Moving Passengers and Products: The Ohio Hub Rail Study Ohio Rail Development Commission Lima –...

Moving Passengers and Products:The Ohio Hub Rail Study

Ohio Rail Development CommissionLima – December 13, 2004

Provided Courtesy of the Good Governance Council

Kevin Miller CEO

kevmm325@yahoo.com

Freight and Truck Traffic is Increasing

ASHHTO predicts a 57 percent increase in national freight traffic by 2020; ODOT predicts 79 percent growth in Ohio

Today’s Freight Movement

Ohio’s highways carry the third greatest value of truck freight in the U.S.

74 percent of all freight, or $1.3 trillion in business and goods, is shipped to and from Ohio by truck each year

Lack of Increased Transportation Capacity = An Immobile Economy

• More congestion means:

– Reduced productivity – Higher costs– Slower shipments; fewer “just in time” deliveries– Declining competitiveness in the global economy– More wear and tear on highways– Reduced reliability

Trains Move Goods and People Efficiently

• Trains take less space to carry more goods and people

• Trucks and commuter traffic will still grow, but at a slower rate

• An increased, diversified transportation system will maintain Ohio’s competitive edge

The Ohio Hub Plan

• 860 miles - 32 stations

• 4 states and Southern Ontario

• 11 major metro areas

• 22 million population

An Interconnected Rail Network

An Interconnected Rail Network

An Interconnected Rail Network

• Cincinnati to Cleveland in 3.5 hours

• Cleveland to Detroit in 2.75 hours

• 5 to 8 trains a day

• 79 mph – 110 mph

Frequent, Competitive Service for Passengers

Improved Operations and Other Benefits for Freight Railroads

• New signals and dispatching systems

• Rebuilt RR beds, where shared

• Compensation for right of way

Convenient Connections for Passengers

• Airports

• Tourist attractions

• Cultural, academic and research institutions

• Sports franchises and entertainment facilities

• Within walking distance of over 200 million square feet of office space

Connections to National Network Attracts More Riders

Millions of Annual Riders (2025)

• Start-Up Service 819

• 79-mph Stand-Alone 1.868

• 79-mph with Midwest Reg. Rail 2.487

• 110-mph Stand-Alone 2.633

• 110-mph with Midwest Reg. Rail 3.236

Capital Costs are Comparable to Other Transportation Investments

• Start-up service $500 million

• 79-mph system $2.7 billion*

• 110-mph system $3.32 billion*

* Assumes capital cost sharing with the Midwest Regional Rail System

Rail Delivers People, Products…and Jobs

• 6,600 construction jobs

• 6,000 indirect jobs

• 1,500 permanent rail operating jobs

• $1 billion increase in property values

• Household income increased by $120-$610

• Annual tax revenues increased by $28 million

Federal Funding is Required

• Leverage federal money through state grade separation expenditures

• Federal funds contingent upon a national passenger rail/freight improvement program

• Moving ahead now gets us “in the queue”

Video

Discussion

Let us know what you think!www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/

email: stuart.nicholson@dot.state.oh.us

Next Steps/Decision Points

• Now through Feb: Public input

• Winter through Spring: • Secure $250,000 and execute economic impact analysis to

determine whether to move forward with environmental analysis• Use existing funds to determine feasibility of additional lines from

Columbus– To Lima/Toledo - Chicago– To Pittsburgh

– Secure $6 million to move Ohio Hub Plan into environmental impact analysis (DEIS)

• Summer 05 – Fall 08: Tier 1 Environmental process