RIVER ROUTE STREETCAR STUDY

A PLAN FOR CONNECTING

COVINGTON ANDCINCINNATI

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYTABLE OF CONTENTS

Once-traversed by historic streetcars, Covington is a community ripe for implementation of a modern streetcar. With a rich tapestry of 10 distinct neighborhoods, many of which are comprised of dense, European-style neighborhood fabric that originally supported the historic streetcars - Covington has the density and potential to support a return to transit.

The timing is right as this year, 2016, marks the inception of the Cincinnati Streetcar. This $148 million modern streetcar serves the revitalized core of Cincinnati, spanning from The Banks, through Downtown, and through Over-the-Rhine. A planned Uptown extension will connect the region’s largest educational and healthcare institutions.

Located across the river in Kentucky, Covington brings to the table resources and policy support from another state. This region has always profited from multi-state cooperation in building a comprehensive transportation network, including the I-275 loop, Ohio River bridges, and the airport. It should turn toward regional, multi-state partnerships once again toward the goal of building a comprehensive streetcar network that serves the region.

This plan, prepared by Ohio State Knowlton School of Architecture student Nicholas Emenhiser, represents the culmination of class projects completed for the masters-level practicum course in Graphic Communication for Planners. Beyond course requirements, this plan is intended to support concurrent planning efforts underway in Covington and Newport. However, per the class requirements to focus on a single city, most mapping analyses will focus on Covington. That said, the broader context including Newport was a significant consideration toward a route recommendation.

The analysis conducted through GIS, using American Community Survey data, shows that non-motorized commuting is currently highest in neighborhoods flanking MLK Blvd., specifically the Seminary Square and Eastside neighborhoods. Considering streetcar’s unique ability to create new ridership demand, the dense Madison Avenue corridor and Riverfront are also worth connecting. It may also be that the concentration of commercial and institutional land uses in the northern end of Covington explains lower (but still significant) rates of non-motorized commuting.

Beyond providing mere transit service, a crucial community service in and of its own right, this streetcar plan presents unique opportunities for further revitalizing Covington and Newport. With streetcar station design, transit-oriented development, and more vibrant streets and sidewalks - this plan offers intrinsic value that justify its roughly $200 million cost to implement.

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Executive Summary

Regional Context

GIS Analysis

Planning Process

Route Considerations

Station Design

Transit Alignment

Development Opportunities

Data Points

A RIVER OF TRANSITMEANINGFUL TRANSIT NETWORK THAT CONNECTS ACROSS TOPOGRAPHICAL, ECONOMIC, AND REGIONAL DIVIDES

Phase 1 (Downtown)Phase 2 (Uptown)Phase 3 (River Route)

Cincinnati Area Streetcars: In BriefA 3.6-mile loop from The Banks north to the Findlay Market: The little engine that could, catalyzing economic development that will forever change Cincinnati. This $148 million, or $41 million per mile, circulator system is attracting jobs from General Electric’s new Operations Center in The Banks, to start-ups and microbreweries in Over-the-Rhine. It’s an innovative vehicle for an innovative community.

Cincinnati Streetcar Route4

COMMON BENEFITSLEVERAGING EXISTING STREETCAR INVESTMENT AND

EXTENDING BENEFITS TO BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER

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Photo: City of Cincinnati

Photo: Nicholas Emenhiser

NKY RIVER ROUTEEXISTING CONDITIONS MAP

Ohio River

I-471

I-71/

75

MLK Blvd5th Street

4th StreetScott Blvd

Greenup Street

Monmouth Street

Vine Street

Broadway

CINCINNATI

NEWPORT

COVINGTON

Scott BlvdG

reenup Street

MLK Blvd

I-71/75

4th Street5th Street

I-471

CINCINNATI

NEWPORT

I-275

COVINGTON

NKY RIVER ROUTEREGIONAL CONTEXT MAP

BELLEVUE

Ohio River

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Existing conditions to be explored include primary means of commuting by tract.

This study focused on com-muting alternatives including pedestrian, bicycling, and transit community.

Maps produced with ArcGIS using most recent American Community Survey data.

