Please share that in a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Statistics can be ripped apart but personal stories cannot. Share them far and wide.

 

FYI... Cincinnati City Council passed its resolution today in support of urging Gov.-Elect Kasich to not kill 3C. Toledo passed its yesterday.

 

Resolutions from Columbus City Council and more county commissions are needed!

Ted: "This is a one time opportunity for Ohio to establish vital infrastructure in rail service while improving the freight system," Strickland said. "If this money is returned, it will never be available to Ohio in the future and, as I've said, I believe developing a passenger rail system will bypass our state."

That's exactly correct! And how will Ohio look in the eyes of the nation when it has so many major commerce centers, so may people/places, but virtually NO option other than car for the connectivity component needed in such centers and in between! All bypasses Ohio, is right, because it won't be on the itinerary.

 

Sorry, but I could not be this blind or ignorant on the matter as Kasich if I stayed up all night studying for it! His decision marks a critical tipping point. One side, where we will take the next step into a better transportation future and all the benefits associated and that are severely needed.....or another, where we will show the nation that we are too stupid for our own good now and in the future for potential funding, and in the kinds of transportation options that make a place viable in which to live..... And hence...no wonder the mediocre image that this part of the Midwest often exudes that also has the "young people" Kasich says he wants to retain and to achieve dreams in Ohio, fleeing for places that seem to get it right!

 

Again, this is a farse if he causes us to lose this opportunity and how in hell one man can impose his will on so many is nothing short of a dictator in his own right. Dammit this has me fuming!!!  :whip:

 

I have a boss in Chicago with a son at Case on a football scholarship.

 

I think you mean academic scholarship. ;)

An EC rant I can agree with.  :o

Random true stories I thought I'd share of why Ohio needs this:

 

I have a boss in Chicago with a son at Case on a football scholarship.  He is considering pulling him out.  The reason is that Grandpa wants to see his grandson play football.  He can't sit in a car for 6 hours for medical reasons, and won't deal with flying.  Amtrak time tables make that option unfeasible.  My boss will not put Grandpa on a bus...hence no greyhound or Megabus, which I don't blame him...I wouldn't put my parents on either one either.  With 3C and Cleveland as transfer point, I'm sure we'd get better Amtrak service and reasonable time tables.  The son loves Cleveland and Case and does not want to leave...btw.

 

My father just had a big party for his 80th Birthday in Akron.  His best friend from college lives in Columbus and could not make it to the party.  He can't drive for eyesight reasons...and he is 80.  Had a train been an option, he would have been there.  3C to CVNR possibly.  My mother offered to drive to Columbus and get him...but that is just crazy.  My father doesn't like to fly anymore either, and since he fell asleep at the wheel and flipped his car, he doesn't like to drive long distance anymore.....which means anything over an hour.

 

I have a friend in Chicago that cannot get his elderly mother to visit from Youngstown.  She has back problems and can't sit in a car for long periods....not even the 2 hours to CLE, CAK or PIT airports.  Megabus is not even an option because it doesn't go to Ytown.  Ytown airport is not operating commercial flights.  Amtrak doesn't serve Ytown anymore.

 

There must be tons of other stories just like these.  How many kids don't go to Ohio State because of transportation issues?  How many colleges in Ohio don't allow Freshman and Sophmores to have a car on Campus?  How many other older Ohioans can no longer get around thier own State by themselves?  Ohio needs better choices.   This is so frustrating!!

 

Sounds like the basis for a very good letter to the editor to the Plain Dealer or any of the States major papers....with a copy to Mr. Kasich.  Your right....stories like this need to be known and the valid questions asked.

A very thoughful editorial from today's Akron Beacon Journal:

 

Jump on the train

Better to lose $400 million, or see John Kasich reconsider his opposition to pursuing passenger rail in Ohio?

