riding the streetcar straight into the future

The other night as we sat in Corkopolis I noticed a trend, I would see 15-20 people appear on the sidewalk, then a minute later a streetcar would pull away from the station. Over and over as we sat there. Now full disclosure because I would have done this streetcar or not. We rode up to OTR, got off the streetcar at the 12th and Vine station and I shopped for clothes across the street at Article. Then we had drinks at Low Spark and got take out from Eagle. All within a block of the streetcar line. While opponents are going on and on about ridership, I'm wondering, how much money is flooding the core right now? A hundred and twenty thousand rides have been taken to date. What would be your guess for the average amount of money spent per ride, five dollars, ten? Even if we lowball the guesstimate at $5 that would be $600,000 that has been spent within walking distance of the streetcar.
The streetcar really is a game changer.
How long does all that money stay on the table before new businesses start moving in to take advantage of it?
Not long, after avoiding the question for years Kroger has finally stopped denying they're looking to open a downtown store.

streetcar
If you look back at all the original documents for the streetcar you'll find the aim of the streetcar was to spur development in OTR and downtown. But from day one opponents have made it about ridership and fares. And unfortunately they've been distracting supporters. But ridership and fares have been running way above projections, as a matter of fact in just a little over two weeks the streetcar has generated almost a quarter of the year's goal for fares. Of course the opponents are all backpedaling claiming the rides and fares will decrease, based on the fact they've been right about everything else so far?
How can anyone think ridership will drop with more housing and office space being built up and down the route?
streetcar
Chart created by Matt Jacob
[where: 45202] best place to learn how to live downtown cincinnati ohio the ethos of Cincinnati
6 comments

6 comments:

  1. There will always be detractors – to everything.

    I personally think that this new public infrastructure is the biggest thing that has happened for Cincinnati in the last 80 years, and is a major turning point in the city's growth and optimism. I also think the streetcar's real success will be achieved once future spurs are actually put in the ground (this needs to be Clifton, Wasson, Price Hill, both airports, and beyond).

    ReplyDelete
  2. see a pattern here? weekends = shopping.....ridership goes up - and this without new stores/restaurants opening which will happen soon enough!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Since the streetcar has opened I've used it as an excuse to go to Findlay Market for lunch once or twice a week. Previously it would've been way too far of a walk from my office. I'm sure the vendors there are loving the extra foot traffic, and I hope they can start staying open later to cater towards the extra people in the evenings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've wondered how they are handling the extra traffic. I can't imagine the few empty store fronts stay empty very long. I know the Market has wanted a coffee shop to open forever, this might do it.

      Delete
  4. > "Even if we lowball the guesstimate at $5 that would be $600,000 that has been spent within walking distance of the streetcar. The streetcar really is a game changer."

    You're making a massive assumption here that I don't necessarily think is correct (though I am a supporter of the streetcar). I think it's unreasonable assumption that these transactions wouldn't have happened if people were walking around OTR. Really the number we're interested in is the difference in what they're spending now vs before.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with you, I have nothing to base that assumption on.
      Which is why I conducted a survey over the weekend. I'll be posting my completely unscientific findings this week. At least they won't be a wild guess.
      I will tell you this, 50% of the people who took the survey and rode the streetcar do not live downtown or OTR.

      Delete