Lynch at Large

Those crazy frogs may claim to hurl themselves along above the ground at 200 mph, but we know that won't work here!

Below is the latest item from the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, it includes a neighboring state, Missouri. Of course, since truckers and airlines call all the shots on transportation policy, we don;t have to worry much about such a dangerous plan actually being implemented.

MIDWEST REGIONAL RAIL ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT RELEASED
Enhanced passenger rail service could generate $23.1 billion benefit in
Midwest
Ohio would see $1.2 billion to $2.3 billion in user benefits

Fast, frequent passenger rail service can translate into substantial
economic benefits to users, communities and states served by it
according to a new report issued by the nine states (Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin)
participating in the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative planning effort.

Enhanced passenger rail service being planned under the proposed 3,000
mile Midwest Regional Rail System (MWRRS) could generate $23.1 billion
in user benefits from time savings, congestion relief and emission
reductions during the first 40-years of the project. For Ohio, the
benefits total between $1.2 billion and $2.3 billion, in addition to
creating 3,520 new permanent jobs and generating $55 million in extra
household income.

"This report shows that investing in frequent and reliable passenger
rail services pays significant returns beyond creating greater mobility
for moving people and goods," Ohio Rail Development Commission Acting
Director Matt Dietrich said. "This report is also confirming the
preliminary economic impact numbers we are seeing for our own Ohio Hub
System, which would connect the MWRRS system with planned and existing
rail systems on the East and Mid-Atlantic Coast."

Dietrich says details of the Ohio Hub Economic Impact Report should be
ready in a few weeks for public release.

The MWRRS Report notes that the investments in passenger rail provide a
benefit-to-cost ratio of 1.8, which indicates that for each dollar spent
on the system, one dollar and eighty cents is returned in benefits, one
of the highest returns for any regional rail system in the U.S.

The report also shows that development of the Midwest Regional Rail
System would create 57,450 new jobs, provide just over $1 billion in
extra household income across the nine-state region, and p! rovide $ 4.9
billion in increased joint development potential for the 102 cities with
MWRRS stations.

The proposed MWRRS would consist of a 3,000-mile network with a hub in
Chicago. The service would offer travelers the benefits of trains
operating at up to 110-mph, providing travel times that are competitive
with driving; increased trip frequencies; improved on-time performance;
and new trains with modern amenities. One of those routes would also
serve the Chicago-Toledo-Cleveland market, while a second would connect
Cincinnati with Chicago.

Several communities throughout the nine-state region are already making
plans to expand their stations and provide multi-modal connections with
buses, taxis, and other modes. These improvements encourage development
of nearby properties. The resulting increase in property values is
referred to as "joint development potential." Joint development
potential for MWRRS communities has been estimated at $4.9 billion.



Increased MWRRS joint development potential in Ohio ranges from $238.9
million to $360.4 million. Estimates for Ohio communities include:

Cincinnati $119 - $179 million
Cleveland $74 -- $111 million
Toledo $35 - $53 million
Elyria $5 - $8 million
Sandusky $3 - $5 million
Defiance $2.9 -- 4.4 million

Brochures summarizing the findings of this report are available from the
Wisconsin Department of Transportation by calling 608 266-9498. The
entire report is also available on ! the web at:
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/news/index.htm
###
(The Ohio Rail Development Commission is an independent agency
operating within the Ohio Department of Transportation. ORDC is
responsible for economic development through the improvement and
expansion of passenger and freight rail service, railroad grade crossing
safety and rail travel & tourism issues. For more information about what
ORDC does for Ohio, visit our website at
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/)