Published on Tuesday, Dec 07, 2010

 

 

John Kasich has gotten the message. The federal government isn't going to let the governor-elect divert $400 million intended to upgrade passenger rail in the state to another purpose. Kasich acknowledged as much after meeting with President Obama and White House advisers last week. He explained that he pitched using the money for freight rail. On other occasions, he has talked about routing the funds into roads and bridges.

No surprise the Obama team rejected the request. States competed for the money, submitting plans that would fit into the administration's worthy idea of advancing passenger rail across the country. Hard to tell those states that pursued the money and fell short that now Ohio is opting out and applying the money to something else.

 

Kasich has been withering in his criticism of the rail project. During the campaign, he vowed to ''kill the 39-mph train,'' a reference to early estimates of the average speed on the proposed rail corridor from Cleveland to Columbus to Dayton and Cincinnati. At the same time, Kasich sees himself, and appropriately so, as someone with an eye on the future — beyond next week, next year or even the next election. Remote as the possibility is, he would do well to think again about the value of the rail money.

 

Full editorial at: http://www.ohio.com/editorial/opinions/111429164.html

EC:

 

I agree with your general sentiment, but don't write Kasich's obstreperousness off as an all-time deal-killer just yet.  Ohio still occupies a very strategic location that will make national-level rail planners not really want to try bypassing Ohio, and the national political climate will likely become more favorable to rail as gas prices climb again (which they are already doing, though largely due to the dollar's weakness rather than any anticipated surge in demand).

 

Also, in answer to your question about one man imposing his will on so many: He can't.  However, he very likely does have the backing of the state legislature, and with that behind him, he can.  Despite the fact that Ohio has many urban centers, the balance of power in the legislature is skewed towards autocentric regions, because the suburbs (including suburbanized townships) are where most people live, and place of residence, not place of employment, determines where one votes.

Quote from: Hts121 on Yesterday at 02:29:43 PM

Quote from: shs96 on Yesterday at 02:09:31 PM

Quote from: Hts121 on Yesterday at 01:38:26 PM

"Without strong cities, we cannot have strong suburbs"

 

Preach, Ted!

 

 

I wish the property values in Cleveland compared to the suburbs would support that!

 

 

On a comparitive scale, they do!  The closer the suburb is to the core, the lower the home values (at least per square foot).  Strong cities typically have the opposite effect.

 

The land is also way more expensive near the core (per square foot) than in the suburbs.  You can't compare the price of an 8,000 sq ft home on 5 acres with a 1,200 sq ft row home with no yard without taking square footage into account.

 

This subject has been beaten to death over the years.  The strong city/strong suburb argument involves comparing different cities and their suburbs to others, not the central city to its own suburb (e.g. the suburbs of Cleveland vs. the suburbs of Denver).  The book, Cities Without Suburbs by David Rusk, pretty much proves the point with empirical data.  Comparable suburbs in strong vs. weak metro areas do proportionately "better" given the health of their respective central city.  It is probably a little dated by now, but the numbers and the argument hold up and it is a great read.

> Comparable suburbs in strong vs. weak metro areas do proportionately "better" given the health of their respective central city.

 

I think the suburbs of Cleveland, Detroit and Cincinnati belie this statement.

 

That having been said, urban planning of the 1920s has been displaced by autocentric planning of the 1940s--just look at Los Angeles, Houston, Charlotte, Miami and any Sun Belt city, but that's not to say that it won't bounce back. The trouble is that it will take years upon years upon years for this to happen, and this will be despite unlimited under-the-radar funding for public roads and highways.

 

As was said above, most Ohioans live in suburbs, own a car, and don't even think about taking public transportation. For most people in this country, true urban living is something of a novelty. I think it will change as we slowly reevaluate the efficiency of our society, but it's going to take years to undo the damage of government kowtowing to the auto industry.

Getting off topic.

^The 3-C thread invariably drifts into a rail vs highway argument because the proposed 3-C is in direct competition with Ohio's highways, not just for ridership but for funding as well.

