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2/9/2023
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine yesterday directed the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) to apply for the first phase of funding to study expanding passenger-rail service in Ohio.
Those funds would come from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development program, which was created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in late 2021. FRA is providing $500,000 per successful applicant to study potential intercity passenger-rail options.
Ohio has identified two corridors for consideration: Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati and Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit, ORDC officials said in a press release.
If the state receives the grant, it would bring in a consultant to prepare a scope of work for a service development plan. That plan would include information about necessary track improvements, equipment, stations and other facilities, operating costs, ridership estimates and required state subsidies that are needed to start service, ORDC officials said.
Ohio has been in talks with Amtrak to explore options, ORDC Executive Director Matthew Dietrich said. Ensuring that a new passenger-rail service would not interrupt the steady flow of freight-rail traffic is a priority, he added.
"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. "The information we gather from this effort will help us make informed decisions about federal opportunities for passenger rail in Ohio."