COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Mayor Michael Coleman is requesting $334.5 million from President-Elect Barack Obama's economic stimulus package.
More than half of that federal funding would go towards building a 13-mile light rail system that travels from downtown Columbus to the Delaware County line, NBC 4's Mikaela Hunt reported.
Many Central Ohio residents and nbc4i.com readers wrote in support of the project, while others disagreed with the initiative.
NBC 4 took the comments and approached Coleman to talk about the vision, but instead ended up getting answers from the agency that knows the most about the request.
NBC 4 wrote several e-mails, telling City Hall that Central Ohioans wanted to hear from the mayor personally. When we were told he wouldn't be able to sit down with us, we called his office. But a spokesperson said his scheduled Friday was full taking care of the city's latest budget deficit numbers and that the Central Ohio Transportation Authority could answer viewer questions.
"Is it difficult to ask for this money in these economic times?" Hunt asked.
"Is it difficult? No. Not if you put in perspective that what the federal government is trying to stimulate the economy," said Bill Lhota, COTA President and CEO.
Lhota said the agency saw a 10 percent passenger increase when gas prices increased.
Environmentally, electric light rail would reduce Central Ohio's carbon footprint.
In this recession, Lhota said the project would bring jobs and would be just the start of a system that links the 3-C corridor of Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati.
"We have always said we support a regional transportation system. We did not support just going downtown to OSU in a streetcar," Lhota said.
Stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for additional information.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail us at stories@nbc4i.com.
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