State of Ohio Rail Plan January 2019 i Contents 3.1 BACKGROUND ................................................................................. 3-1 Executive Summary ......................................................................... I 3.2 PAST STUDIES .................................................................................. 3-1 1. Role of Rail in Statewide Transportation ............................... 1-1 3.2.1 3C Quick Start Passenger Rail Service ................................ 3-1 3.2.2 Ohio Hub Study ................................................................ 3-3 1.1 PURPOSE AND INTRODUCTION ........................................................ 1-1 3.2.3 Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI) .......................... 3-3 1.2 OHIO’S GOALS FOR THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM .. 1-2 3.3 MIDWEST REGIONAL RAIL PLANNING STUDY .................................... 3-4 1.3 ROLE OF RAIL IN OHIO’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ........................ 1-2 3.3.1 Corridors .......................................................................... 3-5 1.4 INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF RAIL PROGRAMS IN 3.4 LOCALLY SPONSORED RAIL PLANNING EFFORTS ............................... 3-6 OHIO .............................................................................................. 1-5 3.4.1 Northern Indiana/Ohio Passenger Rail Initiative ................ 3-6 1.4.1 Ohio Rail Development Commission ................................. 1-5 3.4.2 Rapid-Speed Transportation Initiative ............................... 3-7 1.4.2 Public Utilities Commission of Ohio................................... 1-5 3.4.3 Great Lakes Hyperloop Feasibility Study ............................ 3-8 1.4.3 Other State Agencies ........................................................ 1-6 3.4.4 Toledo – Detroit Passenger Rail Feasibility ......................... 3-8 1.4.4 Metropolitan Planning Organizations ................................ 1-6 3.5 STATION IMPROVEMENTS ............................................................... 3-8 1.4.5 Regional Transportation Planning Organizations ............... 1-8 1.4.6 Port Authorities ............................................................... 1-8 4. Freight Rail Issues and Opportunities, Proposed 1.5 STATE’S AUTHORITY ...................................................................... 1-10 Improvements .......................................................................4-1 1.6 FREIGHT AND PASSENGER RAIL SERVICES, INITIATIVES AND PLANS 1-10 4.1 OHIO’S CHANGING INDUSTRIAL BASE............................................... 4-1 2. Ohio’s Existing Rail System .................................................... 2-1 4.1.1 Ohio’s Changing Steel Industry .......................................... 4-1 2.1 DESCRIPTION AND INVENTORY ........................................................ 2-1 4.1.2 Ohio’s Petrochemical Opportunities .................................. 4-2 2.1.1 Existing Rail Lines ............................................................. 2-1 4.1.3 Addressing Changes in Coal Markets ................................. 4-4 2.1.2 Existing Multimodal Freight Rail Network ....................... 2-13 4.2 IMPORTANCE OF RAIL TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OHIO ......... 4-5 2.1.3 Passenger Rail Services in Ohio ....................................... 2-16 4.3 SENSITIVITY OF OHIO SHIPPERS TO RAIL RATES AND SERVICE ........... 4-6 2.1.4 Public Funding and Financing.......................................... 2-23 4.4 OHIO’S STATUS AS AN INTERMODAL HUB AND CHANGES TO THE 2.1.5 Federal Financing Programs ............................................ 2-27 INTERMODAL NETWORK .................................................................. 4-7 2.1.6 Safety Improvements ..................................................... 2-28 4.4.1 Heartland Corridor and National Gateway Corridor ........... 4-7 2.1.7 Rail’s Economic and Environmental Impacts.................... 2-32 4.4.2 Jeffersonville Intermodal Facility ....................................... 4-8 2.2 TRENDS AND FORECASTS .............................................................. 2-35 4.5 DEMAND FOR ADDITIONAL RAIL ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY ........... 4-9 2.2.1 Demographic and Economic Growth Factors ................... 2-35 4.5.1 Access .............................................................................. 4-9 2.2.2 Freight Demand and Growth .......................................... 2-41 4.5.2 Connectivity ................................................................... 4-10 2.2.3 Passenger Travel Demand and Growth ........................... 2-49 4.6 CHALLENGES TO OHIO’S LOCAL RAILROADS ................................... 