SORTA Goes to 11

This is pretty nuts. SORTA doesn't want to provide their contractually obligated service unless they get more cash. To provide the extra service for a busy weekend they want $20k.
But as councilman Flynn points out the city could charter the additional service for less.
Glad they brought it up 3 days before the weekend....

Streetcar Naming Rights

WC3PO has a survey to see who the streetcar naming rights should go to.
Well,, obviously, the highest bidder but in la la land, who would make the most iconic name?
King Kwik? Hustler? Moerlein? John Cranley? Zoomtown? The Silent Lamb? The Comet? Tom Luken? Western Southern Railway? Trigger?

The Eurofication of Transportation in Cincinnati

Back that trolley up a bit to see the true meaning of this diabolical logo.Not content to have sister cities in socialist foreign countries, now Cincinnati is introducing a logo for their commie style streetcar, so popular with left wing progressives, that masks it's true symbolism - The Euro.
Hell bent on destroying the Godly American life of the freedom loving Americans, Cincinnati is being saddled not only with obsolete transportation options, the liberals want to force the Eurozone currency on us, too. Not all at once, of course, this is just a subliminal way of softening us up to the the corrupt socialist European lifestyle.
Just watch - the conductors will speak French. Don't say I didn't warn you...

Blast from the past

The oft forgot, original streetcar route as envisioned by rail cultists in Cincinnati.

Branding Rail

Typical Transit UserCincinnati's Metro is looking for someone to brand the Cincinnati Streetcar.

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority is seeking proposals for RFP 20-14 for Streetcar Brand Development. Proposal instructions, specifications and contractual terms and conditions may be obtained by contacting SORTA's Procurement Department, Lyndi Bryan at lbryan@go-metro.com.

.
Given the horrors of mass transit, the dangerous route the proposed line might take, the fact that it might even go to Price Hill - I imagine horror should be the main theme. Flames, blood, skulls, ominous music, explosions…
Branding Beat offers this.
The idea of frightening the rider is only half of what they need to do. They need to scare the crap out of every ped, cyclist & motorist that might come into contact with the murderous metal leviathan as it screeches along it's tracks.
I'm tellin' ya maaaaaannn, Horror Sells.

Fascism in Cincinnati

It's frustrating in Cincinnati, well, ok, everywhere how people use terms like conservative, liberal, progressive, etc & conflate Republican with conservative Democrat with liberal.
I remember reading the Fishwarp over at Marge & Les' house in sylvan Mt Auburn about 30 years ago - a noob to the Queen City. I read a story of moralist douche bags forcing their agenda down everybody's throats in some unholy marriage of business & government. I expressed my disappointment and Marge told me, "Yes, Quimbob, Cincinnati is a very conservative town."
"NO!", I retorted, "This isn't conservative. This is fascist!"
Marge chuckled an my naivete.
Dumb ol' broad - still, my introduction to Porktown politics
Anyway, the Cincinnati streetcar turned into a political issue lining up the Republicans & conservatives against the liberals, progressives & divided the Democrats. Why? good question.
In an article over at The American Conservative they bring up:

Trying to divine the reasons why the new mayor so abhorred the streetcar might be a fool’s errand.
Streetcars can and do foster and bind cohesive neighborhoods in ways that buses simply cannot. We conservatives look kindly on streetcars for these very reasons.

The fact is that the local political parties are more like self enriching gangs than representative organizations trying to better the community. To a great extent they actually feed off of one another like a pair of Yin Yahg parasites. Add in self serving entities like CO   , the NA CP, the TEA Baggers with their chest beating & fear mongering and you have a potent stew when it comes to things like the Cincinnati streetcar.
But it's got nothing to do with conservative or liberal.
Is it conservative? Sure it helps build community. Is it socialist? Sure it's a public enterprise. Is it liberal? Sure, users will have to be somewhat accepting of their neighbors. Is it progressive? Sorta. I guess. Elitist? huh?
The American Conservative is Pat Buchanan's baby and has replaced Bill Buckley's National Review as the publication of the traditional conservative American as Bill Kristol has handed over the National Review to the radical neocons, teabaggers & Birchers. In the event of a zombie apocalypse, I imagine Buckley is going to make a beeline to Kristol's place.
I'm guessing most of the people claiming to be conservative in Cincinnati today are really more along the lines of George Wallace Democrats than anything else. A lot of the 'progressive' streetcar supporters I have seen are probably more along the lines of Nixon & Eisenhower Republicans & some of 'em are hardcore capitalists.
The streetcar was never a political issue & the only reason it became one was because self serving groups who saw it's intention as a threat to their own self interests knew they could game the political process to their advantage.
Whatever, maybe they can keep the streetcar running on time.

