CLEVELAND — A new transportation bill has been introduced in the Ohio Senate that would allow Ohio to rejoin a regional rail planning compact with neighboring states.
Senate Bill 449, if passed, would put Ohio back into the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact. Membership in this compact would give Ohio a voice in regional passenger rail planning and development.
The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact helps coordinate rail planning, pursue federal funding and advocate for improved passenger rail connections across the region. The compact includes nine states, including Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.
The bill is sponsored by State Senators George Lang and Nickie Antonio. According to All Aboard Ohio Executive Director John Esterly, a similar bill was introduced in the Senate last year. He said that if the bill passes this year, it could be the needed push to improve existing rail services and introduce new rail routes.
"When we look at things that can really improve service here, particularly in Northeast Ohio," Esterly said. "Ideally, daylight service would be great. Those are conversations that we would now have a seat at the table to be a part of. It probably goes without saying, if we were a part of MIPRC, we'd have another advocacy network that we could leverage when we look at the implementation of these new routes across the state."
There has been a growing push in recent years to expand rail travel in Ohio. Two proposed Amtrak routes, both with stops in Cleveland, have been under consideration as part of the state's rail expansion efforts. Esterly said the state is still waiting for guidance from the federal level to proceed with the planned routes.
Senate Bill 449 has been assigned to the Senate Transportation Committee for consideration.
