CLEVELAND, Ohio — Amtrak is planning a major expansion of passenger rail service through Cleveland and Ohio, part of the massive infrastructure investment outlined by President Joseph R. Biden this week.
If implemented, passenger rail service through Cleveland could jump from the current four trains per day to 22, according to All Aboard Ohio, a lobbying group that advocates for expanded train service in the state.
“You may even see trains coming through in the daylight,” joked Stu Nicholson, the executive director of All Aboard Ohio. Currently, all four trains that stop in Cleveland – all traveling between Chicago and the East Coast – arrive between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Included in the Amtrak proposal: new service between Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati, a route that passenger rail advocates have long desired.
Also included in the plan: new service between Cleveland and Detroit, plus expanded service to Toledo, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, New York City and more.
And across the U.S., Amtrak is proposing new and expanded service in every region, including Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Nevada and elsewhere.
It’s not at all clear how the proposal will fare in Congress. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she wants the House to vote on the bill by July 4.
Even so, any final legislation could look substantially different from what was proposed this week.
Republican members of Congress, in particular, have expressed concern about the plan’s huge pricetag, $2 trillion, to be paid for, in part, with an increase in corporate taxes.
U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Bainbridge Township, said he looked forward to learning more about Amtrak’s proposal, but remained concerned about the infrastructure plan’s total cost.
“We have a lot of communities that would benefit from increased connectivity to other parts of the Buckeye State and beyond,” said Joyce, via email. “There tend to be a lot of moving parts when it comes to implementing an ambitious plan like this, including funding and balancing passenger rail needs with those of freight rail, but I look forward to learning more details and working with local, state and federal officials to determine if we can make this a reality.”
He added, “Infrastructure has long been one of our nation’s most important needs. As Congress begins to put together legislation based on the framework that the president released earlier this week, I urge my colleagues to work across the aisle so that we can provide the American people with a bipartisan, fiscally responsible infrastructure package that not only creates jobs, but also doesn’t add onto our $28 trillion debt or threaten our long-term economic stability.”
Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, meanwhile, voiced strong support for additional train service through the state.
“I am a strong supporter of Amtrak because expanded rail service not only provides Ohioans with reliable transportation options, it creates jobs, grows our economy and reduces congestion on the roads,” he said. “For too long we’ve seen cuts and underfunding of our transportation system. Now, especially with President Biden in the White House, Secretary Buttigieg at the Transportation Department and a Democratic Congress, I’m optimistic we can once again rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and invest the necessary resources in growing our passenger rail system.”
Nicholson, meanwhile, is confident that a majority of Ohio lawmakers can be convinced that the proposal is good for the state.
For the past several months, All Aboard Ohio has been building support for Amtrak’s expansion, collecting statements of approval from communities throughout Ohio, including Cleveland.
Despite his optimism, Nicholson cautions against impatience – any plan to bring new Amtrak service through Ohio will take years, even after initial funding is approved.
In many cases, communities – including Columbus – will have to rebuild train stations. Tracks and other infrastructure will have to be upgraded, as well, he said.
Cleveland, he said, may want to consider whether it should keep its passenger train station along the lakefront, near FirstEnergy Stadium, or possibly relocate it back to Terminal Tower, which last hosted passenger trains in the mid-1970s.
Another possibility being floated for Northeast Ohio: The addition of an Amtrak stop at or near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Ken Prendergast, public affairs director for All Aboard Ohio, said Amtrak brought up the idea of a multimodal stop near the airport during a February meeting with the organization and city officials. The stop would connect train passengers from across the region with air service options.
Nicholson said he’s thrilled with the possibilities. “I know there will be people out there who call this just another boondoggle,” he said. “This isn’t. This is a serious national transportation plan.”
Read more:
President Joe Biden deputizes Marcia Fudge to sell his infrastructure plan
Amtrak looking at major expansion in Cleveland, with possible service to Columbus, Cincinnati
U.S. - Latest - Google News
April 02, 2021 at 05:41AM
https://ift.tt/2PiGiU1
Major Amtrak expansion in Cleveland and Ohio included in Biden infrastructure plan - cleveland.com
U.S. - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2ShjtvN
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Major Amtrak expansion in Cleveland and Ohio included in Biden infrastructure plan - cleveland.com"
Post a Comment