Transportation

Chair – Ms. Margaret Drury, United Parcel Service
Co-Chair – Mr. Fred Craig, Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc.

In 2010, the Transportation Committee will focus on a number of federal, state and local issues.  These include the reauthorization of six-year federal transportation legislation, the restart of passenger rail in Ohio and the rebuild if I-75 through Hamilton County.

If interested in joining the Transportation Committee, please email Tom Ewing, tewing@cincinnatichamber.com.

Committee Dates:

8:30 a.m. at the Chamber - January 7, March 4, May 6, July 1, September 2, November 4 

Key Issues:
Brent Spence Bridge
Federal, State, and/or Local Transportation Policy
Gas Taxes
Highway Access
Mass Transit

3rd Quarter Update:
The Transportation Committee is seeking a new Chair.  Margaret Drury, with UPS, was given a new assignment, one that precludes her participation, and leadership, on the Transportation Committee.  Individuals have been suggested to take Margaret’s place and Chamber staff will contact them during the next few weeks.  If you know would like to nominate someone to be Chair, or if you are interested in leading this Committee, please advise.

At its July meeting the Committee reviewed and evaluated a legislative proposal initiated by OKI – the Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana Regional Council of Governments.  This proposal would provide a tax break for private companies who contribute to the cost of public infrastructure.  In general, the Committee supported the idea and will formally vote to convey that support at the September meeting.

2nd Quarter Update:
The Committee met on March 4th and discussed the Chamber’s position statement for the annual Washington D.C. Fly-In.

The Committee also discussed an upcoming statewide transportation conference developed by the European American Chamber and sponsored by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.  That conference takes place on May 6th.  The conference will be an all-day even and it has attracted national and international attention.  Conference fliers will be distributed to Committee members.

The Committee is also monitoring the development and plans that are underway for the I-75 corridor improvements that are slated to occur in and around Queensgate, Hopple Street, Northside and Mitchell Avenue.

In the next quarter the Committee will be closely watching developments with the state’s 3C Rail efforts.  Importantly, the State’s Controlling Board has not yet released funding for the 3C project.  It’s not clear when this critical step will be taken. 

Other important issues include the City’s continuing efforts to seek streetcar funding, and, of course, federal developments regarding a new six-year federal transportation bill.

1st Quarter Update:
This Committee is working within the City of Cincinnati’s I-75 “Revive” Task Force, an effort to take advantage of the work starting this year on the re-build of I-75 through Hamilton County.  The I-75 “Revive” effort seeks to leverage the benefits from the highway work by extending those benefits, as much as possible, to the streetscape and neighborhoods proximal to Queensgate, Camp Washington and the Hopple Street Interchange, as well as Northside and Mitchell Avenue.

Like many others, the Committee is eagerly awaiting the federal government’s announcements about money for high speed rail.  The Committee will participate in whatever upcoming public involvement opportunities emerge from project funding that might come to Ohio.

The Committee has also been working on monitoring and reviewing federal legislation to re-authorize SAFETEA-LU, the Federal Government’s six-year transportation bill.  Last fall, the Committee met with Reps. Driehaus and Schmidt on an early draft of such a bill.  This topic will be an important part of the Chamber’s 2010 Washington, D.C. Fly-In agenda.

Beginning in January, the Committee meets on the first Thursday of every other month.  Meetings are at the Chamber.  However, we had a December 2009 meeting off-site, in Camp Washington, when we met with the Camp Washington business association.