Chicago is on the verge of a major new route service that is anticipated to connect the city to a significant eastern city.
A proposed Amtrak route linking Chicago and Pittsburgh via Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Columbus, Ohio, has been announced.
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission reported that communities represented by two regional commissions, along with the city of Fort Wayne, have committed approximately $650,000 in funding for this service.
This massive project linking Chicago to two major cities moves forward
The funding announcement, which also includes support from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, was made late last year. This funding will serve as the local match for federal funding in the second step of developing the route under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program.
This step involves creating a Service Development Plan, which will address important details such as projected demand for the service, train frequency, station locations, potential revenue, and an environmental report.
According to the MORPC, about $400,000 of the funding came from Ohio communities.
William Murdoch, the executive director of MORPC, stated in a press release:
This is a strategic investment in the future quality of life in small towns, suburbs, and big cities along these routes.
The proposed route is one of 69 identified by the Federal Railroad Administration, which has released a list of routes selected for the first step of its Corridor Identification and Development Program.
This program includes potential future Amtrak routes, possible extensions of existing routes, efforts to increase service on current routes, and plans for future high-speed rail systems.