Amtrak Proposes Plan For New Corridor Service Through Ohio

The rail system would connect Cincinnati to cities like Cleveland, Indianapolis and Chicago.

Photo via All Aboard Ohio.

(Undated) – Amtrak has proposed a plan that would connect some of the biggest cities in the Midwest.

Amtrak is requesting $300 million per year starting in federal fiscal year 2021 from Congress to develop high-potential corridors (routes under 750 miles) that would connect Ohio cities to other surrounding cities such as Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh and New York.

The new federal passenger rail program is dependent on support from Congress and the new Biden administration.

The five new routes Amtrak is hoping to develop are:

• Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati Corridor: three daily round trips with intermediate station stops;
• Cincinnati-Indianapolis-Chicago: four daily round trips with intermediate station stops;
• Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit-Pontiac: three daily round trips with intermediate station stops, including a possible extension of Wolverine Corridor train service from Chicago;
• Cleveland-Buffalo-Albany-New York: one daily round trip with intermediate station stops;
• Cleveland-Pittsburgh-New York: one daily round trip with intermediate station stops via an extension of Keystone Corridor train service.

If an agreement is made with Congress, Amtrak may pay up to 100 percent of the capital costs to initiate new or additional services. Amtrak may also provide 100 percent of operating costs in the first two years, 90 percent in the third year, 80 percent in the fourth year and 50 percent in the fifth year.

Amtrak has been meeting with leaders across Ohio where they plan to expand rail services.

Ohio is currently the nation’s most populous state without a passenger rail program.

For more information, visit www.allaboardohio.org.

This is not a drill....@Amtrak proposes five #Ohio routes

But we need you to contact your state lawmakers today to give @ODOT_Statewide a clear track to plan for these new federally funded routes. Details:https://t.co/ZsNW8koZAS pic.twitter.com/Lz31Qs9xWf

— All Aboard Ohio (@AllAboardOhio) January 29, 2021