Cincinnati streetcar groundbreaking set for Feb. 17

CINCINNATI - Ground will be broken on Friday, Feb. 17, for Cincinnati's controversial $110 million streetcar project.

The ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. at Memorial Hall on Elm Street in Over-the-Rhine. The historic structure is on the four-mile streetcar loop.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will be the keynote speaker.

Mayor Mark Mallory made the surprise groundbreaking announcement at the end of a special Cincinnati City Council meeting called to talk about project costs Friday afternoon.

The mayor said he will personally get involved in trying to restart negotiations with Duke Energy over costs to relocate the utility's natural gas, electric, chilled water and fiber lines along the right-of-way. Duke is estimating its costs at $18.7 million, but the city's calculations put it at $6 million. The utility indicated earlier this week that it's reached an impasse on the issue, plus safety concerns.

Johnna Reeder, Duke's Vice-President for Community Relations and Economic Development, welcomed the mayor's interest in breaking the stalemate.