The votes are in and streetcars are a hit. On Monday, November 13, the Streetcar Working Group gave its approval to Mayor Coleman and Council Member Maryellen O’Shaugnessy, recommending a downtown streetcar line for residents, employees, students and conventioneers. The reason?  Big economic returns for the city, including 3,000 downtown jobs, 300 hotel rooms and 1,500 new housing units, all on top of the revitalization already underway downtown.  

Working Group members said the streetcars would also provide connectivity for our overly large downtown, address parking issues and make downtown more pedestrian-friendly, plus they liked the environmental “green” aspect of streetcars.  

Committee members ranked six different streetcar routes. The top three routes were: 1) High Street ­– from German Village to the Short North, 2) the same High Street route adding loops through the Arena District and out east– past Grant Hospital, and 3) High Street from German Village to Ohio State.

The return on investment for building streetcars reached as high as 603% on one route alternative.  That means for every dollar invested in streetcars, six dollars in economic development would follow. Likely funding sources include the City of Columbus, State of Ohio, Federal Transit Administration, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission and private contributions, according to a committee of financial experts who looked at potential ways to provide funding.  Mayor Coleman has made it clear that an increased tax on residents is not a funding option.

The recommendation now goes to the Mayor and City Council for the final determination.

Would you ride a Downtown Streetcar?
According to The Danter Group, just five years after opening, the streetcars could be providing as many as 7,200 rides per day if the complete system were built. This syncs up with a survey of more than 1,000 downtown Columbus residents, students and employees who said given the opportunity they would ride.  

What do you think? Send an email to mailto:streetcars@downtown.columbus.com

Downtown Columbus Streetcars - By the Numbers

Visit http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/ and click on streetcars to find additional information.

If you like the idea of streetcars for Columbus, please write or e-mail Columbus City Council members to let them know. This is a project that needs public support if it is to move forward. 

Possible Streetcar Routes

Route Key
Blue Line — High Street Line, Frankfort to Buttles
Red Line — Extension of Blue Line to OSU
Green Line — East-West loops, supplements Blue Line