1. Studies: There are more than 20 cities who have done a streetcar, starterline conept in the last X number of years. Each one has a feasibility study available from before it was done and a report card available after. I've read probably 15 of those. While yes, you can't determine absolute causality for streetcar=development, I can say that when
all those pre-build studies forecast X amount of development...and
all those post build report cards show that much or more...it tends to provide as strong a link as you're going to find, IMO.
2. 2.5% GDP growth in 2007
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/sto ... 8&ana=e_duAnd no, Franklin County saw a population increase in 2007, as well as surrounding counties. In fact, Franklin County's was the most significant in number.
3. The reason I'm touting tourism, is that part of the Danter study this project is based on forecasts 90,000 additional visitors to the city per year, resulting in the need for 300 additional hotel rooms, and generation of 3000 jobs. Even if you simply consider the streetcar one additional amenity for convention business, I think it's a large enough amenity to generate a 3% increase easily...which is 90,000 visitors.
4. Again, this is a starter line. Just like the starter lines in all the other cities that have seen
exactly that kind of corporate commitment follow their building of their lines. I don't claim to be an executive determining where to place a large headquarters, I simply know that in every other case...when they built the line, the corporate development followed.
5. COTA is actually getting a huge cash influx this month that will enable them to almost double their operational hours among other things. I don't see COTA as horribly mismanaged, personally, I just see the bus in Columbus as somewhat stigmatized and believe part of that is inherent fear in learning schedules, transfers, etc. You don't seem to have that with a rail system, at least this is what other cities have seen. As far as the costs being obfuscated in other fees, I think it's actually the smart way to go. A 4% increase in admissions over 10.00 isn't going to stop anyone from attending anything, IMO, and a marginal increase in parking meters won't either. Again, those are opinions, but I find it very hard to believe that someone is going to pass on attending a 50.00 concert because the tickets cost 2.00 more and parking an extra 75 cents or a dollar.