^The 3-C thread invariably drifts into a rail vs highway argument because the proposed 3-C is in direct competition with Ohio's highways, not just for ridership but for funding as well.

 

That is not entirely accurate.  The Ohio Constitution prohibits any gasoline tax revenues being spent on anything other than the building and maintaining of highways.  So there is no competition for state dollars.

 

The 3C project is meant to complement Ohio's highway system, not compete with it.  This is about balancing our transportation system: providing an array of options for people to travel.  Ohio also has roughly one-million people who either cannot drive or do not drive, so that's a segment of potential riders that highways wouldn't capture anyway.

 

And given the weather alone this time of year in Ohio, especially along Lake Erie, I would bet you wouldn't have trouble finding people who would rather have the option of riding the rails instead of riding another driver's tail in the kind of snow-induced traffic jam in the snow that Cleveland experienced tonight.

 

  Niko, there a flaw in your argument that also leads to a reason why the Republicans and Kasich don't favor rail.

 

  "3C is estimated to create 8,000 new jobs."

 

    I realize that this has been widely reported and you are just repeating it. The key word is "new." The question is whether or not the jobs needed to support the 3-C are truely new jobs or just displaced from somewhere else.

 

    If the 3-C really reduces the need for driving as proponents claim, then it will also reduce the need to manufacture, maintain, and fuel automobiles. That is, if 40,000 riders a day, or whatever the number is, take the train instead of driving, then an equivalent number of automobiles must be taken off the road. Fewer miles driven equates to fewer cars manufactured, fewer automobiles repaired, fewer tires sold and installed, fewer fuel stops with associated food purchases, and so on.

 

    So, the 3-C proponents can claim that the 3-C will reduce the need for driving, assuming that total passenger miles including both the 3-C and highways remain about constant.  They can also claim that the 3-C will provide 8000 new jobs related to the passenger railroad; but they shouldn't make both claims at the same time.

 

    This brings up the "made work" problem. Republicans in general are not in favor of "making work" for the purpose of keeping people employed. They believe that the private sector should keep people employed, not government. They see 8000 new government jobs as a disadvantage, not a benefit. I realize that not all of those 8000 jobs will be government employees, but if they are contractors for the government, then they might as well be.

 

    In my humble opinion, the proponents have their best chance of selling the 3-C by promoting improved mobility, not by promoting creation of jobs or reduction of the need for driving. 

 

Yes, cars taken off the roads and left in driveways.  Less miles driven because of 3C does not necessarily mean less cars.  I don't see people that own cars today giving them up when they can ride the 3C.  I can agree with your statement that it may reduce the amount of maintenance, but that is somewhat mitigated by the fact that manufacturers state a recommended mileage as well as a recommended period of time for a lot of maintenance items.  eg. Oil every 3,000 miles or 6 months.  Even at half the number of jobs, it still makes sense.  Now if you believe there will be no net job gain, that is a different story. 

 

I believe the initial study said there would be only 250-ish government jobs.  The rest would be spin-off in the public sector.

 

There is no single point that is the ultimate reason for building the 3C.  Its the combination of all the positives that make this an overwhelming benefit for the state and its citizens IMHO.

I am hopeful that this will give Kasich an out. At this point I'd settle for an "I don't care"...

 

Backers make last-ditch effort
to save railway plan for Ohio

 

By Tom Beyerlein
, Staff Writer

1:15 AM Thursday, December 9, 2010

 

Supporters of Ohio’s proposed “3C” passenger railway are discussing ways that planning for the project, which received $400 million in federal funding, could continue despite Gov.-elect John Kasich’s opposition.

 

The supporters are considering establishment of a multijurisdictional “joint powers authority” that could receive the Federal Railroad Administration funding instead of the Ohio Department of Transportation. Similar entities have been established in California and Minnesota. Such an entity, which could involve local governments and regional transit authorities, would award an operating franchise to a private consortium, according to a document prepared by 3C proponent All Aboard Ohio.

