What is a streetcar?
Street cars are “green” electric-powered transit vehicles that run on fixed rails mixed with car traffic on city streets. Streetcars are ideal for providing local circulation around downtowns and nearby neighborhoods. The routes are generally only a few miles long, and the streetcars travel at speeds less than 40 mph.

What are the benefits of streetcars?
Connectivity
1. Streetcars will link people who visit, live and work in the heart of Columbus with area attractions and destinations such as the Arena District, Brewery District, Museums, Capital Square, Convention Center and The Ohio State University, as well as the 100,000 jobs in Downtown.
2. The proposed High Street Line could be the first part of a more comprehensive local transportation system, helping spur future development in light rail and high speed rail.

Economic Impact
1. Streetcars have been shown to be a direct catalyst for residential, commercial, and recreational development and jobs.
2. The Danter Group’s economic impact study, looking at cities with operating streetcars (Little Rock, Memphis, Portland), projected significant private investment, jobs and development:
3. $300 million in economic development along the routes; 3,000 local jobs in construction, maintenance, operations; 300 new hotel rooms; additional 1,500 added housing units; leverage new use of 36 acres of vacant or underdeveloped land along route and 152,000 SF of vacant space along High Street.

People Friendly
Streetcars provide safe, affordable transportation and help reduce the need for parking in Downtown.

Good for Environment – Green transportation
Streetcars do not use gasoline or diesel. They are powered by electricity. So they are non-polluting. They are quieter too. One full streetcar can take up to 50 cars off the road.

Unique to City
Streetcars will enhance the image of Downtown.

How will streetcars contribute to Downtown revitalization?
1. Our Downtown revitalization plan has been very successful – with more than $2 billion in investment since the Mayor launched the plan in 2002. Streetcars could be an important part of creating this 24/7 dynamic downtown – and keep the momentum going.
2. We have a very large Downtown – streetcars can provide a connective link to move people around.
3. For example – work at the Huntington Center – take the streetcar to the hockey game after work; catch a concert at the Southern theater, ride the streetcar to dinner at Tip Top on Gay Street. Streetcars will make it more fun and more convenient to be Downtown.
4. Streetcars make it easier to combine leisure activities without having to return to the car and find a new parking spot. The Business First poll showed that people would be more likely to combine dining with theater or other entertainment if a streetcar was available for transport.
5. Streetcars were part of the original 2002 Downtown Business Plan, which called for improving parking and the movement of cars, transit and people.

How much will the streetcar cost to build and operate?
The streetcar will cost $103 million to build the 2.8 mile route. It will cost $4.5 million a year to operate. Like buying a house and getting a mortgage, the city will finance the project over 25 years, so the cost each year can be covered by the parking, entertainment surcharges and other monies identified for this project. This money will pay for the construction as well as the operating costs.

How will we pay for the cost of building and operating a streetcar?
1. 80% of the funding will be generated from people who work or visit the benefit zone, a defined area three blocks on either side of the streetcar line. A 4% parking and sports/entertainment ticket surcharge will be levied in this zone.
2. 20% of the funding will be generated from the greater community, which also benefits from the streetcars, but to a lesser degree. MORPC has already pledged $20 million toward that goal.
3. People who park or go to events downtown will be able to use their tickets to ride the streetcar at no extra cost.
4. Under this funding scenario, there will be no city-wide property or income tax increase to pay for the High Street Line, and there will be no new property taxes levied on hotels, restaurants, bars or property owners along the line. There will be no new fees for people eating or drinking in the area.

How much more will it cost to park in the benefit zone?
1. Paid, off-street – The City will add a 4% surcharge to off-street parking in garages and lots where people pay to park. So, if you pay $5.00 to park in a lot – you would pay $5.20.
2. Parking at meters – rates will increase approximately 75¢ per hour on meters.
3. About 50% of the construction and operating costs are covered by parking, which shares the fees in small amounts over many users.
4. There are 28,000 parking spots in the Benefit Zone.
5. This fee is still lower than in most other major cities, including St. Louis (5%), Seattle (7.5%), Cleveland (8%), Baltimore (11%) and Pittsburgh (50%).

What will be the impact on ticket costs?
1. Ticket admission charges – in the Benefit Zone, the City will add a 4% surcharge for concerts or events. So if you are paying $25 for a ticket, you will now pay $26.
2. There are 35,000 venue seats in the Benefit Zone.
3. This charge exists in 51 Ohio cities and 15 Ohio villages, like Cleveland (8%) and Cincinnati (3%), as well as Seattle (5%), Indianapolis (6%), Chicago (8%) and Pittsburgh (10%)

Is Ohio State making a contribution to streetcars?
OSU has committed $500,000 a year because the streetcar will come right up to its front door and provide service to its students, faculty and staff.

How much would it cost to ride the streetcar?
Riders would likely pay a $1, but monthly passes and other ticket promotions could reduce pricing.

How much money will MORPC contribute?
MORPC has pledged $20 million for the project.

Where will the streetcars stop and will they eliminate any parking?
No streetcar stops have been determined, but the plan is to have them stop ever one to three blocks, depending on what is in the area. Streetcars do not need to run along the curb, but mix with traffic like cars. As a result, metered parking would not disappear along High Street.

Who would ride the streetcar?
Research done by The Danter Group found that 73% of people polled who live or work in the benefit zone would ride the streetcar. There are many people who live, work or attend meetings and conventions along the proposed route, including: 51,000 residents – in Downtown, Italian and Victorian Village, University area; 141,000 workers at 6,000 businesses in Downtown and along High street up to campus; 2.3 million – attend conventions/meetings at convention center in 2007; 50,000+ students at OSU

Who will operate the streetcars?
The City is in discussions with COTA on operation and maintenance issues and how streetcars will coordinate with buses on High Street.

Can this streetcar system work with light rail in the future?
The goal is to make streetcars and light rail compatible, and to develop a modern transit plan for our county that would connect people to jobs, shopping and entertainment. The Mayor believes that the first step is to develop a starter line for streetcars.

How long will the streetcar take to build?
The track is built in 3-6 block segments, the construction usually lasts 3-4 weeks per segment. Before any track is installed, the engineering work would have to be completed. Stops would look similar to a bus shelter.

Why is this a good investment for Columbus?
The city invests $20 million in road resurfacing and sidewalks, and millions more in road reconstruction every year. The mayor has pledged $20 million in bike paths and bike accessories like bike racks between now and 2012. Transportation is an important component of city life. Streetcars are an investment in modern transportation, and will produce a solid financial return:
1. Increased city income tax collections because of new jobs.
2. More people living in the city because of new housing along the line.
3.More restaurants and shops along High Street.
4. More conventioneers who chose Columbus for their destination.

What was the role of the Streetcar Working Group and what did they find?
The Working Group was composed of 42 representatives from business, academic, government, civic and neighborhood organizations, assuring broad representation from multiple downtown constituency groups. They were appointed by Mayor Coleman to answer four key questions:
1. Where would the streetcar go? What route(s)?
2. What would be the economic impact?
3. How much would it cost to build and operate?
4. How would the streetcar system be funded?

The Working Group determined that streetcars would provide substantial economic impact and would improve the character and vitality of downtown Columbus. The Working Group hired a technical team of engineers and streetcar consultants that analyzed costs and helped shape the route. There were also public meetings, which reached the same conclusions.

Information provided by Mayor Coleman's office.