Rep. Sykes Praises Amtrak Expansion In Ohio
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13) issued a statement following news that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) selected four key routes in Ohio as priorities for Amtrak expansion. The Federal Railroad Administration will provide $500,000 to each announced corridor for planning under the Corridor Identification program.
The corridors that will receive the funding for planning include:
- Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati, the 3C+D corridor;
- Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit;
- Chicago-Fort Wayne-Columbus-Pittsburgh, the Midwest Connect corridor via Lima, Kenton, Marysville, Columbus, Newark, Coshocton, Newcomerstown, Uhrichsville, and Steubenville in Ohio; and
- Daily Cardinal Service, increasing service frequency from three days per week to daily on Amtrak’s current service to Cincinnati between New York City, Washington, DC and Chicago, IL via the States of Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois.
“This announcement is an important first step to expand Amtrak services and make passenger rail more accessible to people living in Northeast Ohio,” said Rep. Sykes. “I look forward to working closely with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), the Ohio Rail Development Commission, and the Federal Railroad Administration to ensure that the new routes we develop connect not just Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton, but also Akron/Canton, to expand opportunities, boost local economies, and create more good-paying jobs. While we should be much further along with rail funding in Ohio, this funding is a welcome opportunity to connect Ohio’s cities after previous Ohio state administrations refused rail funding. I’ll continue advocating for the federal support necessary to make passenger rail accessible to everyone in Ohio’s 13th District.”
In February 2023 when Ohio first requested the FRA to select Ohio routes for the FRA’s Corridor Identification and Development program, Rep. Sykes stated she would work to ensure any Amtrak expansion in Ohio meets the needs of people in Summit and Stark Counties.
Rep. Sykes led a bipartisan letter with Reps. Seth Moulton (MA-06), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Don Bacon (NE-02), and 74 additional House members to House and Senate leadership in October 2023 calling for any upcoming government funding package to include robust funding for Amtrak and its passenger rail services. Without the historic funding for Amtrak and passenger rail services in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, commonly referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), any Amtrak expansion in Ohio would not be possible.