Political Support for Amtrak’s All Aboard Ohio Plans Follows Federal Infrastructure Funding

Gov. Mike DeWine waited more than a year before deciding to move forward, tentatively, on a plan proposed by Amtrak to expand intercity passenger rail service in the Buckeye State.

Susan Glaser reports for Cleveland.com that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has asked the Ohio Transportation Commission to work with Amtrak “to determine the feasibility and cost” of several routes identified by Amtrak in an expansion proposal dubbed in early as 2021 as the All Aboard Ohio plan.

“Included in that expansion plan: a new passenger rail route that would link Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati, or what’s become known as the 3C+D line,” writes Glaser.

A spokesperson for the governor did not commit support for the expansion plans but did say that the governor wants more information. “That’s more than proponents of expanded passenger rail service in Ohio have gotten from the governor in the year since Amtrak revealed a plan to dramatically increase rail service throughout Ohio,” according to Glaser.

The timing of Gov. DeWine’s sudden interest in intercity rail comes just four days after the Federal Railroad Administration announced the new Corridor Identification and Development (ID) Program to help allocate $66 billion in funding to expand and improve passenger rail from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

“The Corridor ID Program will establish a pipeline of projects ready for funding – allowing them to be implemented faster and with greater coordination than ever before. The program will serve as a key vehicle for directing federal investments and technical assistance toward new or improved intercity passenger rail services across the nation,” according to the May 13, 2022 press release announcing the new program.

According to Glaser, Amtrak identified Ohio for expansion as one of th most underserved states in the nation when it comes to passenger rail service.

“Currently, Amtrak runs two routes through Cleveland -- the Lake Shore Limited, which travels from Boston and New York to Chicago, and the Capitol Limited, which travels between Chicago and Washington, D.C. A third route, the Cardinal, travels through southern Ohio, linking Chicago and New York via Cincinnati,” explains Glaser.

The All Aboard Ohio plan, which would add five routes in total to the state, is a component of a larger nationwide expansion plan proposed by Amtrak, dubbed the Connect US plan.