Transcript Slide 1

2011 Transit Initiatives and Communities Conference
June 21, 2011
How Cincinnati is
Building a Streetcar?
• Our Streetcar Project
• Building Public Support
• Challenges that we face
Recent Major Projects in Cincinnati
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The Banks Project
Riverfront Park
Fountain Square
Over-the-Rhine Renaissance
Great American Tower
Why should we build a Streetcar in Cincinnati?
• 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
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:
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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)
Financing
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)
First Segment Impacts
Creates 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:
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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
Operations
Estimated 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 2009
Cincinnatian’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
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
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
Stalemate
Council 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
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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?