In Cincinnati, voters have defeated an attempt to block the city's new streetcar, which now will move forward and could be operational as early as 2013. The new streetcar will link downtown and the uptown district around the University.
According to Kaid Benfield, "the streetcar will help tremendously because it will not only be a sustainable form of transportation to jobs and amenities but also attract investment near its stops, due to the of the permanence of its fixed route. One would think this would be a no-brainer."
Not only will the streetcar serve two significant centers, downtown and the uptown district, but Benfield says, "it will serve and help renew the wonderful historic district of Over-the-Rhine, which only a decade ago had fallen into such serious disinvestment and abandonment that 90 percent of its properties had become vacant and at least one survey called it the most dangerous neighborhood in America."
Kevin Osborne, reporter for the CityBeat writes, "Studies have indicated the local streetcar system would spark nearly $1.4 billion in new development on vacant and dilapidated properties along its route."
FULL STORY: Cincinnati -Joining National Trend- Will Get A Streetcar
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