Coleman Asks For $200M For Light-Rail System
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Colemans Asks For Light Rail Funds
Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman is asking for $200 million from the federal government to build a 13-mile light rail system.
Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman is asking for $200 million from the federal government to build a 13-mile light rail system in Columbus as part of a $334.5 million economic stimulus package funding request.
Published: January 8, 2009
Updated: January 9, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman is asking for $200 million from the federal government to build a 13-mile light rail system in Columbus as part of a $334.5 million economic stimulus package funding request.
In a letter sent to President-elect Barack Obama last week, Coleman said his proposal would integrate the best elements of the 2006 North Corridor Light Rail Plan and the downtown streetcar plan.
The federal funding could provide for 70,000 jobs, officials said.
Tell us your thoughts on Coleman’s request and what you think by posting a comment blow.
A total project cost is not provided, and Coleman’s letter said the remainder of funding will be requested through federal, state and local sources to be determined over the next two years.
The proposed light rail system would stretch through the Short North, The Ohio State University campus and past Polaris Parkway.
Patrick Preston: “Is light rail the city’s top priority?“
Councilman Andrew Ginther: “You’ve got a couple top priorities. Light rail/mass transit is one of them.“
Ginther said that at a time when the city faces a nearly $96 million budget gap for 2009, the city needs new jobs and new tax revenue.
“The best way to help short- and long-term is to put people to work so they can pay income taxes on the jobs they’re doing,“ Ginther said.
Other major funding requests include:
- $26 million to renovate the old police building in downtown Columbus.
- $25 million to improve the infrastructure around Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
- $20 million for roadway and park improvements in the River South District.
But all other projects combined don’t add up to the investment the city is asking for in building a light rail system.
“Light rail/mass transit is where we need to go as a city and a region,“ Ginther said.
Coleman traveled to Washington, DC Thursday to take part in a briefing with Obama, alongside several other mayors and governors.
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Reader Reactions
I am all for police and fire protection, schools and parks, believe me. However, this money cannot be used for those things, please understand that. From the Dispatch today: “
Federal help wouldn’t free up money, though, to close a $95.9 million general-fund budget gap. Budgets for long-term and day-to-day expenses aren’t mingled.“
So yes, of course we need those things too, but that is not what this money, being given to us from the federal government to help our communities as a whole, is for.
We do NOT need a rail system in columbus. This should be our LAST priority for the city. We need more firefigters and police on the streets. And planner,,, THIS ISN’T FREE MONEY!!!!!! ITS OUR TAX MONEY BEING WASTED. We have COTA, and it works perfectly fine. The railway would take up space on the road as well. We need to fix our roads and parks, open up rec centers, and clean up the crime in the city. This is the last thing we need for our city. ITS A WASTE OF OUR MONEY!!!!!!
The one theme I keep seeing in comments is the idea “not if it doesn’t serve me.“ Stop being so ridiculously greedy. Like one commentor so aptly put in captials: It has to start somewhere.
One reader complained about boarded up houses on his street. People are leaving Columbus becasue we’re so far behind on several issues, including public transportation. We’re not going to clean up neighborhoods until we’re able to keep our citizens here and able to attract new residents.
Somebody said they would never vote for this. Guess what? We don’t need your vote.
Again, for everyone complaining that it won’t serve you personally, it has to START SOMEWHERE. it will eventually expand to other areas of the city when successful. it is not the intention for light rail to only have one line serving one part of the city and one type of the population - however, this is the most dense area of the city so it only makes sense to start it here, with all of the people who currently work downtown and live elsewhere along this route and clog up the highway and high street everyday. i’m sure these people would love to hop on the rail line instead of waste time sitting in their cars everyday. remember, this is a first step. there are many smaller cities with successful light rail systems, so our size is not an issue. its more of a mind-set issue at this point.
also, this money is being GIVEN to us, to stimulate the economy, create jobs, and improve our infrastructure. that is exactly what we are using it for. the city is already taking care of fixing the sewer system, though it will take many years just by the nature of the work to be done. plans are being worked on for city center. repairing the highways is not doing anything to FIX our problem of deteriorating cities or spur economic development in new places. we constantly fix the highways, and it has not gotten us anywhere. your tax money will not be funding this. your fares will, of course, but that is if you take advantage of using it, which only makes sense. you should pay for what you use. light rail costs significantly less to maintain than our hundreds of miles of highways.
and yes, there are many people who want this who have been working at it for years! travel to any large city, or even some smaller ones, and you will see how far behind we are…
20 years ago I’d have been thrilled to have light rail from Reynoldsburg to Marble Cliff. 10 years ago I would still have been happy to have it. Now I am retired and could not care less if this is ever built. People have been BS’d for so long they no longer believe. Also, why should the Delaware-Columbus corridor be built first? Why not the Pataskala-Columbus route, or Hilliard, Grove City, or Pickerington? Again, Coleman, I could not care less. You are a failure as a mayor.
Why ask for money to build a light rail system that no one really wants?
Here is a novel idea, ask the feds for money to put on more police and fire personnel. Money for schools. Money to repair and upgrade roads, money to repair the crumbling infrastructure of Columbus.
Mayor Coleman WAKE UP !!
I’d really like to see the stats covering the following excerpt “The federal funding could provide for 70,000 jobs, officials said.“
Your classist comments ignore another very large group of individuals who would find such service useful. Service industry workers who make minimum wage at places like Polaris. Where car ownership becomes a luxury when cost of ownership exceeds their means.
I agree, lets serve all of the “classes”. Frankly, I welcome our recession and economy, as it makes every one on a more level playing field? (perhaps wishful thinking). Polaris et all, do not need another means of transportation to their high classed store that are closing faster than any Walmart could think of. Live within our means and well will survive. Make another mistake like our downtown mall and well will have another corpse in our city.
While I live in a ghetto, my home is beautiful, I can afford it and an not living beyond my means, even though I have been laid off!
I welcome a mass rail so long as it does not only serve the upper class.
Our Mayor needs to put public safety at the top of the priority list. Now is not the time. We need to keep our Police, fire, trash services, Road Warriors, and our Rec Centers.
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