High-speed rail proposal for Ohio picking up steam

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The proposal to develop Amtrak service throughout Ohio is beginning to decide up steam.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has requested the Ohio Rail Growth Fee to discover the feasibility and price of Amtrak’s enlargement.

Amtrak has proposed the 3C+D Hall, which might join Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Dayton, with the potential for future out-of-state enlargement to cities like Chicago and Pittsburgh.

An analogous proposal was shot down greater than a decade in the past by then-Governor John Kasich, who cited upkeep prices as the explanation.

Advocates say this time round is totally different, because the mission can be funded by federal infrastructure {dollars}.

“The federal bipartisan infrastructure legislation addresses the funding challenges in a method we haven’t seen earlier than,” stated William Murdock, govt director for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Fee. “So it could actually pay for a big a part of the capital bills to construct the tracks and improve them so we will put trains on them, however it may also be useful with the working price, and meaning we’ve obtained a second right here the place federal funding can actually transfer this ahead rapidly and that’s the window that we’re attempting to not miss.”

The state’s examine into the proposal is predicted to final till later this yr earlier than the findings are introduced to the governor.