Could the tracks in Lakewood be elevated?  No more quiet zone, no super safety crossings, less trouble all around.  Just like the line that curves SE through the near east side.  That train can't hit anybody and they never blow the horn.  I'm assuming the cost of doing it has prevented it or it would be there already.  If the cost of securing crossings is increasing, would elevated tracks now be for cheaper for Lakewood?  To the county line?  If it's even close, would that remove a barrier for commuter rail? 

Lovely. He has a lot of balls to say that. McCann's privatization plan does not have the support of All Aboard Ohio nor are we working with him. In fact he has made no attempt to communicate or coordinate with All Aboard Ohio's West Shore Corridor project manager. The AAO Board voted unanimously on Aug. 2 to support following a planning process which is nothing close to what McCann is promoting.

 

and vice versa?

 

how sad that the enthusiasts for this communicate less well than obama-clinton.

 

actually not really. based on history i don't believe that clique is on the up and up and so probably not worth talking to anyway. however, if they are meeting with mayors its getting to be a problem.

 

 

Could the tracks in Lakewood be elevated? No more quiet zone, no super safety crossings, less trouble all around. Just like the line that curves SE through the near east side. That train can't hit anybody and they never blow the horn. I'm assuming the cost of doing it has prevented it or it would be there already. If the cost of securing crossings is increasing, would elevated tracks now be for cheaper for Lakewood? To the county line? If it's even close, would that remove a barrier for commuter rail?  

 

Whenever you elevate or go below ground (subway), the capital construction costs inevitably go up.  That's not saying it couldn't or shouldn't be done, but it becomes very expensive.

nah, the tracks definately don't need to be elevated along there. waste of time & money. that line ran through our backyard when i was a kid and it was a helluva lot busier than it is today. no one ever complained about noise. in fact if anything it was the opposite, at night the oncoming trains way down the line lulled you to sleep...and that was without having quiet zones.

and vice versa?

 

how sad that the enthusiasts for this communicate less well than obama-clinton.

 

All Aboard Ohio started this project. We were (and are) making good progress. So there was no need for this "coalition" to come in and double-up on what we were already doing. They never even contacted me, as project manager, to see if they could help out. They just started doing their own thing, saying things that weren't true and promising things that cannot be delivered. There are so many other parts of this state where Brian could be doing things where All Aboard Ohio isn't actively doing anything but should be if we had the human resources. What a waste.

 

Could the tracks in Lakewood be elevated? 

 

This was proposed in the 1910s when Nickel Plate RR lowered their right of way through the west and east sides of Cleveland to eliminate grade crossings. An elevated right of way was proposed through Lakewood because the water table is too high here (RTA found that out when they rebuilt the West 117th Rapid station and it added to their costs) for a sub-grade alignment. However Lakewood officials felt that elevated right of way would create a physical and psychological barrier between the north and south sides of town. That project would also have eliminated a number of through streets to the reduce bridge construction and maintenance costs. Fewer crossings would have increased police and fire response times to the newly dead-end streets. Thus the elevated tracks were never built.

 

Elevating a double track-wide right of way *could* cost perhaps $1,000 per foot in earthmoving costs and $1 million to $3 million for each bridge structure. About 20,000 linear feet of right of way would have to be elevated, so we may be talking roughly $20 million in earthmoving costs. And there are 28 road crossings in Lakewood, suggesting anywhere from $28 million to $84 million in bridge construction costs ($56 milion is the median figure). Thus we could be looking at $48 million to $104 million for elevating the right of way through Lakewood. Plus, four or five street crossings in Cleveland (West 110th, 111th, 112th, 114th and possibly West 116th would have to be eliminated as the right of way ascends to the elevated portion west of the overpass of Norfolk Southern's busy Chicago Line. The right of way might be high enough by the time it gets to West 116th allow a sufficient clearance below the railroad for street vehicles to clear there.

