Another Transportation Alternative

A few weeks ago, a friend suggested a blog post topic: the need for some sort of transportation service that connects Cincinnati's entertainment districts. She was right. We really could use a shuttle or bus that connects downtown, Mt. Lookout/Hyde Park/Oakley, Mt. Adams, Clifton (perhaps), Northern Kentucky, and wherever people gather west of Vine Street (I'm kidding, West Siders....please no effigy burnings today!). This isn't an alternative to the streetcar, since the streetcar, even if it happens, will only connect Clifton and downtown. When we talked about it, I thought the most likely provider of such a service would be Metro, but that there'd be a lot of red tape to cut through at SORTA to make it happen.

My blog rantings have been pretty sporadic lately, and I never got around to it. But a couple weeks ago, this same friend linked to a new business on her Facebook page. It sounds intriguing: the CincyZipLine. They hope to open this July and aim to provide transportation to and from "designated hot spots" for three bucks per person on Friday and Saturday nights.

Cincy ZipLine is apparently too hip for an actual website, but they do have a Twitter feed and a FB page. My initial reaction is that it's a good idea. It reminds me of what, in college, we lovingly referred to as "the drunk van," a convenient way to get to and from establishments where alcohol is consumed without risking an OVI or worrying about parking. Of course, it appears that ZipLine will only ferry you between bars and clubs, and you'll be on your own to get home, but it's still provides a service presently lacking in the city.