Cincinnati and Duke Energy Corp. have agreed to ask a judge to decide who should pay $15 million to relocate underground utility lines to make way for a new streetcar line.
The decision comes after months of dispute between the two. Duke has agreed to start moving the utilities while the court decides, and Cincinnati will pay the company back if the judge decides against the city.
“We have our interpretation of what the law says, Duke has theirs,” city manager Milton Dohoney was quoted as saying last week at a press conference announcing the agreement. “We could talk about it from now until the moon comes home; we need to ask a judge what it’s really about.”
Under the agreement, Duke will file a lawsuit in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas.
The city issued $64 million of bonds to help finance the project, who has been dogged for years by controversy and criticism.
Other money includes a $25 million federal grant and $6.5 million of private funding.
