Last week, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown announced that the first steps were being taken to potentially expand Amtrak services across Ohio.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration has identified four routes to prioritize for expansion, hitting major cities across the state, as well as connecting them to other hubs in the midwest.
The routes being discussed include the “3C+D,” which runs from Cleveland, through Columbus and Dayton, down to Cincinnati, the "Midwest Connect Corridor" which links Chicago, Fort Wayne, Columbus, and Pittsburgh, and a route connecting Cleveland, Toledo, and Detroit. Plus, the “Daily Cardinal” route is targeted for potential expansion. That route runs from Chicago to New York, with a stop in Cincinnati.
The expansion would still be years away however, as the federal dollars awarded to study the feasibility of the routes is the first step in a long process.
Monday on the “Sound of Ideas,” we’ll discuss this latest expansion proposal with a representative from All Aboard Ohio, the state's rail advocacy organization.
On the program we’ll also look back at the first two years of Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb’s term. He recently visited the Ideastream studios to discuss accomplishments, what’s in store for the next two years of his term, as well as answer some questions from our reporters.
Finally, we’ll talk about NPR’s “Book We Love” offerings from 2023 with NPR arts desk reporter Andrew Limbong.
GUESTS:
- Erin Rosiello, Volunteer Chair, All Aboard Ohio
- Justin Bibb, Mayor of Cleveland
- Andrew Limbong, Arts Desk Reporter, NPR
- Drew Maziasz, Coordinating Producer, Ideastream Public Media
Watch today's show in the player below.
