Cincinnati takes major step towards building modern streetcar system

Published June 16, 2009 at 12:00 a.m.
CincinnatiMayor Mark Mallory and City Manager Milton Dohoney announced that thecity has selected the Cincinnati Streetcar Development Partners as theteam that will help finance, plan, design, construct, operate andmaintain Cincinnati's modern streetcar system.

The announcementwas made at the new Rookwood Pottery headquarters in historicOver-the-Rhine. The location is what will be the northern end of theDowntown/OTR circulator which will serve to connect Uptown to thecenter city. Rookwood Pottery is an "enthusiastic" supporter of theCincinnati Streetcar project and was more than happy to welcome thecouple hundred people that showed up to hear the news.

The crowdwas not only robust, but diverse as well. Representatives from theOver-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce, various City of Cincinnatidepartments, Model Group, Cincinnati Beer Company, Metro, Cincy EnergyAlliance, Mercantile Library, Hodges Law Group, Downtown CincinnatiInc. and a slew of local business owners and investors were on hand toshow their support.

The excitement was notable as Mayor Malloryand City Manager Dohoney arrived. The crowd was buzzing in anticipationof what was to be announced. This excitement continued as a large groupof attendees walked over to Market Wines at Findlay Market to continuethe conversation.

CincinnatiStreetcar Development Partners is made up of twelve companies that eachspecialize in a different aspect that will help lead to the successfulimplementation of the streetcar system. The team is made up of localand non-local companies that have been involved with roughly 80 percentof all recent streetcar and light rail projects in the United States,including projects in San Francisco, New York City, Atlanta, Portland,Seattle and Cleveland.

Members of the team have also beeninvolved with local projects such as Great American Ballpark, theNational Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the restructuring ofFort Washington Way - which came in on time and under budget.

One of the companies represented is Stacy and Witbeck Inc.(SWI) who is considered to be the "premier streetcar and passengertransit rail construction company in the United States." Thereinvolvement in the Cincinnati Streetcar project will be their first inthe Midwest. As a result, SWI will open a new office downtown andrelocate their executives to Cincinnati specifically for this project.

Theteam will also consist of local companies including Jostin ConcreteConstruction, DNK Architects, Megan Construction Company, PropertyAdvisors, Wordsworth Communications and G.J. Berding Inc. TheCincinnati Streetcar Development Partners will be led by Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc.(PB) who will also serve as the project manager. PB has led severallocal transit projects in the past and has a sterling record.

Thecity currently has $78 million in requests to the federal government,which, according to City Manager Dohoney, will be absolutely necessaryin the implementation of the Cincinnati Streetcar system.

Reportsin April cited that millions of private dollars have been raised thusfar. According to the city's Budget Director, Explore Cincinnati alsodiscovered several organizations have been raising private funds thathave not yet been deposited into the city's account for the project.

Thisrevised funding strategy is a response to the national economicdownturn say city officials. The city has also established a new website for the Cincinnati Streetcar that also includes an online location where streetcar supporters can make private contributions to the project.

Theselection of the team that will design, build and operate theCincinnati Streetcar system is a major step forward for the project.

"Theleaders of this city are taking this city's future seriously," saysprogram manager Fred Craig who continues, "we are seeing a newgeneration working to make Cincinnati a better place."

Craigwent on to say that he and the development team welcome community inputand emphasized that this is a project that should be driven by thecommunity. Craig went as far as to say that if you have any suggestionsregarding the project that you should call him personally and let himknow (513-639-2100).

Writer: Randy Simes
Source: City of Cincinnati
Photography by Randy Simes and Scott Beseler



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