 

....Kasich said the 3C plan, developed under Gov. Ted Strickland, will be dead under his administration, which begins Jan. 10. Kasich’s press secretary, Rob Nichols, said “if (supporters) are privatizing it and removing taxpayers from exposure, we’d be more than happy to look at it.”

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/backers-make-last-ditch-effort-to-save-railway-plan-for-ohio-1024667.html

 

 

Passenger rail supporters consider consortium to revive Ohio proposal

 

By Tom Beyerlein
, Staff Writer

1:17 AM Thursday, December 9, 2010

 

Gov.-elect John Kasich has declared a passenger rail project dead, but rail supporters hope to revive the plan by eliminating the need for state subsidies and creating a new entity that could accept $400 million in federal stimulus funding.

 

Rail supporters would create a joint powers authority, a combination of local governments and transit authorities that could grant a franchise to a private consortium that would run the so-called 3C passenger service from Cincinnati to Cleveland via Columbus and Dayton. The consortium would be able to access funds from such revenue streams as station leases, food service, advertising and sponsorships to help pay for the service.

 

Ken Prendergast of All Aboard Ohio said supporters are initially seeking only to complete a $14.9 million federally funded engineering study, without any obligation to create a rail service. “To kill this thing before the engineering is even done is irresponsible,” he said.

 

He said the next step is to take stock of which stakeholders are interested in pursuing the JPA plan.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/passenger-rail-supporters-consider-consortium-to-revive-ohio-proposal-1024830.html?cxtype=fb_mlt

Ohio and Wisconsin money to go Elsewhere

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101209/NEWS0108/312090089/Ohio-rail-money-to-go-elsewhere

 

Thanks Kasich (Kay-sick)

ouch.  seems a little premature considering the guys not even in office.  thoughts?

From a Gov. Strickland press release.......

 

For Immediate Release:                                            Contact: Amanda Wurst

Thursday, December 9, 2010                                      614 644-0957/614 832-7512

                                                                                    [email protected]

 

 

Ohio’s Rail Funds will be Given to

California, Florida, Others to Create Jobs

 

Columbus, OH – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today expressed his deep disappointment that Ohio’s rail funds will be given to other states as a result of Governor-elect John Kasich’s strong opposition to Ohio’s passenger rail plan. 

 

In a phone conversation today, Secretary LaHood informed the governor that, based on his conversations with Kasich, the bulk of Ohio’s $400 million will be sent to California and Florida.  Washington State, Illinois and other states are also expected to benefit.

 

“Today is one of the saddest days during my four years as governor,” Strickland said.  “Because I see jobs leaving Ohio, I see resources leaving Ohio, I see vital infrastructure leaving Ohio.  And I see other states being enriched by resources that would otherwise have created thousands of new jobs, revitalized our cities and helped keep our young people in Ohio.  I can’t understand the logic of giving up these vital, job-creating resources to California and Florida at a time when so many Ohioans need jobs.”

 

Ohio competed against other states and won $400 million based on the strength of Ohio’s plan to restore passenger rail to the most densely populated corridor in the country without passenger rail, the Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati, or 3C-D, corridor.  Strickland offered to work closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation to wrap up the current passenger rail study currently underway.

 

“I fear that history will show that this one, uninformed decision will be looked upon with regret by future generations of Ohioans,” Strickland said.

 

 

--30--

Wow...

“I fear that history will show that this one, uninformed decision will be looked upon with regret by future generations of Ohioans,” Strickland said.

 

Indeed.

Ouch, NYTimes has another article about the other states divining up the spoils.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/us/10rail.html?hp

A USDOT press release.....

 

DOT 208-10

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Contact: Olivia Alair

Tel: (202) 366-4570

 

U.S. Department of Transportation Redirects $1.195 Billion in High-Speed Rail Funds           

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that $1.195 billion in high-speed rail funds originally designated for Wisconsin and Ohio will be redirected to other states eager to develop high-speed rail corridors across the United States. Wisconsin has suspended work under its existing high-speed rail agreement and the incoming Governors in Wisconsin and Ohio have both indicated that they will not move forward to use high-speed rail money received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  As a result, $1.195 billion will be redirected to high-speed rail projects already underway in other states.