 

Compare the above cost guesstimate to the $0 to $500,000 cost per crossing for providing a Quiet Zone through Lakewood. Some crossings may not require any improvements since the FRA takes the sum total of safety measures (including local safety educational outreach) within a proposed Quiet Zone into account when mdetermining if it will receive the designation.

and vice versa?

 

how sad that the enthusiasts for this communicate less well than obama-clinton.

 

All Aboard Ohio started this project. We were (and are) making good progress. So there was no need for this "coalition" to come in and double-up on what we were already doing. They never even contacted me, as project manager, to see if they could help out. They just started doing their own thing, saying things that weren't true and promising things that cannot be delivered. There are so many other parts of this state where Brian could be doing things where All Aboard Ohio isn't actively doing anything but should be if we had the human resources. What a waste.

 

 

of course. i meant that its a shame all aboard ohio hasn't contacted them. as i say its probably a waste of time, but who knows -- it wouldn't hurt. an important reason to do it is not for their sake, but two groups going about it & the lack of communication will just confuse the public.

 

 

 

Thanks for your suggestions.

www.kentnewsnet.com/media/storage/paper867/news/2008/10/06/News/No.Deal.Reached.In.Parta.Strike-3470709.shtml]No deal reached in PARTA strike[/url]

Stacey Carmany

Issue date: 10/6/08 Section: News

 

Negotiators for the Ohio Association of Pulic School Employees Local 037 and the Portage Area Regional Transit Authority were unable to reach an agreement during negotiations Friday.

 

Contact transportation reporter Stacey Carmany at [email protected].

OK, regardless of whether this provision that the union is striking about is good or bad, PARTA has been operating without their union drivers for 39 days and hasn't had to change/cancel any routes. Doesn't seem like this strike is going to have a significant impact, maybe its time to pack it up and go back to work.

All Aboard Ohio seeks federal funding

Lorain County

By Bryan Wroten

 

A meeting of All Aboard Ohio in Sheffield Lake let its members know they were on the right track.

 

The organization, which has been putting together plans for the West Shore Corridor, a commuter rail line using existing tracks along the Lake Erie coastline, is working to attain federal funding for the project.

 

“I’ve never seen a business plan anywhere in the country to try to get a commuter rail done,” Ken Prendergast said.  “They’re welcome to try.  They’re going to have to be a parallel to what we’re doing.”

 

Prendergast, director of communications and research for All Aboard Ohio, was speaking about another proposal made at a recent North Coast Regional Chamber of Commerce luncheon for a commuter rail line using the same tracks that would use public as well as private money for funding...

.

www.2presspapers.com

Post edited 9-4-09 to comply with terms of use

 

 

Thanks for posting that.

KJP, I noticed the link on allaboardohio.org to the West Shore Corridor Presentation is dead.

 

http://members.cox.net/kjprendergast/West%20Shore%20Corridor.pdf

 

Please advise.

 

 

That's an old presentation which I hosted at my own cox.net site. I've since deleted it, but I can put a current presentation there with the same name.

nice update, but kjp why has no one from aao at least tried to reach out to this upstart lorain clique? hmm, in the spirit of the political season, maybe a town hall style debate with them is in order?

 

buckeye1 your link looks to be from the north ridgeville paper. did you see anything else online? i am wondering if anyone from the lorain journal, elyria chronicle, plain dealer, etc. was there so more people can hear about it. kjp?

 

 

^The Press serves Avon, Avon Lake, Sheffield Lake, and Sheffield Village - we get a free subscription at work, along with The (Bay) Villager.  Sadly no online articles so my fingers have to work to get these articles posted.

nice update, but kjp why has no one from aao at least tried to reach out to this upstart lorain clique? hmm, in the spirit of the political season, maybe a town hall style debate with them is in order?

 

I already thanked you for your suggestions, which is my way of saying "we'll take care of it."

From the commish.....

 

BETTY BLAIR'S BULLETIN BOARD

IS THE COMMUTER TRAIN COMING?

