Explanation
Title
To support the Ohio Hub and Passenger and Freight Rail Development.
Body
WHEREAS, the Ohio Rail Development Commission and the Ohio Department of Transportation have completed a feasibility analysis of a regional passenger rail system and increased freight rail capacity in Ohio; and
WHEREAS, the study concludes that the Ohio Hub would strengthen Ohio's competitiveness by improving the State's position as a strategic distribution and logistics center; slowing traffic congestion; increasing the reliability of energy-efficient rail operations and instituting modern passenger rail service as an integral part of a comprehensive national passenger rail network; and
WHEREAS, the Ohio Hub breaks from the long-standing Amtrak model by suggesting a policy that invests in the nation's railroads to achieve broad public benefits, generating significant economic development activity in Columbus and other Ohio cities; and
WHEREAS, investing in high-speed passenger rail service and improved freight rail capacity would create thousands of new construction jobs, both permanent railroad operating and indirect jobs; will increase demand for U.S. manufactured materials and supplies including concrete and steel, and would provide more energy-efficient transportation options for moving people and freight; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Ohio Hub improvements would increase capacity for America's growing volumes of freight, remove railroad bottlenecks and improve operational fluidity while having a positive affect on highway capacity and congestion, shipping rates and business expansion; and
WHEREAS, each local passenger rail station location will have the potential to capture millions of dollars of investments in commercial, office and residential development in transportation opportunity districts and as rail-oriented development projects; and
WHEREAS, the Ohio Hub study concludes that high-speed passenger rail is feasible and will attract more than three million riders each year, and
WHEREAS, funding is needed to advance the environmental and project development process to satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and to resolve decisions regarding project location, railroad capital improvements, community priorities, to preserve critical rights-of-way and capture ongoing state transportation investments; and
WHEREAS, a federal funding partnership will be required to make this rail investment program possible, but this partnership is hampered by the fact that predictable federal funding is available to construct all other modes of transportation except rail; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Columbus City Council does hereby request that the Honorable Governor Bob Taft direct and fund the Ohio Rail Development Commission to complete a Tier 1 Programmatic and Environmental Impact Statement on all feasible passenger rail corridors in Ohio; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon Ohio's Congressional delegation to establish a federal program with the long-term funding necessary for full federal participation; and that a copy of this resolution be delivered to the Governor of Ohio, each member of the Ohio congressional delegation, and the Ohio Rail Development Commission.