City halts streetcar that had fed support

Officials in Cincinnati, Ohio, have slammed the brakes on a streetcar project that was poised to win nearly $45 million in grants from the federal government, The Associated Press reports.

The Cincinnati City Council voted 5-4 to stop construction on the streetcar, which is projected to cost $133 million overall, according to the report.

{mosads}The streetcar had been touted by the Obama administration as part of its push to increase the public transportation options across the country, but the project faced intense local opposition because of its cost.

The city council said it was not completely stopping the streetcar project. Instead, Cincinnati official officials said they put the streetcar on hold to study whether it would cost more to finish construction or pull the plug on the project for good.

The AP reported that Cincinnati officials have already spent $23 million on the streetcar, which is scheduled to run 3.6 miles in the city’s downtown.

The city has another $94 million in contracts that were pending to finish the streetcar construction, according to the report.