BY ANNE MICHAUD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati and Dayton are growing together and could witness a population merger within the next century, said a consultant hired to define the region's strengths and weaknesses.
The consultant, Gallis & Associates, is six months into a yearlong study of Greater Cincinnati. The firm is presenting some findings and inviting the public to critique them later this month.
"What we're trying to accomplish, No. 1, is getting the public involved," said Larry McFall with the Charlotte, N.C.-based consultant. "We want people to help us understand what the Cincinnati metropolitan area is."
The information from the Gallis study, due in April, will help the region compete globally, said Joe Wind, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Growth Alliance, which is sponsoring the study. It includes 13 counties in Southwestern Ohio, Southeastern Indiana and Northern Kentucky.
The study should come to some picture of the region as it stands in terms of transportation, environment, arts and culture, and 15 other measures. "If you can't understand where you are now, it's hard to build your vision for the future," Mr. Wind said.
Among other preliminary findings:
Growth will continue between Northern Kentucky and Lexington, Ky., the consultant said, but it will not be dense enough to create a population merger.
The North American Free Trade Agreement, opening trade among Canada, Mexico and the United States, has reorganized industry in the Midwest. Busy trade corridors seem to be developing farther west, but there is opportunity for Cincinnati to join in.
Cincinnati and Columbus are home to five Fortune 500 companies each, more than any other city in the region. The addition of Ashland Inc. to Northern Kentucky is significant in maintaining the region as a corporate center.
The volume of ground transportation, rail and trucking appears to be strongest between Indianapolis and Columbus. Cincinnati faces a risk of being bypassed by this east-west route.
The core city (Cincinnati) and county (Hamilton) are losing population, while outer-belt counties are booming.
50,000 workers commute north from Kentucky each day; 25,000 workers commute south from Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
A series of public meetings will begin this month and convene again in February and April. The meetings will build on each other, and organizers are encouraging attendees to commit to the full series of three.
The first set will be Oct. 28 and 29. There are four meetings, which will repeat each other, so people can choose any one of the four.
On Oct. 28, the times are 4 and 7 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom on the campus of Northern Kentucky University. The Oct. 29 location has yet to be decided, but the times are also 4 and 7 p.m.
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, a charitable organization, announced a $100,000 donation to fund the Gallis study last week. Mr. Wind said donations are now just $25,000 short of the $250,000 goal.
