Cleveland Real Estate News

I’m thinking yes and that doesn’t surprise anyone who reads my posts.  What do you think? Does it make sense to change our paradigm on infrastructure? I know we can’t abandon our existing highways and fixing the Innerbelt Bridge for example, makes perfect sense.  After all, even buses take the Innerbelt Bridge  

Brewed Fresh Daily  has had a few posts over the past month with comments about fixing our infrastructure as a good foundation instead of signing up to do a new convention center.  And yes, I had to insert my two cents as well at times.  Here is one post by Ed Morrison on BFD  that started out about Pittsburgh’s Convention Ctr. and wound up, in part, discussing where our priorities should be. It’s not too late to add your two cents.

Today I found an article written by Mariia Zimmerman who heads up an organization with a goal I bet a lot of us like: “a coalition which aims to create a world-class transportation system in the U.S. “  Her organization is called Transportation for America.  

Mariia points out that it’s probably even more critical for those in the suburbs to have access to a top notch public transportation system, since they would spend the most (assuming a downtown ‘city’ commute) on car fuel each week.  People really are having to decide on food, paying the mortgage or driving the car. It’s reached the tipping point? Here is part of what she said in her article:

“…. and increasingly America’s suburbs are looking for ways to provide more transit options, develop urban mixed-use centers, and build sidewalks and trails. The reinvention of America’s suburbs may be one of the most stunning evolutions of the 21^st Century…. As a critical first step, we need to make a commitment to building an infrastructure for the future on a scale similar to the one we made to the Interstate Highway system 50 years ago. But this time, we need to focus on completing our transportation system with inter-city trains, world-class public transportation and streets that are safe for walking and biking, as we restore our existing roads and bridges to good repair….”

And this emphasis from her article is mine: “….These investments will help stabilize our economy in the short-term as they lay the groundwork for the future, while helping millions of Americans in our daily lives, reducing our national dependence on oil and making for a cleaner, greener and less energy-intensive future.”   Read the entire article here. It’s from a pbs NOW show on trains and transit.

From Stacie Fallon, Senior Policy Analyst for The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission:

Last week was an amazing turning point for passenger rail development in our country and the region. Not only did Congress send landmark legislation to the President – finally reauthorizing Amtrak, providing for significant programming and funding to the states, and requiring new rail-safety measures – but the first grant funding to states for intercity passenger rail development and planning was announced. The Midwest won big, receiving almost half of the funding; five of the 11 states to receive funding are Midwestern states. Altogether, the five states (Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin) received funding for seven projects, totaling over $13 million of the $30 million awarded.

And remember the original premise of The Ohio Hub, to connect cities within a four hour drive of Cleveland? Here is an article by Jim Carroll of The Erie Times - he talks about Erie becoming a stop on our high speed rail system and he highlights a sharing of information provided by Andrew Bremer of All Aboard Ohio at a meeting. Among other things this Erie writer liked:

Bremer said such train service would allow Erie riders to get to Cleveland in 1 hour and 10 minutes, Toronto in 2 hours and 20 minutes and Chicago in 5 hours and 10 minutes.

Bremer said the group’s analysis shows that a full build-out of the system could ultimately mean $575 million in new development within a mile and a half of an Erie station.

Once again, in case you missed it in an earlier post, here is  HR 2095, which finally passed.

Peace Out – 3C