11.11.2007

11/26/07: Streetcar Financing Plan

DATE CHANGED: On Monday, November 26th at 1:00p, the financing plan for the Streetcar will be presented to City Council's Finance Committee (Cincinnati City Hall, 801 Plum Street). While the streetcar has a lot of intrinsic support, people do ask, "So how will we pay for it?"

Our city plans to build the Streetcar's initial two miles (four miles round-trip) from 2nd and Main to 20th and Elm with 100% local money and not rely on other jurisdictions of government for funding. This investment can later be used as the local match for securing Federal transit funds to build the next extension of the Streetcar to Uptown, the planning of which will commence early next year. It's a clever strategy that enables Cincinnati to get rails in the ground quickly, show success, and then leverage that success into a more extensive system.