Streetcar Fares

In a Transportation committee meeting 1/22/14 where committee chair Amy Murray inexplicably expressed surprise at hearing the terms 1A, 1B, and 2 regarding streetcar phases, Metro operations folk announced a fare schedule of $1.75 for 2 hours & $3.50 for 24 hours. Longer term passes were up in the air due to tech advances & incorporating with the bus system possibilities.

Cornered Rats Don't Run

If you are a streetcar supporter heading down to the Cincinnati City Council meting Wednesday, 12/18 @ 1:30 PM, watch your back.
Streetcar foes, like the union thug presidents might get hauled out screaming & cursing or senile old politicians might stage a sit in. People might make throat slashing gestures or certain councilmen might lunge at his opponents. Or maybe a CO   er might think someone is standing too close and freak out on him.
We will see which city employees are dedicated to the city & it's peoples and which are bowing to their union bosses.
These are an irrational, angry, unpredictable lot with violent tendencies and Cranley is pleading with that thuggish horde to show up in force. Believing the fix to be in, they have not shown up at council meetings since the latest junta.
Cranley certainly doesn't have a good reputation for keeping control of his meetings and now that there are "no rules", who knows what bedlam might occur.
Remember, this isn't about money - it's about class warfare, nativism & political control. These people are beyond reason. Due to recent events they will be like cornered rats.
Watch your backs.

The Boy Just Can't Help It

Growing Cities

Cranley's Fractured Fairy Tales

Bad to Bizarre
Interesting that John Cranley doesn't like / trust any of the info that's come out of city hall in the last 8 years except one memo that's 'just right'.
Interesting how he spins his communication with the Feds as if they are acquiescing to him

At our request, they have decided to hold off of on canceling the streetcar project until midnight on December 19th in order to allow the City to make a final decision. I appreciate their patience and collaboration on this important policy decision

When it actually sounds a bit more like a smackdown

[the city has breached the city and SORTA's grant agreement in] an unprecedented action to suspend a federally funded transit project while it is currently under construction. Unless this action is reversed and I receive not later than midnight on Dec. 19, 2013 unequivocal assurances that the city will proceed with the project to completion on the current FTA-approved schedule, FTA will immediately terminate all of its grant obligations for the project and initiate a debt collection action to recover money owed

If this guy was Pinocchio, he'd need a brace of some kind to hold his head up.

More at the Biz Currier

Hundreds of Supporters Rally for Finishing Streetcar

image by NerdyParkerOn Dec 1, 2013, hundreds of Cincinnati Streetcar supporters lined the partially built streetcar line to show their support for finishing the thing and to protest the ego & politically riven efforts to stop it.

image by J. MecklenborgConstruction of the track is coming along nicely & appears to be of good quality. The gauge will also accommodate longer range light rail cars, making the line more extensible, and the boarding platforms will line up with the streetcar floor eliminating the need for slow & costly electronic ramps for wheeled stuff entering / exiting the cars. All in all, a smart, well designed system to be proud of for generations.
Meanwhile, councilman Smitherman still claims to not knowing his brother was involved with the project for the last 4 years, vice mayor Mann claims he needs 'good numbers' while touting the $50k/day construction costs the Fishwarp reported & City Bleat clearly debunked and John Cranley still assumes he can just walk away from the whole deal with no consequences even though CAF & the FTA have been clear to the contrary.
More from Sunday

Why is Chris Smitherman Lying ?