 

At this writing, the Lorain County Community Alliance, a 12-year old  Council of Governments, awaits confirmation from the Ohio Department of Development, of an $80,000 matching grant.  This collaborative grant would provide the match to Congresswoman, Betty Sutton's, $343,000 Earmark secured earlier for the Lorain County Commissioners to pursue federal funding as part of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) New Starts program, which could provide up to 80 per cent of the total project costs.  The FTA process requires an Alternatives Analysis (AA). 

 

The West Shore Commuter Rail Project includes representation from Cuyahoga, Lorain and Erie Counties and has developed under the umbrella of the Lorain County Community Alliance and the leadership of Ken Prendergast, Director of Research and Communications for ALL ABOARD OHIO, a nonprofit statewide association that has been in existence since 1973.  Since 2006, this group has met bi-monthly to seek information, explore options, educate themselves and generate support for pursuing Commuter Rail on the Norfolk & Southern line  which could  run from Cleveland westward to Lorain's Black River Landing, with stops at Lakewood, Rocky River, Westlake/Bay Village, Avon/Avon Lake, Sheffield Lake and on into Vermilion and Sandusky.  As part of a planning process, in the 1990's, NOACA (Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency) initiated a Study entitled NEORAIL, which found this particular line to be the most feasible of all that were studied.  NOACA is the five-county Metropolitan Planning Organization covering this area.  Freight trains presently run on this line.

 

In 1997 a Demonstration train was provided.  Both the Nord Family Foundation and the Stocker Foundation have supported ALL ABOARD OHIO in their efforts to make known the possibilities of Commuter Rail such as:  Station-Area Development; quality of life issues including access to job opportunities, education, recreation and health care; reduction in high transportation costs; reduction in vehicular pollution emissions

 

According to Ken Sislak, an ALL ABOARD OHIO Board Member, also affiliated with AECOM Transportation:  "The AA will determine whether the project meets the FTA New Starts cost effectiveness index project evaluation criterion.  The project will be costly.  If the AA shows the project satisfies the cost effectiveness index criterion, then you apply for entry into and start preliminary engineering and begin the environmental impact studies that examine such things as noise, vibration and grade-crossing impacts.  If the project does not satisfy federal thresholds for cost effectiveness, then you know with certainty where you stand with federal funding for the commuter rail project..."

 

At the October 3rd Lorain County Community Alliance Summit, Prendergast detailed  rail traffic activity affecting Lorain County.  He noted the proposed 3C Corridor that would travel from Cleveland to Hopkins Airport, to Grafton and/or Wellington and on into Columbus, Dayton & Cincinnati.  There is also the existing line from Vermilion to Elyria to Hopkins, and the proposed West Shore Corridor line.  Ken noted that Congress has passed the first-ever passenger railroad (Amtrak) expansion bill providing $15 billion over five years, including improvement to existing routes, signals and stations, which would include the Elyria New York Central Depot. 

 

Prendergast's presentation noted 500,000 driving-age Ohioans who lack cars, with an aging population which desires mobility. 

 

The 3-C Corridor Implementation Plan calls for two daily routes from Cleveland to Columbus and  from Dayton to Cincinnati, due for delivery by mid-2009.  The Ohio Rail Development Commission is administering the plan while Amtrak is carrying it out.

 

We trudge onwards in our quest to obtain Commuter Rail service for our Northeast Ohio Region.  On Saturday,  November 8th, ALL ABOARD OHIO, is holding their Board Meeting in Elyria. 

 

For further information on the Summit meeting, all presentations may be viewed on www.lccommunityalliance.com.  ALL ABOARD OHIO's website is:  www.allaboardohio.org.

 

                                                          Betty Blair

                                                          Lorain County Commissioner

So the 3C thing is a definite thing?

Far from it. No funding has been allocated. Even if everything is close to happening, I've seen things go wrong in this and other states at the last minute.

 

So I have a saying that it's not a definite until you see the train on the second day. The first day might have been an hallucination.

I didn't think so. It just said "due for delivery in mid-2009", so I was just wondering if there was something I missed.

