Rep. Sykes Questions Director of Ohio Rail Development Commission on Amtrak’s 3C&D Corridor Expansion
WATCH: Rep. Sykes Full Remarks and Questions from the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Vice Ranking Member Emilia Sykes (OH-13) participated in a hearing in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials titled “America Builds: Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Rail Assistance.” The Subcommittee hearing included testimony from witnesses, including Matthew Dietrich, Executive Director of the Ohio Rail Development Commission. During the Subcommittee hearing, Rep. Sykes questioned Director Dietrich regarding Amtrak’s 3C&D (Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati) Corridor expansion project that does not include a stop in Akron or Canton.
“With the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, there’s been a renewed interest and capacity for infrastructure from coast-to-coast – one project close to home for Ohioans is Amtrak’s 3C&D Corridor expansion,” said Rep. Sykes during the Committee hearing. “The 3C&D Corridor is a proposed passenger rail line designed to reconnect Ohio’s largest cities – Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, & Dayton – through reliable, modern rail service. However, none of the C’s in 3C&D stand for Canton, and there is no A for Akron either.”
The announced 3C&D and Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit Corridor plans do not include a stop in the Akron-Canton region, making it the only large metropolitan area in Ohio without a proposed passenger rail line. This is a massive loss for business and tourism in Northeast Ohio and for the roughly 1 million residents of the region who are left with limited transit options to access the rest of the state and the Midwest.
Following her remarks, Rep. Sykes questioned Director Dietrich about the Ohio Rail Development Commission’s decision regarding Amtrak expansion in Ohio. Below, please find a transcribed excerpt from Rep. Sykes questions for Director Dietrich. Full video of Rep. Sykes hearing remarks and questions is available HERE.
“Back in 2011, former Governor Kasich sent $400 million in federal rail money back to the federal government that went to states like California. Mr. Dietrich, I know that you were the Federal Rail Commission Chair while that decision was being made – could you talk to us about that decision that you were a part of so many years ago and how it has held back passenger rail in Ohio?” Rep. Sykes asked Director Dietrich
“While I was Rail Commission Chair, we were the agency that developed the project – so that decision was made at the executive level and did not involve the staff in terms of returning the funding,” responded Director Dietrich.
Rep. Sykes went on to describe the estimated impact that refusing $400 million in federal rail funding has had on Ohio, as Director Dietrich failed to do so in his response to her question.
“It still amazes me that the state government sent back $400 million – and I’ve seen estimates of upwards of 16,000 jobs – out of the State of Ohio, where we are losing population and need as much job support and economic development as possible. I was not in the legislature and I was not in Congress when those things happened, but now that I am, and I have a community asking for rail, I looked at the state rail plan from 2019. There was a request from folks in the community for a stop in Akron-Canton Airport into the community. I have a letter from the Akron-Canton Advocacy Alliance requesting that Akron-Canton be a part of rail expansion and consistently, we have been told ‘no,’” said Rep. Sykes.
Rep. Sykes went on to ask Director Dietrich why these requests are seemingly being ignored.
“Mr. Dietrich, we have not had a chance to talk about this publicly, but please tell me and share with this community why Ohio’s 13th Congressional District and my community is not eligible and should not get passenger rail in your purview,” Rep. Sykes prompted Director Dietrich.
Director Dietrich continued to dodge Rep. Sykes’ questions, choosing instead to invoke “historical studies” and provide other overly technical pretext as to why Amtrak expansion for the Akron-Canton region “was ruled out as not fitting the purpose and need of the project.”
The announced 3C&D and Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit Corridor plans do not include a stop in the Akron-Canton region, making it the only large metropolitan area in Ohio without a proposed passenger rail line. Rep. Sykes has long advocated for an Amtrak expansion route in the Akron-Canton region.
Last year, Rep. Sykes sent a letter to Congressional leadership in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives expressing strong support for the expansion of Amtrak service in the Akron-Canton Region.
Last year, Rep. Sykes led a letter signed by Ohio delegation members Reps. Marcy Kaptur (OH-11), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Dave Joyce (OH-14), Shontel Brown (OH-11), and Greg Landsman (OH-01) urging then-Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Director Jack Marchbanks to include a passenger rail service development plan for a stop in the Akron-Canton Regional Airport (CAK) or another location in the Akron-Canton area in the 2024 State of Ohio Transportation Plan. The members also requested that ODOT prepare a proposal in advance of the next Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program to secure funding for the study and planning of the rail service development plan for the Akron-Canton area.
The Akron-Canton Advocacy Alliance also sent a letter to Director Marchbanks expressing their strong interest and support for passenger rail expansion in Ohio’s 13th District.
In 2023, 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 addressed to House and Senate leadership calling for a government funding package to include robust funding for Amtrak and its passenger rail services.