While every transit project is unique, they tend to share some similar traits, including making our communities more livable by encouraging economic growth and connecting people to opportunity.

Today, I’m proud to join community leaders in Cincinnati, Ohio for the grand opening of such a project: the Cincinnati Bell Connector.

_{Photo credit: Cincinnati Streetcar on Facebook}

Bringing this streetcar service to life in some of Cincinnati’s most historic neighborhoods took extensive commitment and coordination among all project partners, including the City of Cincinnati and the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority.

My agency at DOT, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), had a major role to play, as well. We at FTA have managed a combined contribution of about $45 million in federal funds for this project, including a $16 million TIGER grant.

TIGER grants are devoted to innovative projects that will help communities both recover and grow economically. That is exactly what the Cincinnati Bell Connector will accomplish, by linking the city’s downtown core and Riverfront with the emergent Over-the-Rhine neighborhood to the north.

That means better connections to jobs – about 65,000 of them in downtown alone – as well as schools, medical care, entertainment, and more.

We’re marking the occasion here in Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine, where charming townhouses and apartments intermingle with local businesses and landmarks like Findlay Market and the School for Creative and Performing Arts.

_{Photo credit: Cincinnati Streetcar on Facebook}

But much of the neighborhood still suffers from the legacy of decades of urban decline, leaving vacant storefronts and insufficient housing. The streetcar will bring much-needed investment, attracted by the convenience, comfort, and permanence of a modern rail system.

This is thanks to the key advantage of streetcars –  they “shrink” neighborhoods. In other words, they make it much easier to get around spontaneously on foot or otherwise without a car, which encourages active, dynamic place-making.

Cincinnati, like many major cities, existed and thrived for well over a century before the advent of the automobile; much of the city is built at a scale conducive to walking and cycling.

Streetcars amplify that historic infrastructure and allow cities to get the most out of their neighborhoods. The Cincinnati Bell Connector will build on the region’s long-term vision for a strong, sustainable Cincinnati centered on a comprehensive network of transportation options.

I’m excited to see what comes next for Cincinnati, and I’m proud to be on hand as we mark this next chapter in the story of a great American city!