The phrases "is administering" and "is carrying out" had me feeling pretty good too.

I didn't think so. It just said "due for delivery in mid-2009", so I was just wondering if there was something I missed.

 

The implementation plan is due for delivery by Amtrak to governor which requested the plan.

 

The phrases "is administering" and "is carrying out" had me feeling pretty good too.

 

There is certainly reason for feeling good, but this is a discussion for the ORDC/Ohio Hub thread. Check that thread out. But should we have a specific thread for 3-C Corridor?

wow, good news about the 3C start up next year. i could sure use that service. yeah, definately needs its own thread.

 

hopefully all the local players will be invited to attend the next 11/8/08 commuter rail meeting in elyria. that would make it one not to miss.

 

 

hopefully all the local players will be invited to attend the next 11/8/08 commuter rail meeting in elyria. that would make it one not to miss.

 

That's not a commuter rail meeting. It's an All Aboard Ohio's Fall Meeting, although commuter rail will be discussed there, along with 3-C Corridor, Ohio Hub, Amtrak, Elyria station, etc etc etc.

well, if it will be discussed hopefully the "other" commuter rail crew attends.

One more factor that could (perhaps should) tilt toward Lorain commuter rail electrification/Red Line expansion: Wikipedia notes in its RTA Rapid article that RTA plans to junk 20 Red Line trains when it enters into it's mid-life, rehab program of the remaining 40 due to current over-capacity.  Could not those other 20 cars be retained and retrofitted for the Cleveland-Lorain service?  Sure would, I’m sure, be a fraction of buying new cars, plus repair/maintenance facilities for these cars already exists at E. 55th.  It would seem to make sense given the facts, as KJP has noted, the existence of power distribution lines already strung along the corridor, zero downtown Cleveland terminal costs (aside from new signage), direct grade-separated connection given the Red Line's industrial fly-over east of West Blvd and minimal, if any, right-of-way building aside from stringing wire -- and even here, light weight, cheaper catenary, like that of Chicago/Indiana's wood-pole, South Shore line, could hold costs down.  How would this compare to costs of other mode choices? 

 

 

While I think a Red Line "branch" using the NS line during the day makes a lot of sense, there would still be substantial costs. The NS/RTA track connection itself is probably $10 million+. Catenaries are about $1.5 million per track-mile. Stations would have to be high-level platforms, making them more expensive than low-level ones like what exist along the Blue/Green/Waterfront lines. So if the Tokyu cars are used, high-level platforms are needed and freight trains can't be entirely diverted, then gantlet tracks would be needed to assure lateral clearances for freight trains. My guesstimate for all that was $70 million +/-, and that assumed running the Red Line trains only as far west as the Westlake Park-n-Ride.

^^ No question, electrification is a very large capital expense, even when ROW building is minimal, esp over 20-some miles.  But given the tricky fuel cost issues... Yes, I noticed those gantlets you mention on the new high platform stations on my (very excellent) South Shore interurban Line adventure from Chicago to South Bend and Notre Dame a few weeks ago.  What an amazing, anachronistic and just plain weird transit line South Shore is: an American treasure… Guess I’m kinda liking the idea of Cleveland creating it’s own mini South Shore experience with the Lorain commuter line viz the RTA Red Line into Tower City much like S. Shore and the Metra Electric into Millennium/Randolph station in the Loop.

NOTE CHANGE OF LOCATION AND GUEST SPEAKER!

 

All Aboard Ohio invites you to enjoy en evening of wine, light food and a great speaker to talk about developing train services. <b>Note the new location and guest speaker!</b>

 

TO REGISTER, VISIT: http://www.allaboardohio.org/cms/index.php

 

Come experience a silent auction and an evening of wine pairings from Quarry Hill Winery and Jackalope Bar and Rotisserie!

 

Our special guest speaker is <b>Steve Meyer, project manager of the Utah Transit Authority's FrontRunner commuter rail service </b>which began between Salt Lake City and Ogden last April and is already carrying more than 8,200 riders per day! The entire FrontRunner route is also a designated Quiet Zone which means no train horns. And the service is being expanded south of Salt Lake City, a growing metro area but with half the population of the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain consolidated metro area.

