Cincinnati Subway

For people who live in the area, the fabled Cincinnati Subway is quiet a sore spot. It represents the large hopes and dreams of a city on the verge of becoming the hub of the midwest (considered the first true American "boomtown" and the tenth largest city in America). In 1905 the city began making plans to upgrade its public transit, which already had a city wide trolley system and 9 different rail lines merging in the city -- and do something with the unused eyesore of the canal that ran through the city -- and interconnect the city and its growing population. For the next 7 years the plans were discussed and finally made official in 1912 -- a $6 million. 16 mile subway to loop around the city. An official vote was taken by the citizens of the city in 1916 to "ok" the funds to be used, but the start of World War I postponed the actual start of construction. Not until 1920, and the proposed cost of $6 million (with inflation, steel and concrete) the plan had to be cut back, did construction actually begin. By 1925 the money was used, but 7 miles of tunnels had been fully completely, with an additional $1.3 million needed to finish (add tracks, electricity, etc), and $10 million to finish the full plan. Then the Great Depression hit in 1929 and federal spending on transit was substantially cut back -- although, Chicago's own subway was given significant funding -- and states at the time did not fund local transportation projects. During the hiatus, automobiles were becoming more common and local demand grew for better roads and highways and the focus from the subway shifted. Most of Cincinnati's major road construction projects far exceeded the costs to finish the subway, and the subway was never finished. Today the subway serves as a reminder to what could have been and a lesson in inaction, though the tunnels are fully intact and could easily be completed. (all research found at Cincinnati Transit in their Abandoned Subway section)