4-10 2.2.4 Fuel Cost Trends............................................................. 2-50 4.7 CONTINUED EFFORTS TO REDUCE MODAL CONFLICTS .................... 4-11 2.2.5 Rail Congestion Trends ................................................... 2-51 4.7.1 Highway/Rail Crossing Safety Issues ................................ 4-11 2.2.6 Highway and Airport Congestion Trends ......................... 2-51 4.7.2 Blocked Crossings ........................................................... 4-12 2.2.7 Land Use Trends............................................................. 2-54 4.7.3 Other Crossing Issues ...................................................... 4-13 4.7.4 Movable Rail Bridges ...................................................... 4-13 3. Proposed Passenger Rail Improvements and 4.7.5 Non-Compatible Railroad Assets ..................................... 4-13 Investments ........................................................................... 3-1 STATE OF OHIO RAIL PLAN ii Contents 5. Rail Service and Investment Program .................................... 5-1 Table 1-3. Amtrak Routes in Ohio ............................................................ 1-4 5.1 VISION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES .................................................... 5-1 Table 1-4. Percentage of Ohio Population within 10 and 30 Mile 5.1.1 Vision Statement .............................................................. 5-1 Radius of Amtrak Station ......................................................... 1-4 5.1.2 Mission ............................................................................ 5-1 Table 1-5. List of Metropolitan Planning Organizations in Ohio ................. 1-7 5.1.3 Goals and Objectives ........................................................ 5-1 Table 1-6. Port Authorities ...................................................................... 1-9 5.2 PROGRAM COORDINATION ............................................................. 5-2 Table 2-1. Miles Operated by Type of Freight Railroad ............................. 2-2 5.3 RAIL AGENCIES ................................................................................ 5-2 Table 2-2. Class I Rail Mileage in Ohio ...................................................... 2-2 5.4 PROGRAM EFFECTS ......................................................................... 5-3 Table 2-3. Local Railroad Mileage in Ohio ................................................. 2-5 5.5 FREIGHT AND PASSENGER ELEMENT................................................ 5-3 Table 2-4. Abandonments/Interim Trail Use (July 2008 – August 5.6 RAIL STUDIES AND REPORTS ............................................................ 5-6 2018) .....................................................................................2-13 6. Coordination and Review ...................................................... 6-1 Table 2-5. List of Intermodal Terminals in Ohio .......................................2-14 6.1 APPROACH TO PUBLIC AND AGENCY PARTICIPATION ....................... 6-1 Table 2-6. Intercity Passenger Rail Stations in Ohio .................................2-18 6.1.1 Approach to Stakeholder Participation.............................. 6-1 Table 2-7. PRIIA Section 207 Amtrak Performance Metrics for 6.1.2 Approach to General Public Participation .......................... 6-2 Quarter Ending September 2017 ............................................2-21 6.2 COORDINATION WITH NEIGHBORING STATES .................................. 6-2 Table 2-8. Economic Contribution of Rail Transportation Industry ...........2-32 6.3 ISSUES RAISED ................................................................................ 6-3 Table 2-9. Economic Contributions of Rail in Ohio ...................................2-33 6.3.1 Rail Corridor Preservation, Reactivation, Rail Service Table 2-10. Top 10 Rail-Dependent Industry Sectors .................................2-33 Preservation .................................................................... 6-3 Table 2-11. Benefits to the U.S. of Ohio Shippers and Receivers Using 6.3.2 Industrial Access .............................................................. 6-3 Rail ........................................................................................2-34 6.3.3 Traffic Opportunities ........................................................ 6-4 Table 2-12. Ohio vs. United States Sector Location Quotient 6.3.4 Regulatory Issues ............................................................. 6-4 (April 2017) ............................................................................2-40 6.3.5 Rail Rate and Service Issues .............................................. 6-4 Table 2-13. Rail Tonnage by Direction 2016 ..............................................2-41 6.3.6 Funding...........................................................................