There are not many cities with subway systems in the United States. Of course, there are New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington, but did you know that Los Angeles also has a limited metro system?
Near the end of the century, even the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, almost joined that exclusive fraternity public transport.
Today, the downtown Cincinnati like this. It is sliced almost in half by Interstate 75.
Wiki Commons
During the hour tip, the highway turns into a nightmare. Even a journey of a few miles can take hours.
However, the nightmare of congestion which is Interstate 75 almost never came to be. Shortly before the First World War, the city of Cincinnati has promised to build a subway system modeled on the system of New York City.
University of Cincinnati Library Archives
This was a time in American history before the car became the American way of de facto transport. As the urban population swelled, desperate mayors have sought ways to relieve traffic problems. Cincinnati was actually one of several cities in the Midwest who have declared their intention to build a subway system.
Among the cities that have planned to have the Metro, Cincinnati was the only one to actually start construction.
Facebook / cincinnatisubway
during the first years of the 100s, workers dug more than two miles of tunnels under the city and dozens of underground stations built. In fact, the whole underground network of tunnels and stations still exists today.
You're probably wondering, "If they built most of the subway system, why is it not used today?" Well, things are looking good for the metro Cincinnati until the United States became involved in World War I
Wikipedia
the massive war effort diverted resources to the construction of the subway and had to be interrupted for several years during and immediately after the war. While building finally resumed, politicians Cincinnati were busy making negotiations with car manufacturers that would eventually kill the idea of completely underground.
Over the years there have been many attempts to revive the idea of metro, but none of them have gained much momentum.
Wikipedia
Yet despite the age tunnels, recent inspections have shown that they are still remarkably good shape.
Facebook / cincinnatisubway
If you Cincinnati walk around and pay attention, you may encounter one of the many entrances sealed underground system that has never been like the one below.
Wikipedia
(via: Atlas Obscura)
This is both surprising and utterly heartbreaking. What a waste of manpower to build something this epic, then simply sit there. If the tunnels are still good, hopefully one day city officials will make a real effort to revive the idea of metro.
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