 

“High-speed rail will modernize America’s valuable transportation network, while reinvigorating the manufacturing sector and putting people back to work in good-paying jobs,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “I am pleased that so many other states are enthusiastic about the additional support they are receiving to help bring America’s high-speed rail network to life.”

 

The Recovery Act included $8 billion to launch a national high-speed rail program that will modernize America’s transportation network, spur economic development domestically and keep the U.S. competitive with other leading nations. High-speed rail grants announced under the Recovery Act can be used only for high-speed rail projects and not for other transportation projects.

 

Last year, the Obama Administration received a commitment from 30 domestic and foreign rail manufacturers to establish or expand their base of operations in the United States if selected for contracts building America’s high-speed rail network. These rail manufacturers and suppliers committed to not only locate in the U.S., but to ensure high-speed rail projects are built by American workers with American-made supplies. To deliver maximum economic benefits to American taxpayers, the Administration’s high-speed rail program also includes a 100 percent ‘Buy American’ requirement.

 

Under the Recovery Act, the Federal Railroad Administration originally announced $810 million for Wisconsin’s Milwaukee-Madison corridor and $400 million for Ohio’s Cincinnati-Columbus-Cleveland “3C” route. The Federal Railroad Administration will redirect $810 million from Wisconsin and $385 million from Ohio, and will work with these states to determine whether they have already spent money under their contracts that should be reimbursed.

 

The $1.195 billion originally designated for those high-speed rail projects in Wisconsin and Ohio will now be used to support projects in the following states:

 

 

California: up to $624 million

Florida: up to $342.3 million

Washington State: up to $161.5 million

Illinois: up to $42.3 million

New York: up to $7.3 million

Maine: up to $3.3 million

Massachusetts: up to $2.8 million

Missouri up to $2.2 million

Wisconsin: up to $2 million for the Hiawatha line

Oregon: up to $1.6 million

North Carolina: up to $1.5 million

Iowa: up to $309,080

Indiana: up to $364,980

FUCK

so backwards.  its sad. 

I'm absolutely livid. And I'm one of those young minds Ohio needed to try to keep with this project.

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2010/12/feds_to_ohio_your_high-speed_r.html

 

Feds to Ohio: Your high-speed rail project is officially dead

Published: Thursday, December 09, 2010, 1:11 PM    Updated: Thursday, December 09, 2010, 1:58 PM

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today that the federal government is redirecting nearly $400 million it had awarded to Ohio to build a high-speed rail project that would have linked Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. As promised, the money will go to other states.

Lame duck Gov. Ted Strickland called this "one of the saddest days during my four years as governor." His successor, John Kasich, who defeated Strickland in November's election, did not share Strickland's enthusiasm for the rail project.

Done deal?

 

If so, looks like we have become the sacrificial lamb in Kasich's partisan politics.

I didn't think he'd keep his promise.  $400 million is a lot to throw out the door just based off principal, even if he thought 3-C wasn't the best idea.  I was never really pleased with what was proposed, but I wouldn't have let our tax dollars go somewhere else; Ohio's fiscal principals aren't going to change federal fiscal policy.

California: up to $624 million

Florida: up to $342.3 million

Washington State: up to $161.5 million

Illinois: up to $42.3 million

New York: up to $7.3 million

Maine: up to $3.3 million

Massachusetts: up to $2.8 million

Missouri up to $2.2 million

Wisconsin: up to $2 million for the Hiawatha line

Oregon: up to $1.6 million

North Carolina: up to $1.5 million

Iowa: up to $309,080

Indiana: up to $364,980

 

???

Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb...and severely lacking in vision is he who's first call of duty is to deny this state what it needs the most! Add another reason we can be viewed as bass ackwards! I see it now, while others gaze out of the train windows, asking... "What's that place all the rail service bypasses with so many people and metro areas?"