Because it's just what he does? As the late Dean of Cincinnati used to say, he just makes stuff up. Or maybe it's because he's a sociopath & the boy just can't help himself.
The Business Courier reported that Smitherman was surprised to know his brother, Al, thru Jostin Concrete was engaged in building the Cincinnati Streetcar line but to avoid any conflicts of interest, asked his brother to withdraw from working on the project. Offering no evidence, I guess we should just take his word for it.
But Jostin's involvement goes back to 2009 as reported at UrbanCincy. And the Cincinnati Blog dug up this gem on the NA CP websiteChris Smitherman shouldn't have been re-elected - he should have been impeached.

Simpson Spells It Out

The Biz Courier's take

John Cranley - The Mad King

As evidence mounts that John Cranley's obsession with the Cincinnati Streetcar could trigger some disastrous results for the city, the man digs in, like a rabid cornered rat. His lashing out at everybody opposing him as incompetent liars shows a degree of paranoia & vindiveness seen in the likes of Chavez, Stalin, Jim Jones, Hitler, Jong-il, Koresh…
Is Cranley the next name to put on the list?

The Cincinnati Streetcar Controversy

This afternoon John Deatrick, project manager of the Cincinnati streetcar project will lay out the cost of halting the project in it's tracks (sorry).
The problem is, economics isn't the issue. Streetcar opponents haven't had a valid argument in years. This is a political game and a last gasp of an old guard to hang onto power. This is primarily the old 60s Democrats vs. the younger Democrats. Do the old Democrats care if they waste money? Do the establishment Republicans who backed Cranley & some council candidates with fairly clear mental problems?
nope - it's not their money
This is all about power. What did the streetcar supporters argue the streetcar would produce?

• bring new people to Cincinnati
• retain young people in Cincinnati
• re-populate the inner city
• offer opportunity to entrepreneurs
• revitalize the inner city

And what's wrong with that? Shouldn't we be forward looking? Shouldn't we "think about the children"?
Not if you're trying to hang onto power. This kind of talk scares the shit out of some people. These things would all change the political dynamic - the social demographic of the city. These young people and outsiders have no fealty to people like Tim Burke, David Mann or the Luken & Reece dynasties. These 60s Democrats want their welfare state, their minority set asides, affirmative action - Their Great Society. They want their handouts so they can curry favor with voters. They don't want to offer opportunity.
The split in endorsements in factions of the local Democratic party were telling. Party stalwarts, Thomas & Mann were omitted by the Hamilton County Young Democrats in favor of the more progressive Moroski. The younger Democrats don't give a crap about these old guys and the old guys know it. It's easier for them to cater to obstructionist Republicans than to accept the evolution of their own party.
Killing the streetcar isn't about economics or the future of the city - it's about local power and ego.

Cost to stop the streetcar

In 2103 NOBODY will live in Cincinnati

From this chart, Cincinnati City Council candidate Mellissa Wegman extrapolates that because of declining population, Cincinnati will not be able to afford a streetcar in the future (even tho we ran them before with even smaller populations). From the lies, damn lies & statistics dept, we can also figure that we should lay off police, fire & sanitation workers, quit paving roads & turn off streetlights.
While we will all be Elvis impersonators by 2043, we can also use some bistro math to predict the city of Cincinnati will be devoid of people shortly after 2100. Simply a ghost town with an empty trolley going around in circles clanging it's bell for no one...
UPDATE: oh, yeah, and a dog barking in the distance.

John Cranley's BS Called Out

John Schneider, a Cincinnati resident, calls out John Cranley's "data-light" rhetoric & challenges his Kennedy worship in a LTE.
Shouldn't that be LTTE?
oh well...

CO Founder Suggests Copying Detroit

Or reviving the Cincinnati subway as a better alternative to the Cincinnati streetcar.
methinks they've been getting into Jim Berns' tomatoes again….

Fox story here

BiC Scoops Fox 19 by 4 years

The crack investigative reporting staff at FOX19 just concluded a month long investigation into who owns property along the Cincinnati streetcar route.
Seriously?
Blogging isn't Cool had it's crack investigative staff on it one morning in August, 2009 and, trust me, 3CDC didn't own as much property as they do now. Back then populist muckrakers were trying to pillory Towne properties. In fact there were hundreds of property owners along the route directly & hundreds more on the cross & parallel streets.
oh well…..