Why Not Ohio? Bring High Speed Rail to Cleveland-Youngstown-Pittsburgh

[Dan Moadus]

The answer to Dennis's question? We want to drive cars, not ride trains. If we wanted to ride trains, we would have trains. Dennis still can't come to grips with how the free market works. Things that needs government subsidies are not generally not desired by the public. Why should we have to pay for something just to satisfy a few environmental nuts?

[irishbobcat]

Why Not Ohio? Bring High Speed Rail to Cleveland-Youngstown-Pittsburgh

Instead of Ted Strickland's folly of trying to put the three C's on track, it's time to get behing a high-speed rail plan that is small enough, more doable, and will connect three tech-belt cities: Cleveland-Youngstown-Pittsburgh.

The Cleveland-Youngstown-Pittsburgh region needs better passenger rail connections to compete for jobs and economic opportunities: connections that are vital to rebuilding the cities that built America. That message came from the 2010 Regional Learning Network conference: a meeting of key community, government, and business leaders from Cleveland, Youngstown, and Pittsburgh.

One of the conference's major topics of discussion, dedicated passenger rail in the Cleveland-Youngstown-Pittsburgh (CYP) Corridor, gained significant momentum with many leaders stepping forward to advance the initiative. 

The outcome is an action plan that advances regional rail, brings service to Youngstown, OH and New Castle, PA, and establishes a regional entity to oversee the initiative. High-speed rail will be the ultimate goal but will be pursued incrementally, starting with improved passenger service on enhanced freight corridors.  This approach ensures usable service comes to the region much more quickly, thereby building demand for high-speed rail once it comes.  It is also a far cost-effective path to rail service that people in the three metros will use.

Specifics of the plan include:
• Restoration of the 1-mile Ravenna Connection, thereby connecting Youngstown to Cleveland and Pittsburgh - vital to improving ridership and advancing regional rail as an economic catalyst.
• Advocating for interim funding to put more trains on-line, vastly improving passenger rail service and adequately linking the region to Chicago and the Northeast. This plan benefits both passenger and freight customers. Currently, only one late-night train covers the region.

It's time we have an Ohio Governor get behind a High-Speed rail plan that will greatly improve economic development, something the Three-C plan DOES NOT DO!

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407