Opinion: Next stop for reinvented Metro: a thriving region
Darryl Haley
Hamilton County, get on board. We’ve got places to go.
Thanks to the passage of Issue 7 last year, Metro has the funding needed via a countywide sales tax to expand and improve public transit, boost economic development and invest in roadway infrastructure.
Reinventing Metro – our blueprint for the future – will become reality as we roll out Phase I on May 30. This marks the culmination of several years of extensive planning, which included input from Hamilton County residents, transportation experts, regional leaders and organizations.
As we embark on this next phase, I’m thankful for those who have supported Metro – whether they expressed it by voting for Issue 7 or by giving us feedback as riders and engaged community members.
Cincinnati Metro: Fare changes now in place
cincinnati.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cincinnati.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Cincinnati Metro: New fare structure takes effect April 4
cincinnati.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cincinnati.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Michael Keating / WVXU
Last year, Hamilton County voters approved a tax levy to pay for a massive overhaul in local transit, and some of the changes will be implemented soon. Officials say increased bus frequency on routes, longer hours of operation and better amenities will be an economic driver in the county, in addition to increasing accessibility and improving quality of life.
During a public meeting Tuesday night, officials said some changes will be in effect by May 30. That includes seven routes that will give about 50% of Hamilton County jobs access to 24-hour bus services.
Khaled Shammout, vice president of strategic planning and development, said, So 20,000 jobs will have access to transit through a Reinventing Metro plan. And these 20,000 jobs will total $850 million in annual wages - that s almost a billion dollars in annual wages.