Cincinnati breaks ground on 3.9-mile streetcar

Local and federal officials kicked off construction of a new 3.9-mile streetcar line that will spur Cincinnati's efforts to revitalize its downtown core by improving access to major employers, the developing riverfront and many area attractions.

The Cincinnati streetcar will connect Cincinnati's riverfront and downtown employers with Findlay Market and the Over-the Rhine historic district, revitalizing neighborhoods along the route and giving people greater mobility and access to jobs and services.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is contributing a total of $39.9 million to the Cincinnati streetcar project, including $10.9 million in TIGER III funds that Secretary LaHood announced in December; $25 million from FTA's Urban Circulator grant program; and $4 million from a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant. The remaining cost of the project is being covered by local funding sources.