Cleveland Real Estate News

All Aboard Ohio’s Executive Director Andrew Bremer filled some of us in on news regarding future plans for US passenger rail service. A transportation policy commission was formed in 2005 by Congress; some of their latest findings, according to a report/article on line at MSNBC.com. This Commission is called the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission.

1.  The Commission may recommend an $8.1 billion funding through 2050 for improved/increased passenger rail funding.

2. This means as they said ’significantly expand intercity rail service by 2050.’

3. There will be private funds for this as well as Federal (including but not limited to Amtrak).

Did you know that in 1971 Congress allowed freight carriers (rail) to stop providing passenger service, and that is when many city rail services began to fall into disrepair.

I said they may recommend because even though MSNBC featured the story as recommendations there is apparently still some discussion as to whether all of the items will be sent to Congress with the Committee’s blessing. You know how these things go.

 2050……is a long time from now. I am certainly hoping Gov. Strickland is still behind the idea of getting a leg of the Ohio Hub up and out of the ground as it were, by the time his first term is up.

Here is a quote from the MSNBC article:

“….The plan is broken down into three phases. By 2015, existing service would be upgraded and new service that is already in the pipeline could be added. That would include parts of a high-speed rail corridor in California and a rail link from Milwaukee to Madison, Wis. The estimated cost of the first phase is $66.3 billion.

By 2030, the California high-speed corridor would be completed and new corridors _ such as Los Angeles to Las Vegas; Tulsa, Okla., to St. Louis; and Salt Lake City to Boise, Idaho _ would be added. The second phase is forecast to cost $158.6 billion….”

Back to the Hub. I’m going to reintroduce the pdf file about a poll taken by Ohioans who are supporting development of Ohio passenger rail service - four out of five Ohioans polled, as a matter of fact.  The poll file is here.

Also, you can go here to read The White House response to the passage of SB 294 and HB 3074. All I can say to that is bah humbug.  Peace Out - 3C

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