COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio lawmakers advanced efforts to restore passenger rail Wednesday, allocating $25,000 in the state’s $61 billion two-year budget to rejoin the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission, a multi-state group advocating for rail improvements.
The move, championed by All Aboard Ohio, a public transportation advocacy group, aims to secure Ohio’s place in national rail discussions. “Without a seat at the table, we risk missing critical funding opportunities and making costly missteps as we work through the planning process,” said Mitch Radakovich, board chair of All Aboard Ohio, in testimony to lawmakers.
Ohio exited the commission in 2013 under then-Gov. John Kasich, who rejected $400 million in federal funds for a Cleveland-to-Cincinnati rail line. The budget provision marks a shift, though it awaits final approval. The Ohio Senate will revise the budget, with differences to be reconciled before the June 30 deadline for Gov. Mike DeWine’s signature.
The push aligns with federal momentum. In 2023, Amtrak allocated $500,000 to study four Ohio rail corridors: Cincinnati-Dayton-Columbus-Cleveland; Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit; Chicago-Fort Wayne-Columbus-Pittsburgh with connections through Lima and other cities; and increased frequency for Cincinnati’s existing Amtrak route to New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. These plans, however, remain years from fruition.
Passenger rail’s prospects face uncertainty. While the Biden administration prioritized Amtrak expansion, recent comments from billionaire Elon Musk, an adviser to President Donald Trump, called for privatizing the rail service. Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner resigned shortly after Musk’s statement last month.