 

Oh...its called "SLOW-hio!"  HEEEEEEEEEE  HAAAWWWWWWW!!!!

 

 

Oh well.....Look at the bright side!!!!  We'll have these terrific casinos that will save the day and retain lots of residents and bring in droves of tourists (too bad they won't be taking the train that doesn't come here!) Meanwhile, I think I am going to start to look elsewhere for permanent settlement.

 

This man has single handedly embarrassed and denied this state big time and he's not even technically Governor yet. What an abomination; a nightmare!

 

So just like that... This is over and dead?

I agree with your general sentiment, but don't write Kasich's obstreperousness off as an all-time deal-killer just yet.  Ohio still occupies a very strategic location that will make national-level rail planners not really want to try bypassing Ohio , ...

 

Also, in answer to your question about one man imposing his will on so many: He can't.  ...

I am sad to see that the billion dollars is largely going to two states in the Sun Belt: Florida and California.  Oh well, I rather like California.  Florida, not so much. 

Ridiculous.

Kasich has the same me-first attitude that caused all those suburban jackasses last night to gridlock intersections.  If he wasn't going to use the train, nobody was going to.  I am about as fed up with this guy as I have been with any politician, and he hasn't even started office.

I think Kasich will find out that there was really no upside to his decision on the 3-c.  His ignorant supporters who thought that the money would be used for something else will be deeply disappointed that that plan did not work out.  I don't think many of them honestly believed that we would lose $400 million so this might bring Kasich some backlash in his own party.  He decided to make a stand on an the 3-c without knowing or caring about the facts and now he will actually have to face the reality of it.  Having to give $400 million back to the Feds before you take office is not a very good start.

^ A--F****ng--Men!!!

 

Is there anything that can be done to show some backlash...letter writing, anything? Or do the rail supporters just lay down and take this up the caboose?

bluff called, the end.  way to go Ohio.

He's worse than Horseface (Taft), and that's saying something.

How sad

The front page of cleveland.com has a painfully ironic juxtaposition of stories right now, with the "Upset by your commute?" piece right next to "Feds to Ohio: Your high-speed rail project is officially dead." 

How will his supporters try and defend this one? What gloss over rationale will we see? It seems to me they're more interested in "being right" than actually doing what is right. You just handed over $400 million handed to you on a silver platter to other states! Retarded. I am truly beginning to think there is something mentally wrong with this guy. I have a guest here from Australia who has been following this and she finds this utterly jaw dropping insane!

^The 3-C thread invariably drifts into a rail vs highway argument because the proposed 3-C is in direct competition with Ohio's highways, not just for ridership but for funding as well.

 

That is not entirely accurate.  The Ohio Constitution prohibits any gasoline tax revenues being spent on anything other than the building and maintaining of highways.  So there is no competition for state dollars.

 

That is not entirely accurate either.  The gasoline tax revenue has been insufficient to cover the cost to build and maintain Ohio's roadways for some time, so the highway fund has been supplemented with general fund revenue.  There is a lot of competition for those dollars (and not all of that competition comes from other forms of transportation).

How will his supporters try and defend this one? What gloss over rationale will we see? It seems to me they're more interested in "being right" than actually doing what is right. You just handed $400 million handed to you on a silver platter to other states! Retarded. I am truly beginning to think their is something mentally wrong with this guy. I have a guest here from Australia who has been following this and she finds this utterly jaw dropping insane!

 

It won't be complicated.  It will be "we didn't want to waste any money on the train no one would use".

So now we have to spend money on highways we're forced to use. Where is the proof no one would use this?

I'm just relieved the $12 million for grass cutting has been preserved. The Grass Cutters of Ohio would be p!ssed.

Too bad this couldn't have been used to beef up the NYC-CLE-Chicago line.

