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Ohio Governor-elect John Kasich recently asked Gov. Ted Strickland to stop work on the state’s proposed 3C “Quick Start” corridor, which would run between Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. State officials currently are spending $25 million to conduct a final environmental study, design and engineering work for the corridor. The Obama Administration has earmarked $400 million in high-speed stimulus funds for the project, but Kasich is threatening to return the money to the federal government when he takes office in January.

In a four-page letter sent to Kasich on Dec. 7, Strickland outlines why the 3C corridor would benefit Ohio. In a separate attachment, Strickland debunks what he terms several myths about the corridor: that trains would operate at 39 mph, the state would need to subsidize the operating costs, Ohioans don’t want passenger trains, passenger-rail service harms freight-rail service and rail is a partisan issue.

“Because I am concerned that your views on this project may be based on incomplete or inaccurate information, I wanted to … provide an explanation for why I believe the project is so critical to Ohio’s economic future, so you can make as informed a decision as possible about how to handle the project in a way that is best for Ohio,” Strickland wrote.

Among the reasons the project is so critical: It will create thousands of jobs, revitalize cities and help keep “talented young people from leaving our state,” Strickland added.

“By moving forward with studies that are under way, your administration will be provided with far better information with which to make future decisions,” he wrote. “And if this project does not advance beyond this phase under your administration, the information gathered during this study period will be available for future governors and general assemblies.”