Archives for January 2007

The RTA has announced that the major route changes they have planned are going into effect this Sunday.

[Read more…] about RTA’s major route redesign will go into effect Sunday

The City of Dayton is soliciting feedback on the design of the Edwin C. Moses bridge.  The bridge type, lighting, railing, and color options for the new Edwin C. Moses Bridge over Wolf Creek are presented here.

Please indicate which design options you prefer.  The City would like feedback by mid-February; it should be sent to Keith Steeber.  Also, we’d like to hear your thoughts here as well – please comment below…

(Photos below – click to enlarge)

[Read more…] about New Edwin C. Moses Bridge – which do you prefer?

There has been much talk about Dayton’s electric trolleys as of late.  And though the local media has reported that the RTA is considering the possibility of getting rid of the trolleys because of their maintenance expense, RTA officials insist that this is not necessarily true, and that they are simply analyzing all aspects of their operations to determine how best to manage their budget.

This is happening at a time that cities elsewhere in the country are rediscovering the allure of the streetcar, which were popular a century ago.  Unlike buses (which are unfortunately viewed as transportation for lower-income folks in many cities like Dayton), the streetcar is considered to have a sense of nostalgia, and are being brought back in cities in order to connect recently revitalized urban neighborhoods and districts.  Dayton and its sea of revitalization islands might want to consider a similiar project.  Heck, we already have the electric cables in place.  And it would be yet one more thing that can’t be found in the suburbs.  What do you think?

Link: Cities rediscover allure of streetcars – USATODAY.com.
By Haya El Nasser, USA TODAY

The streetcars that rumbled and clanged through many American cities from the late 1800s until World War II helped shape neighborhoods. More than a half-century later, streetcars are coming back and reviving the same neighborhoods they helped create.

Several cities have resurrected the streetcar tradition and about three dozen others plan to

Well this was just a matter of time.  Let’s hope that the city of Dayton is in the running for the location of the new company, and then let’s hope that the city does everything it can do to keep the company here.

Link: NCR to spin off Teradata – Dayton Business Journal:.

NCR Corp. is spinning off its data warehousing business as a separate publicly-traded company.

The new company, to be called Teradata, had $1.5 billion in revenue in 2005 and operating income of $309 million before pension expense.

As the Greate Dayton RTA considers getting rid of our electric trolleys because of their expense, other cities are bringing them back. I hope that the RTA reconsiders and looks at ways to not only keep our trolleys but actually expand the program with better marketing. I don’t think many Daytonians realize the history behind our trolleys or the fact that Dayton is one of only a handful of American cities that still have them.

Like mounted police (which the city did away with years ago because of expense), things like trolleys and streetcars help make a city unique and add to the experience of being downtown. It is time for the city to really consider putting money into these kinds of things as our downtown continues to see more people and development.

By DANIEL J. GOLDSTEIN and ARENA WELCH
Bloomberg News
December 28, 2006
Link: Washington Plans $25M Project To Bring Back Its Trolley Cars – December 28, 2006 – The New York Sun.

Washington residents cheered the return of professional baseball to the American capital last year after a 33-year absence. Soon, they’ll be able to look back to the future again.

The city is planning a $25 million project to bring back the trolley cars that last rumbled along its streets during the Kennedy administration…