EC, I think SHS96 was just telling you what Kasich and his minions will say.  We all know the truth about this project, but they refuse to even attempt to understand.

 

What angers we the most about seeing us be so backwards is that there are so many other things I love about Ohio.  If I didn't, I'd be out of here in a heartbeat.  This decision is just awful.

 

ColDayMan, you're right that Kasich is looking to be worse than Taft, which does say something.  What says something even more, though, is how much he's doing to get people to hate him before he even takes office.

^ I know, I was just reacting rhetorically. You are right. I love so many things about Ohio as well.....naturally, culturally, etc.. But this decision is a real nightmare. It seems despite the valid information available to skeptics, they have either not had the proper information delivered to them via mainstream sources, or they remain in denial and are too stubborn to see the forest through the trees. I also fear that the runaway road addiction in this state will eventually lead to destroying the many things I love about it in the first place.  :-( This could begin a whole new discussion too.

Too bad this couldn't have been used to beef up the NYC-CLE-Chicago line.

 

Or a true 3-C of Cincy, Columbus, and Chicago.  :evil:

Not like this will make a difference now, but it still felt good sending it to Mr. K and Beth Hansen

 

 

"Dear Governor Kasich,

 

 

For shame.  Based on today's decision by the Federal Government and Mr. Lahood's announcement, I am now considering long-term options for moving my company out of the state.  Your needlessly killing this rail project isn't the only reason, but it certainly indicates the direction of Ohio during your tenure, and that is not one I care to partake."

All Aboard Ohio: USDOT plan to send 3C rail funding to other states is premature

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — December 9, 2010

 

Contact:

Ken Prendergast

All Aboard Ohio Executive Director

(216) 288-4883

[email protected]

 

All Aboard Ohio, a statewide nonprofit association, today said the U.S. Department of Transportation’s is moving prematurely to redirect up to $400 million in no-match federal funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation. ODOT was awarded the funds for the development of an introductory level of passenger rail service linking Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati – the Midwest’s busiest travel corridor between metropolitan areas.

 

“Until grant agreements with the new state recipients have been signed, we don’t consider this a done deal,” said All Aboard Ohio President Bill Hutchison. He noted that it often takes months for such agreements to be finalized. “Indeed, $385.1 million of the funding awarded to Ohio was not yet under agreement and was free to being reallocated by the USDOT. The other $14.9 million for 3C preliminary engineering is under a grant agreement with ODOT and cannot simply be taken away.”

 

USDOT made the announcement today with more than one month left in Gov. Ted Strickland’s term. The USDOT acted because, in its written words, “incoming Governors in Wisconsin and Ohio have both indicated that they will not move forward to use high-speed rail money.”

 

“The USDOT acted prematurely as all alternatives have not been exhausted,” Hutchison said. “There should be more communication with the Federal Railroad Administration and those of us who are trying to keep 3C moving forward. We are calling for an open, honest dialogue between Gov. Strickland, Gov.-Elect Kasich and potential 3C partners to consider an alternative that could be instituted within the same time frame ODOT was expected to move forward with 3C.”

 

Ironically, today’s announcement came hours after the Dayton Daily News published details of an alternative, proven plan by All Aboard Ohio and others to pursue the 3C project without state involvement. The plan assumes the initial federal investment will remain with the service sustained via local public-private partnerships overseen by a Joint Powers Authority: http://freepdfhosting.com/bd173f3a6e.pdf

 

“The Dayton Daily News article included a quote from Gov.-Elect Kasich’s spokesman which gives All Aboard Ohio hope that we can work with the Kasich team on this concept to keep this huge investment in new jobs and mobility for Ohio,” Hutchison said.

 

“With looming threats of unprecedented global oil shortages by 2015, the Baby Boom generation starting to turn 65 years old in 2011 and young Ohioans leaving for states that don’t force them to drive everywhere, now is not the time for Ohio leaders to let this money slip away,” Hutchison concluded.

 

END

Does the Ohio Constitution have a process for recalling a governor?