 

Proceeds collected benefit All Aboard Ohio's West Shore Corridor Commuter campaign.

 

 

The event will be held on <b>6:30 p.m. Thursday, November 13th, 2008</b>.

Jackalope Bar and Rotisserie

301 Lakeside Ave (one block north of US Route 6 near the intersection of Colorado Ave./SR 611)

Lorain, Ohio

 

 

OR click here for an interactive map:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Jackalope+Bar+and+Rotisserie,+Lorain&fb=1&cid=0,0,15004979178218730048&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=image

 

 

<b>Registration</b>

 

Registration and all donations are fully tax-deductible!

 

 

 

PLEASE SEE:  http://www.allaboardohio.org/cms/index.php 

On Saturday, October 4th, while canvassing in Ward 18, I saw a passenger train (Norfolk & Western?) on the tracks that pass over Lake Avenue, west of W. 87th Street.  I nearly lost my sh*t I was so excited!  My wife witnessed it as well, so I wasn't just hallucinating.  Can anyone here tell me what that was all about?

I presume you mean the tracks that go behind Don's Lighthouse Grill. If so, seeing a passenger train on those tracks isn't a rare thing (unless it's daylight hours!). Amtrak runs four passenger trains each night on those Norfolk Southern tracks.

 

If the train you saw was mostly silver but with gray/blue locomotives hauling it, then that was a late-running Amtrak train. But if it was a red/rusty colored train hauled by a black locomotive, then it was a Norfolk Southern inspection train. NS runs inspection train once or twice a year on all of its lines.

 

There are also circus trains for different companies (not just Barnum & Bailey) which have lots of passenger cars on them (followed by cars with animals on them -- ie: not coffee-fueled commuters!).

It was definitely mid-afternoon on a Saturday and it was definitely not an Amtrak train (come on KJP, you know I know what those look like!).  It was maroon-ish and it said either "Norfolk & Western" or "Norfolk & Southern" on it and it was definitely a passenger train.  I don't recall seeing any giraffes or heffalumps, so I can't confirm the circus possibility.

Actually, the circus was in town today - it's very likely it was them. The elephants and horses hop off on East 9th and then head south to the Q.

 

It was definitely mid-afternoon on a Saturday and it was definitely not an Amtrak train (come on KJP, you know I know what those look like!). It was maroon-ish and it said either "Norfolk & Western" or "Norfolk & Southern" on it and it was definitely a passenger train. I don't recall seeing any giraffes or heffalumps, so I can't confirm the circus possibility.

 

What you saw was an NS inspection train.

They do an inspection train with passenger rail cars? 

 

And MayDay, I can't tell if you're joking or not.  I see no emoticon, so I'm inclined to take you seriously!

They do an inspection train with passenger rail cars?

 

Yes. One of the passenger cars is filled with track measuring/geometry equipment. Another has bedrooms for track engineers, employees and executives, and the last is usually an observation car with a lounge, theater-style seating looking out the back and video equipment/spotlights.

 

And MayDay, I can't tell if you're joking or not. I see no emoticon, so I'm inclined to take you seriously!

 

Ringling Bros circus is always in Cleveland in the weeks leading up to the opening of basketball season. If you want to see the circus train, they park it on a siding off South Marginal Road, just east of the end of the Waterfront Line.

And MayDay, I can't tell if you're joking or not. I see no emoticon, so I'm inclined to take you seriously!

Not a joke, I think I might have seen MayDay outside yesterday when the elephants came by.

^Great, now I'm a circus act! :roll:

 

;-)

Great, now this thread is totally off-topic.

 

But now I get to do this to MayDay:

 

BACK ON TOPIC!!

A SUBTLE REMINDER!!! OK, maybe not-so subtle!  :-D

 

Lorain County All Aboard Ohio Fundraiser

 

NOTE LOCATION AND GUEST SPEAKER!

