Cincinnati Streetcar

Streetcar Basics

• Electric streetcar operating on fixed rail
• 4 track miles for Phase 1 connecting Downtown to Findlay Market and Over-the-Rhine
• 5 modern cars
• The route will connect many of Greater Cincinnati’s most popular attractions — including Government Square, Fountain Square, the Contemporary Arts Center, Aronoff Center, Findlay Market, School for Creative and Performing Arts, Gateway Quarter, Music Hall and the new Washington Park.

More streetcar facts

Why now?

Cincinnati, like other Midwestern cities, lost population in the 2010 census. Yet a closer look at many of these other cities shows that populations in downtown areas and central neighborhoods are growing, as those area offer dense, walkable, transit-oriented neighborhoods. Cleveland, for instance, saw growth of 20 percent in it's central census tracts. Read more here.

An investment like the streetcar that drives people and development in Cincinnati's urban core is a smart use of city resources to help grow our tax base and build stronger neighborhoods throughout the city.

Why invest in the streetcar?

Cincinnati was once home to a 222-mile regional streetcar grid that for decades transported millions of passengers each year. That streetcar grid enabled the development of thriving, walkable neighborhood business districts across the city, like Peebles Corner in Walnut Hills and Knowlton's Corner in Northside, both streetcar hubs.

Today, these "good bones" remain and Cincinnati is ripe for a new wave of transit-oriented development that connects the region's largest employment centers, links jobs and housing, and provides more transportation choices.

The streetcar is an investment in:

• jobs and development 
• transportation choices 
• livable communities

More jobs. More development.

The streetcar will provide a powerful catalyst for jobs and economic development. For every dollar invested in the streetcar, the local economy will realize a $3 return (source: HDR Decision Economics). Read more

More transportation choices. More livable communities.

The streetcar will reinforce the walkability of the city by promoting denser, mixed-use development.

A streetcar is one piece of a multi-modal regional transportation plan. It will connect the city's major employment centers and cultural attractions and allow residents, workers and visitors to enjoy them without a car.

A streetcar makes it easier for people to walk around, and getting people out of their cars improves street life and commerce. The streetcar will reduce the need for parking, which will make living and working along the route more affordable, alleviate congestion and reduce pollution.

Project Costs and Funding

Construction costs for Phase 1 are $95 million plus the cost of utility relocation, which the city is negotiating with the affected utilities (Duke Energy, Greater Cincinnati Waterworks and MSD) read more

By the Numbers

Click title link above to see the number breakdown.

Support for the Streetcar

The streetcar idea is not new — 14 different studies over the last 12 years have included the streetcar. It's no surprise that the regions' economic development leaders, businesses and institutions along the streetcar route — including the Cincinati USA Regional Chamber, University of Cincinnati, Uptown Consortium, the new Horseshoe Casino, and 3CDC — support the investment. Click here to read support letters

Spread the Word

Click here to download and print out your own Cincinnati Streetcar handout and posters to share with family, friends and colleagues, or for your business.