Is Light Rail in Cincinnati's Future?

Every large city has transportation problems. Every modern large city uses modern technology to address those problems. Compare Mumbai or Bankok to Chicago or Shanghai, for example.

Cincinnati needs to address its traffic and infrastructure issues and plan for the future. If the past is any indication, perhaps we'll see solutions in Northern Kentucky first...

Is light rail the answer? Should Cincinnati use its abandoned subway tunnels? Should street cars figure into the plan?

The city wants to explore the issue and options, and- no surprise here- is looking to hire consultants to draw up a report.

The Cincinnati Department of Transportation & Engineering wants to know how much the 80-year-old tunnels are worth, the cost to bring them up to today's building codes and the feasibility of using them for a modern subway system. The city also is looking at extending the system south to Third Street.

If that doesn't work, one option is to abandon the tubes and stations and fill them in, according to the city's request to potential consultants for the study... City officials are loath to take such a drastic step, because of what it would cost to build the tunnels today.

[Enquirer...]

Light rail hasn't had much public support around here in the past, and it's doubtful that that has changed much in 10 years. The first step should be marketing the idea, then the plan(s).