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An entrepreneurial Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader and her husband have teed off on a new way of getting around the city’s downtown: golf carts.

GEST Carts offers rides on weekend nights to attractions such as riverfront restaurants Authentic Brock Nelson Jersey , a casino and other entertainment spots. Co-founders Patrick and Lauren Dye have rolled out the service slowly, with plans to expand in time for Cincinnati’s popular Opening Day festivities in late March when the Reds begin baseball season.

Long associated with retirement communities, golf carts are increasingly being seen as urban transit options.

Services similar to GEST (Green, Easy, Safe Transportation) are running from Auburn, Alabama Cal Clutterbuck Jersey , to Toledo, Ohio. They offer environmentally friendly rides at low rates – in advertising-sponsored GEST’s case, for free – at slow speeds suited for sightseeing or mingling. Patrick liked the one in Nashville, and he saw an opportunity in Cincinnati with its revitalized downtown area.

”I think it would be great anywhere,” Lauren Dye said as her husband drove past Cincinnati’s recently renovated Music Hall. ”It’s just a really fun mode of transportation.”

Prince was singing ”Little Red Corvette” in the background, part of the `80s music mix among the choices passengers can make for their rides.

The service comes as regional leaders have identified improving transportation as a key priority.

Cincinnati area officials last month announced a partnership with Uber to create the Cincinnati Mobility Lab. Uber will share transportation data and launch studies of such issues as curbside congestion and bus services in the Cincinnati-northern Kentucky region.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said working with Uber is an example of looking to the future for better transportation options.

The Dyes Calvin de Haan Jersey Kids , who operate the Scene Ultra Lounge downtown, launched GEST just before New Year’s, relying mainly on word-of-mouth. Attention grew quickly, especially as the city’s streetcar system suffered repeated shutdowns because of cold weather and ice.

Patrick Dye said the golf carts aren’t meant to compete with the streetcar, and they’ve had good cooperation with city administrators on getting their business running.

He said that they’ve averaged 300 to 500 passengers a night and will begin daytime service on Opening Day, March 29 Casey Cizikas Jersey , with a cart fleet up to 10 from the current six.

”This is just one more piece to bring and entice people to come to downtown Cincinnati and another tool that people can use to get around,” he said.

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Follow Dan Sewell at The Latest on Super Bowl protests (all times local):

7:55 p.m.

A Metro Transit spokesman says 17 people taken away after blocking a light-rail line carrying ticketholders to the Super Bowl in Minneapolis have been cited and released.

Howie Padilla says they were cited for unlawful interference with transit.

No one was hurt in the protest Sunday. Metro Transit had buses standing by to get ticketholders to the stadium in time for kickoff.

The activists said they were protesting police brutality, as well as the light-rail trains being taken over by Super Bowl spectators rather than being available to ordinary citizens.

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6 p.m.

A Metro Transit spokesman says 17 people were taken away after they blocked a light-rail line carrying Super Bowl ticketholders to the stadium.

Howie Padilla says no one was hurt in the protest, which blocked trains for about two hours ahead of Sunday’s kickoff. Metro Transit had buses standing by to get ticketholders to the stadium in time.

The activists said they were protesting police brutality, as well as the light-rail trains being taken over by Super Bowl spectators rather than being available to ordinary citizens.

Padilla says Metro Transit doesn’t expect the 17 activists to face charges. He says Metro Transit respects people’s right to free speech and demonstration.

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4:30 p.m.

Police in Minneapolis are removing protesters who locked themselves across a light-rail line near U.S. Bank Stadium, temporarily halting trains carrying fans to the game.

Live footage from the scene Sunday showed police working to unlock or cut locks the protesters had used at the stop near the University of Minnesota’s West Bank station. That’s about a half-mile from the stadium.

The live footage showed protesters in zip ties waiting to board a bus to be carried from the scene.

Protesters blocked the line shortly after 2 p.m. Youth Chris Wagner Jersey , saying they were protesting police brutality as well as the light-rail line being turned over to Super Bowl fans for the day.

Metro Transit was busing fans the rest of the way to the game.

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3:30 p.m.

A small group of activists protesting police brutality have shut down a light-rail line carrying fans to the Super Bowl in Minneapolis.

About 30 activists walked onto the city’s Green Line at the Stadium Village stop shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday, stopping trains in both directions. The line runs from downtown St. Paul to the heart of Minneapolis, and is a main way some fans are getting to the big game.

Chinyere Tutashinda, a spokeswoman for the activists, says some chained themselves along the track.

Metro Transit spokesman Howie Padilla says the agency has contingency plans to get riders the rest of the way to U.S. Bank Stadium. He says he’s confident they’ll be there for kickoff.