Transit's role in regional econcomic development to be discussed at Nov. 10 event

 
A new study using data from the Regional Indicators Report to examine how Tristate transit systems compare to 11 peer cities will be released Nov. 10 at “The Connected Region: Transit’s Role in Economic Development” at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
 
The study goes beyond traditional mass transportation modes like bus, rail, walking and biking to include innovative multi-modal systems such as Uber, Lyft, Zipcar and bike share programs — whatever makes it easier for people to get around without using a single occupancy vehicle. More than 21,000 people in Greater Cincinnati use transit to commute to work on a daily basis.
 
The study and the event are hosted by the Cincinnati Chamber, Agenda 360, Skyward in Northern Kentucky and the Urban Land Institute's Cincinnati chapter.
 
The Regional Indicators Report began in 2010 as a partnership between Skyward (then Vision 2015) and Agenda 360 in order to gather unbiased data on 15 key indicators that would allow for direct comparison of Greater Cincinnati with 11 peer markets: Austin, Charlotte, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Indianapolis, Louisville, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Raleigh and St. Louis. Those cities were selected based on their similarities in geography, population size or demographics to the 15-county Cincinnati Metropolitan Statistical Area (three in Southeast Indiana, five in Southwest Ohio and seven in Northern Kentucky).
 
“We've done a couple of deep dives like this,” says Erika Fiola, Manager of Strategic Initiatives for Agenda 360 at the Cincinnati Chamber. “Diverse by Design looks at female-owned business, minority educational attainment and regional ethnic diversity. 2020 Jobs Outlook considered what fields will have job growth and where the jobs will be in five years. This is our first deep dive on transit data.”
 
Fiola will present an overview of the transit indicators report findings Nov. 10. A panel discussion reacting to the report will follow, featuring such regional representatives as Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune; Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore; Darin C. Hall, Vice President of Real Estate Development at the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority; and Dan Tobergte, President & CEO of Northern Kentucky Tri-ED.
 
In addition to their county governance roles, Portune and Moore also serve on transit-specific committees — Portune heads the Hamilton County Transportation Improvement District and Moore is chair of the Transit Subcommittee for the Transportation Steering Committee at the National Association of Counties as well as chair of the Local Streets and Roads Committee for Kentuckians for Better Transportation.
 
“There is a lack of knowledge that across the country there are no transit systems that make money, that they’re all subsidized in some form, some more than others,” Fiola says. “But without robust regional transit systems people can’t get to jobs. There is a huge economic impact associated with our local transit systems, and we want to help people understand that.
 
“We want to have as great of a transit system here as we possibly can. Releasing this report is one step along the way. We need to continue this conversation about regional transit to make sure we are continually getting better.”
 
After the panel discussion, Dearborn (Ind.) County Commissioner Kevin Lynch will introduce the keynote speaker, Gabe Klein, former Regional Vice President of Zipcar and head of the transportation departments in Washington, D.C. and Chicago. Klein is currently with Fontinalis Partners, focusing on transportation technology startups.
 
Klein’s keynote address will share ideas from his new book, Start-Up City, about bridging the public-private divide to provide better transit solutions.
 
“Gabe Klein is going to be an incredibly interesting and motivating speaker for us,” Fiola says. “He's done some great things in Chicago and D.C., including cutting through some of the red tape associated with transit projects and making things happen. Also, his work with transportation technology startups should be really relevant to the great startup and entrepreneurial community here.”
 
The Nov. 10 event is scheduled for 7:30-9:30 a.m. at the Chamber's office at 3 E. Fourth St., downtown; pre-registration is required, and tickets are $35, or $25 for Chamber and Urban Land Institute members. Breakfast will be provided, and all attendees will receive copies of the Regional Indicators Report on transit and Klein’s book, Start-Up City.