 

All Aboard Ohio invites you to enjoy en evening of wine, light food and a great speaker to talk about developing train services. You can pay at the door or register through our web site at www.allaboardohio.org.

 

Come experience a silent auction, light food and an evening of wine pairings from Quarry Hill Winery and Jackalope Bar and Rotisserie! Dress is business casual.

 

Our special guest speaker is Steve Meyer, project manager of the Utah Transit Authority’s FrontRunner commuter rail service which began between Salt Lake City and Ogden last April and is already carrying more than 8,200 riders per day! The entire FrontRunner route is also a designated Quiet Zone which means no train horns. And the service is being expanded south of Salt Lake City, a growing metro area but with half the population of the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain consolidated metro area.

 

Proceeds collected benefit All Aboard Ohio’s West Shore Corridor Commuter campaign.

 

 

The event will be held on 6:30 p.m. Thursday, November 13th, 2008.

 

LOCATION:

Jackalope Bar and Rotisserie

301 Lakeside Ave (one block north of US Route 6 near the intersection of Colorado Ave./SR 611)

Lorain, Ohio

 

OR click here for an interactive map:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Jackalope+Bar+and+Rotisserie,+Lorain&fb=1&cid=0,0,15004979178218730048&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=image

 

Registration

 

$30 for Members

$50 for Non-Members (includes 1-year membership in All Aboard Ohio!)

 

TO REGISTER: visit www.allaboardohio.org

 

All donations to All Aboard Ohio are tax-deductible under Sec. 501©(3) of the IRS code.

 

 

Kenneth Prendergast

Executive Director (Interim)

All Aboard Ohio!

12029 Clifton Blvd., Suite 505

Cleveland, OH 44107-2189

(216) 288-4883 cell

(216) 986-6064 office

[email protected]

www.allaboardohio.org

Lorain County Commissioner Betty Blair deserves all the thanks for this development (see below). This is big news as two sides with different paths in mind toward the same destination are now working together. Now we can get this project out of the sidetrack and

moving forward to promote sustainable development along the corridor and serve as a relief valve during Inner Belt construction.  KJP

___________

 

NEWS RELEASE - FEBRUARY 12, 2009

FROM: BETTY BLAIR

LORAIN COUNTY COMMISSIONER

CHAIR, LORAIN COUNTY COMMUNITY ALLIANCE (LCCA)

 

The Lorain County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce a partnership

with the Northern Ohio Commuter Rail Coalition in a joint quest to bring

Commuter Rail from Cleveland westward to Lorain County and to Vermilion and even

to Sandusky.

 

The Coalition, represented by Larry Bettcher, Anthony and Bob Campana, Patrick

Petrigan, and Vermilion Mayor, Jean Anderson, has agreed to contribute up to

$34,000 towards the County's required 80 per cent match to access the $343,000

Earmark acquired by Congresswoman, Betty Sutton, in support of this Project. A

MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) will be presented from this Coalition which

will address specific stipulations with respect to raising of the remaining

match moneys and the time frame in which the "Request For Proposals" regarding

the Alternatives Analysis Study in order to obtain Federal funding can be

completed.

 

The conjoined "Steering Committee" will now be known as the "WEST SHORE COMMUTER

RAIL TASK FORCE." Represented at the meeting where this proposal was discussed

included the Northern Coalition; NOACA (Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating

Agency); Lorain Port Authority; Lorain County Transit; Lorain County Community

Alliance and the Lorain County Board of Commissioners.

 

For the past two years, meetings of the stakeholders along this corridor have

been hosted by Ken Prendergast of All Aboard Ohio and the Lorain County

Community Alliance. The Ohio Rail Development Commission has had input on this

project.

