course, consider that gas prices in 2002 were half the price of what they are today. In addition, this plan would have been "one big gulp."

[WooferBearATL]

I think a light rail or soemthign would be great for Kings Island and downtown. Think of all the people from Mason that woudl be more likely to go and watch a reds game or bengals game cause they could get there in a much quicker time and not deal with the traffic. This is what the city needs more so than a new stadium. Cincinnati needs to get there heads out of the asses before Newport takes over.

What do the Red's have to do with Newport? There's no competing baseball team or sports attraction directly across the river. If anything, they benefit from having Newport right over there. Now if only the city would have planned better and had the Bank's project underway and completed, Cincinnati may be doing a lot better.

I'm thinking more long term, like how much money will this save the bus system over the next 30 years if done correctly.

Only 1/3 of Go Metro's revenue come from actual riders. The rest comes from local, state, and federal tax revenue.

With the rising cost of oil and increasing environmental awareness, it would not surprise me if we see Cincinnati spring for light rail. When I used to work in Mason I would often have to take 71 south past the Reagan highway, through Kenwood, and eventually to Downtown at about 4:30 when I got off work. These corridors get very crowded and allowed me to listen to a lot of great music while I crawled along. However, Metro buses are permitted to drive in the emergency lane during certain hours when it is extremely crowded on the highway. In a recent survey, the governments of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana found that the Cincinnati regional highway infrastructure (I-74, I-75, I-275, etc.) will be operating dangerously close to "service level F," meaning they are failing in their mission to provide adequite transportation routes for people and goods. Hopefully this is some drive to get Cincinnati and its outlying areas to push for light rail to reduce stress on the highways. 2.6 billion dollars sounds like a lot, but if you have ever seen the inter-cincinnati highway system and remember the hassle of the re-done Fort Washington Way, 2.6 billion dollars may be the cheaper option.

You may want to look at the surveys that have been done in cities that have installed light rail.

[Browntggrr]

Pros & cons for both ideas:

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sustainable...463522630488700

http://bicycleaustin.info/rail/monorail.html

http://www.jtaonthemove.com/rts1/pdf/BRT-L...0Comparison.pdf

http://www.reason.org/pu16.pdf

http://www.friends4expo.org/lrp922.htm

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/li...rail_or_brt.php