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    DeWine to Apply for Federal Funds to Study Amtrak Expansion

    Governor Mike DeWine’s administration plans to apply for federal money to study Amtrak expansion in Ohio, a key initial step in what could still be a long process to bring passenger rail back to Columbus.

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    The request for funding will come through the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) and will be focused on two specific corridors to start – Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati (known as the 3C+D line), and Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit.

    If approved by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the state would be awarded $500,000 for each corridor. Those funds would go toward a consultant who would identify the track improvements, new stations and other equipment or facilities needed on each corridor to get passenger service up and running.

    Also part of the scope of the work would be projections of operating costs, ridership, and how much state subsidy would be required to run the lines.

    About $66 billion in federal funding has been allocated to Amtrak expansion nationally via the bipartisan infrastructure bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. Amtrak officials have previously said that the federal money would cover the initial cost of establishing service along the 3C+D corridor, but some level of financial support from the state or other local entities would likely be necessary to support the line long term.

    Today’s announcement from DeWine means that the state will be meeting the March deadline that the FRA had established for states to apply for the first round of funding from the infrastructure law.

    “This is the first step of many in this process. We have a lot of questions that need to be answered before we make any commitments,” said DeWine in a press release announcing the news. “The information we gather from this effort will help us make informed decisions about federal opportunities for passenger rail in Ohio.”

    “Under Governor DeWine’s direction, we have been talking with Amtrak for quite some time to explore options and gather information,” said Matthew Dietrich, Executive Director of the ORDC, in a statement. “Our work with Amtrak was necessary for a federal application but it is just the first step. The Governor has been very clear that for this to work for Ohio, it is not just a matter of cost. It has to be done in a way that does not impede freight rail traffic in the state that is so important to our economy and our businesses.”

    The ORDC is an independent, 11-member commission within the Ohio Department of Transportation. According to its website, there is one seat on the commission that is currently vacant – the one “representing the interests of passenger rail.”

    Columbus hasn’t had passenger rail service since 1977. In 2010, Governor John Kasich returned $400 million in federal money for passenger rail expansion – specifically to connect Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati – shortly after taking office.

    “This is exactly what we have been hoping and working for since Amtrak first announced its expansion plans for Ohio two years ago,” said All Board Ohio Executive Director Stu Nicholson. “We are grateful to Governor DeWine for stepping up to lead on what we believe will be a transformational project to better connect our cities to each other and Ohio to the rest of the Great Lakes region.”

    “To be sure, there’s much more work to be done, but this is a moment to enjoy,” he added. “And it also wouldn’t have happened had it not been for the strong and vocal support of Ohio’s metro panning agencies like [the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission], the mayors all along the 3C&D corridor and private sector support from the Columbus Chamber and the Greater Columbus Partnership.”

    Editor’s Note (2/8/23): This article was updated after it was published with comments from passenger rail advocate Stu Nicholson.

    Additional Reading:

    MORPC, Ohio Mayors Work to Advance Amtrak Expansion Plans

    Amtrak Station, New Plaza Could be Added to Convention Center

    Mayors, Amtrak Make Pitch for Ohio Expansion

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    Brent Warren
    Brent Warrenhttps://columbusunderground.com/author/brent-warren
    Brent Warren is a staff reporter for Columbus Underground covering urban development, transportation, city planning, neighborhoods, and other related topics. He grew up in Grandview Heights, lives in the University District and studied City and Regional Planning at OSU.
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