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I'm Travis. I'm interested in cities, politics, technology, media, music, and more. Visit my "real" website at travisestell.com and follow me on Twitter and Flickr.

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Cincinnati web designer creates ‘Mobilizing Metro’ iPhone app

Aaron Renn recently wrote that It’s Time for America to Get On the Bus. He argues that cities should look at improving the quality of their bus service to eliminate the negative perception and attract more riders. He states that while there’s a “legitimate case for rail” in many cities (including Cincinnati), adding high-quality bus service to the plan can expand the reach of the transit network at a lower cost.

I understand you have written to President Obama to request that the $400 million for the 3C program be used for road construction and freight lines. I wanted to let you know that none of those funds may be used for anything other than our High-Speed Rail Program.

A letter from a wise Republican (US Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood) to an idiotic Republican (Ohio Governor-elect John Kasich).

We spend enough money on roads in the state of Ohio, Mr. Kasich.  The 3C corridor is estimated to create several thousand jobs in the state and put us on the path of having high-speed rail, like most other first-world countries. If you want to break your promise of job creation before you even take office and kill the 3C corridor, Ohioans will not forget.

My backup career is Streetcar Conductor.

My backup career is Streetcar Conductor.

Young Americans Less Interested in Driving

(My latest post on the Metro Cincinnati blog.)

We often discuss the benefits that come along with building quality mass transit: economic development, increased mobility, less time stuck in traffic, and better public health.  But a recent MSNBC article illustrates one of the biggest reasons we should be building rail: making sure our city is a place where the next generation wants to live. …

Month in Review – November 2010

This month, UrbanCincy covered a number of new businesses and new living spaces in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine. We also shared news on the modern streetcar that visited Fountain Square, and…

Kasich hasn’t even taken office yet, and he has already:

  • Rejected $400 million of federal funding already awarded to Ohio for the 3C Corridor project.  This money (our money) will now be given to New York, California, and Illinois.
  • Announced his appointment of a former asphalt lobbyist as director of the Ohio Department of Transportation. (Because what our state needs to succeed is more roads…?)
  • Promised to cut funding for higher education, at a time when universities in Ohio are already facing a budget deficit of 20% for next fiscal year.
  • Ran his entire campaign on job creation, yet has killed tens of thousands of jobs.  (The 3C Corridor would have created 8,000 jobs.  Cutting higher ed budgets will likely result in thousands of additional layoffs.)
  • Referred to rail supporters as the “train cult”, and holders of higher-ed degrees as “eggheads”.  (I’m starting to feel like I’m not wanted in this state…)

These are going to be a dark four years for Ohio.  Can we go ahead and start the effort to recall him now?

npr: It’s hard to find a city in America that isn’t planning, proposing, studying or actually building a light rail system. Cities as diverse as Dallas, Seattle and Washington, D.C., all see light rail as part of their future — a way to reshape their development. There are 35 light rail systems operating in the U.S. today. At least 13 metro areas are currently building others. Many more are being planned. -Posted by wrightbryan3, from JJ Sutherland’s Morning Edition story “Light Rail Transforming Cities, Guiding Development.”

npr:

It’s hard to find a city in America that isn’t planning, proposing, studying or actually building a light rail system. Cities as diverse as Dallas, Seattle and Washington, D.C., all see light rail as part of their future — a way to reshape their development.

There are 35 light rail systems operating in the U.S. today. At least 13 metro areas are currently building others. Many more are being planned.

-Posted by wrightbryan3, from JJ Sutherland’s Morning Edition story “Light Rail Transforming Cities, Guiding Development.”