 

The NOCRC and the Lorain County Commissioners along with all of the stakeholders

who have been involved in this process are anxious to see the measure of impact

that this project will produce. We believe that this project will be crucial to

executing economic development to our region now and into the future. Patrick

Petrigan, Chair of NOCRC steering committee says, “This is not about choo-choos;

it’s about creating jobs and about northern Ohio’s future”

 

--

Ken Prendergast

Executive Director

All Aboard Ohio

12029 Clifton Blvd., Suite 505

Cleveland, OH 44107

(216) 986-6064 office

(216) 288-4883 cell

(216) 986-6071 fax

[email protected]

www.allaboardohio.org

OK kids, let's play "compare the articles"....

 

 

http://www.chroniclet.com/2009/02/13/commissioners-back-commuter-rail_122/

 

Commissioners back commuter rail

Cindy Leise - The Chronicle-Telegram

 

ELYRIA — A plan for a commuter rail system between Cleveland and Vermilion – and perhaps as far as Sandusky — keeps inching ahead.

 

A private group called the Northern Ohio Commuter Rail Coalition has raised half of the $70,000 in local matching money needed to access the $343,000 federal earmark designed for a study of the proposed commuter rail project.

.....

__________________

 

Commuter rail groups merge to get project moving

http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2009/02/13/news/mj610683.txt

 

Friday, February 13, 2009 7:23 AM EST

By JEFF GREEN

[email protected]

 

ELYRIA — Two groups working to implement a commuter rail line connecting Cleveland to Sandusky with a point in between officially joined together yesterday, creating a coalition officials hope will move the project along faster.

 

The new organization, called West Shore Commuter Rail Task Force, is hoping to soon raise a local match to a $343,000 federal earmark for a commuter rail feasibility study. Completing the study won't allow for the project to get off the ground for at least another three years, but it's a first crucial step to obtain federal money, officials said.

 

..............

 

________________________

 

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/123451745554330.xml&coll=2

 

Lorain County, citizens group join to consider new rail line

Friday, February 13, 2009

Karen Farkas

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Lorain- Plans for a commuter rail line from Vermilion to Cleveland on existing freight tracks chugged forward Thursday after a citizens' group agreed to join forces with Lorain County officials to raise money for a feasibility study.

 

The new West Shore Commuter Rail Task Force combines two groups that had worked independently toward the same goal, said Lorain County Commissioner Betty Blair, a longtime rail supporter.

 

"They had a need and we had a need," she said. "I believe it really is the next step. We couldn't get to the next level."

 

.......

Although I'm not sure she's the whole story, it sure seems Commissioner Blair has been at the center of every Lorain County positive movement for this vital and progressive project... for this she deserves hearty :clap:

Yep, she's the whole story. Betty Blair made this happen.

yeah no doubt about that. thank goodness for betty blair's ice breaking efforts.

Someone in another thread reminded that Lakewood is the 2nd most densly populated city between NYC and Chicago (although the writer declared it the most, it's actually a close 2nd after Hamtramck, MI)... Point being, this makes it all the more logical full electrification should be strongly considered essentially extending the Red Line through this area.

Good things happening here!  Even if the West Shore line terminated in Vermilion for the time being, this would be a very nice alternative for travel options in Erie & northern Huron counties.  However, extending the service a little further west to Sandusky would be great; I honestly think it would benefit transportation for Sandtown and the numerous cities and towns within proximity.....Huron, Port Clinton, Clyde, Bellevue, Norwalk etc. (same can be said for the Ohio Hub plan)

 

The only thing about the case for "taking the train to Cedar Point" is the need for a connection from the station in central Sandusky to the peninsula.....shuttle bus!

www.kentnewsnet.com/media/storage/paper867/news/2009/03/04/News/City-Ksu.Explore.Ways.To.Ease.Transportation-3658296.shtml]City, KSU explore ways to ease transportation[/url]

A multi-modal facility could help pedestrian movement downtown

Kelsey Henninger

Issue date: 3/4/09 Section: News

 

As downtown develops into a commercial marketplace, some argue there is still no easy way to get there.

 

Contact public affairs reporter Kelsey Henninger at [email protected].

Or bring your bike on the train!

Waterslide.