I think that for too long people in our community have viewed public transportation as an option only for those who have no option. A choice that isn't a choice at all.

Communities that have seen growth in the last few decades are the ones that realize that viable public transportation means greater freedom for all of us. 

Even if you never take a bus, imagine if Metro's 23 million annual trips were made in personal vehicles. At 80,000 trips per workday, that's 40,000 more cars on our streets and highways each and every day.  40,000 more parking spaces we'd need to build. 40,000 more vehicles polluting the air that our children breathe. Transit allows us to all breathe easier.

For those who do take public transportation, many tell us one of the greatest advantages leaving your car at home and the feeling of freedom that brings with it. The freedom to spend 25 minutes during your commute not cursing at the driver ahead of you, but reading the paper or talking to your neighbors or simply catching up on some sleep.  In the days of $4 a gallon gas, transit means the financial freedom to spend money on a dinner with a loved one or improving your home instead of pouring it into your gas tank.

Living in Over-the-Rhine, working downtown and relying on public transportation has given me a tremendous amount of personal freedom. Many don’t believe me when I say that I haven’t purchased a drop of gasoline this year.
 
There's no doubt that energy concerns are driving greater interest in public transportation in Cincinnati. However, putting energy considerations aside (which is tough to do at the moment), we see that the communities that are consistently attracting young, talented workers - the types of individuals that drive a strong regional economy, are the places that have viable public transportation.

Why? Because mass transit creates dense walkable communities. The types of communities that are marketable to a new generation of urban dwellers who crave excitement and activity. Whether considering massive cities like Chicago or New York, or much smaller ones like Portland or Austin, young people are flocking to cities that have vibrant urban cores serviced by great public transportation.

When we look at our great public spaces and neighborhood business districts within the city, what we too often fail to remember is that these central corridors were built on a fundamental accessibility to viable public transportation.

When we focus on transit-oriented development and more broadly, on transit-oriented communities, we open ourselves up to possibilities our city has not seen before.

Cincinnati is an amazing place to live, work and play. We have multiple unique assets that are crying out for investment - investment that is brought about by economic development and foot-traffic and sometimes, just a little more tender love and care.

This city, this queen of the west, is a fascinating and wonderful place to call home. I'm proud to be part of the amazing work that's being done to help improve our region and I can't wait to see where we will be in just a few short years.

I want to hear from you.  We want you to talk to us about what you want and need Metro to be.  Let’s start the dialogue.  Where do you want to grow?