NKY RIVER ROUTEPEDESTRIAN COMMUTERS

Greenup Street

Scott Blvd

5th Street

4th Street

MLK Blvd

Monmouth Street

CINCINNATI

COVINGTONNEWPORT

BELLEVUE

NKY RIVER ROUTEBIKE COMMUTERS

Greenup Street

Scott Blvd

5th Street

4th Street

MLK Blvd

Monmouth Street

CINCINNATI

COVINGTON

NEWPORT

BELLEVUE

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NKY RIVER ROUTEMULTIMODAL CONNECTIONS

Ohio River

I-471

I-71/

75

MLK Blvd / 12th Street

5th Street

4th Street Greenup Street

Monmouth StreetVine Street

Broadway

CINCINNATI

TANK Bus RouteSouthbank Shuttle

Proposed Transfer

River Route Streetcar

Madison Avenue

4th Street

NKY RIVER ROUTETRANSIT COMMUTERS

Greenup Street

Scott Blvd

5th Street4th Street

MLK Blvd

Monmouth Street

CINCINNATI

COVINGTON

NEWPORT

BELLEVUE

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NKY RIVER ROUTEPLANNING PROCESS

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Inventory and Analysis of existing transit and walkability assets in Covington

Neighborhood-level analysis of commuting patterns and existing levels of transit-dependency

Synthesizing streetcar route that links areas of high transit and pedestrian activity

Placement of streetcar stop locations with consideration toward multi-modal connections with TANK

5 Citizen outreach and voter buy-in process, including commuty meetings and input-gathering

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Tract 651

Bus Walk Bike Drive Other

Station Key

1. Newport on theLevee

2. 5th & Monmouth3. 8th & Monmouth4. 11th & Monmouth5. River’s Edge6. MLK & Madison7. MLK & Main8. Pike & Holman9. Pike - 7th - Madison10. Convention Center11. Roebling’s Point12. Newport Housing

Authority

Tract 671

Bus Walk Drive Other

Tract 670

Bus Walk Drive Other

Tract 607

Bus Walk Drive Other

20% +

15-20%

10-15%

KEYShare of

Non-Motorized Commuting

Source: Census

Streetcar

ROUTE PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS

Demonstrated route serves higher-transit propensity neighborhoods in Tracts 607 and 671 (along MLK Blvd.) as well as civic amenities closer to the riverfront.

Pie charts used to illustrate commuting mode split, per American Community Survey data, for each Census tract. Gray slices epresent auto commuting.12

6 Business community outreach to encourage workforce ridership, sponsorships, and transit-oriented development

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NKY RIVER ROUTESTATION DESIGN

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NKY RIVER ROUTETRANSIT ALIGNMENT

PROPOSED STREETCAR STATION

EXISTING CONDITIONS AT 5TH ST. AND MADISON AVE. IN DOWNTOWN COVINGTON

Streetcar footprintParking footprint

With a smooth track bed

embedded in pavement,

modern streetcars can

safely operate in mixed traffic with

few conflicts.

NKY RIVER ROUTEDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

NKY RIVER ROUTEDATA POINTS

TOD, or transit-oriented development, is a strategy to develop land with immediate access to transit corridors and/or stations. Usually developed in the form of mixed-use nodes that market apartments, retail, and offices that benefit from transit access - often with reduced parking footprints - and with the deliberate goal of increasing transit ridership. TOD offers strategic benefits for both developers and transit operators.

Cities that have successfully implemented streetcar systems, such as Portland, often augment their transit investment with public-private partnership strategies for transit-oriented development. These strategies often include development bond financing, station-area improvements, value-capture mechanisms such as TIF, and land acquisition assistance. Covington could implement such a strategy by identifying target sites for TOD.

TOD siteStreetcar16 17

5.3 mile streetcarroute

million dollar proposal(roughly)200 3 historic cities

connected

Cincinnati Streetcar Funding Assistance

Federal

TIF

Blue Ash Sale

Duke Energy

In order to fund the $148 million Cincinnati streetcar, always intended to be the first phase of a larger regional network, several partners came together. Federal grants account for $45 million, comprising the largest funding source. TIF and development revenues covered $32 million, reinvesting the streetcar’s own TOD. A Blue Ash utility sale generated $26 million, and Duke Energy contributed $7 million. These partnerships whittled the required City of Cincinnati capital contribution to $38 million, or 1/4 of total cost.

RIVER ROUTE STREETCARThe right transit plan to connect Northern Kentucky to

Cincinnati and the greater region.