Dear Secretary LaHood,

As you may know, the city of Cincinnati has been in the planning process of constructing a streetcar for the past several years.  The primary funding for this project came in the form of an Urban Circulator Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for $25 million.

The city of Cincinnati was awarded this grant over many other cities in competition because Cincinnati claimed that the streetcar would have a strong economic impact on the city.  However, since Cincinnati was originally named as the recipient of the grant, significant changes have been made to the streetcar plan.

The original plan allotted for six cars to be purchased and for the route to be six miles in length.  But since the grant was awarded in July of 2010, funds accounted for in the original proposal and necessary for the project – $51.8 million from the Ohio Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) – have been reallocated to different state projects.

Thus, the plan for the Cincinnati Streetcar has been scaled back considerably.  Instead of the six trolley cars, there will only be five; and instead of the six mile track, it will be three. 

One of the criteria used by the Federal Transit Authority to evaluate Urban Circulator Projects is leverage of public and private investments.  Without Ohio’s TRAC funds, would this project meet the criteria?  An additional criterion used by the FTA is economic development.  The FTA states that consideration will be given to whether the plans, policies and motivation encourage economic development through the creation of jobs in the surrounding community.  The original feasibility study claimed that up to 1,135 new housing units would be a result of the streetcar, and that in total the estimated economic impact would equate to approximately $1.4 billion.  With the revised route, does the streetcar project still meet the criteria? 

So, all things considered, I must pose the most sincere question – would Cincinnati have been awarded this Urban Circulator Grant if the current streetcar plan were the one originally proposed?  . 

Thank you for your consideration.  I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Steve Chabot
Member of Congress