Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood helped kick off construction Feb. 17 for a new 3.9-mile streetcar line in Cincinnati. Peter M. Rogoff, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory joined him at the event.

The modern streetcar will connect Cincinnati’s riverfront and downtown employers with Findlay Market and the Over-the Rhine historic district, revitalizing neighborhoods along the route and giving people greater mobility and access to jobs and services. The new service is expected to spur the city’s efforts to revitalize the downtown core by improving access to major employers, the developing riverfront, and many area attractions.

“All across America, there is work like this to be done that will improve our transit systems, highways, railways, airports and ports for years to come. At this make-or-break moment for the middle class, we can afford to do no less,” LaHood said.  “In city after city, we’ve seen the unmistakable proof that transit transforms communities, revives aging downtown centers, creates jobs, and improves the quality of life for hard-working families.  I couldn't be happier for the community of Cincinnati; working together to move this transformative project down the track is a tremendous achievement.”  He added:  “But the need for better transportation options and economic development doesn't end in Cincinnati.  That's why we're calling on Congress to pass a long-term transportation jobs bill that gets Americans back to work on more projects across the nation like this one.” 

“The Cincinnati streetcar line fits perfectly with the city’s vision to transform the riverfront into a vibrant and desirable destination, while improving access to jobs and attractions like the Great American Ballpark and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center,” Rogoff added. “In Cincinnati, and all across Ohio, people need to know they can count on the funds being available for future transit projects like this that offer an alternative to sitting in traffic or paying more at the pump.”

DOT is contributing a total of $39.9 million to the streetcar project, including $10.9 million in Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery funds; $25 million from FTA’s Urban Circulator grant program; and $4 million from a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant. Local funding sources are covering the remaining cost of the project.

FTA Administrator Peter M. Rogoff, second from left, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, third from left, help break ground for the new modern streetcar in Cincinnati.

 

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