Are Amtrak routes expanding in central Ohio? What to know

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Key funding and planning milestones have paved the way for Amtrak service to potentially expand in Ohio, according to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

On Tuesday, Brown announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration has selected four key routes in Ohio as priorities for Amtrak expansion. The State of Ohio, Amtrak and metropolitan planning organizations will now begin corridor development efforts on the four routes selected. As part of these efforts, the Federal Railroad Administration will provide $500,000 to each announced corridor for planning under the Corridor Identification program.

Amtrak is the national passenger railroad company of the United States, operating inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and three Canadian provinces. The company’s expansion in Ohio marks an emphasis on critical infrastructure projects in the state.

“These new routes would expand opportunity, help grow businesses and create jobs, and connect communities in Ohio and across the Midwest,” Brown said in a news release.

The corridors that will receive funding for planning include:

• Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati, the 3C+D corridor

• Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit

• Chicago-Fort Wayne-Columbus-Pittsburgh, the Midwest Connect corridor via Lima, Kenton, Marysville, Columbus, Newark, Coshocton, Newcomerstown, Uhrichsville, and Steubenville in Ohio

• Daily Cardinal Service, increasing service frequency from three days per week to daily on Amtrak’s current service to Cincinnati between New York City, Washington, DC, and Chicago, Illinois, via the States of Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois

In February 2023, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine began efforts to seek federal funding to study the revival of two of these routes. Ten months later, those efforts appear to be coming to fruition.

Brown hosted a video conference call on Wednesday to discuss the first steps in expanding Amtrak in Ohio. He said that Amtrak was a point of emphasis when working on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which he helped write and pass.

“When we wrote the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, working with Senator (Rob) Portman and others, we made sure it included investments to expand Amtrak,” Brown said.

More than a decade ago, a similar proposal from then-Gov. John Kasich fell through due to maintenance costs. Brown said that this would not be a repeat of that.

“This time, unlike a decade ago, we have the governor involved, we have thousands of Ohioans across the state weighing in, we have businesses across the state weighing in,” Brown said.

Brown explained that this is part of an effort to not only get Ohioans their fair share, but to go beyond.

“I’ve always said since I came to the Senate, Ohio should get its fair share,” Brown said. “Well, now I think Ohio should get more than its fair share. That’s my goal, that’s my mission on Amtrak, on a number of other infrastructure plans.”

During his conference call, Brown said that this Amtrak expansion will create new opportunities for economic growth, make new routes for Ohio businesses to grow and expand, attract new businesses to the state, offer easier travel for Ohioans, and will mean that communities in Ohio will be more connected to each other, others in the region, and the country at-large.

“It’s how we bury the term ‘Rust Belt’,” Brown said.

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