The Ohio & Lake Erie Regional Rail Ohio Hub
Passenger Rail:
How can we fulfill its economic promise for our region?
August 29, 2005
Ohio & Lake Erie Regional Rail
The Ohio Hub System
860 miles - 32 stations
4 States and Southern Ontario
11 major metro areas
22 million people
An Interconnected Rail Network
An Interconnected Rail Network
An Interconnected Rail Network
Public and Agency Involvement
Results
1)
“We need this”. “Build it now”.
2)
People like the Hub Plan as an economic development
project.
3)
Ohioans recognize the need to improve transportation
system capacity.
4)
Ohioans want to be connected… to the national network,
to a regional system, to local mass transit, and to
international airports.
5)
The public likes the idea of leveraging existing state
rail/transportation dollars to match federal funds.
6)
People recognize that there needs to be a strong federal role
in building systems like the Hub.
The “Ask”
and Next Steps
1) Support funding Ohio Hub Economic Impact
Study
2) Support funding the Planning Process
Why?
a. To identify and preserve critically important railroad
infrastructure
b. To capture dollars from existing state transportation
projects – such as the grade separation program –
as the state share of a federal program