MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The new infrastructure bill signed into law Monday afternoon will put $66.6 billion into the investment of Amtrak, including the expansion of passenger trains in Ohio and Dayton, according to a report from 10TV.
“When it comes to passenger rail, this is transformational. There’s never been this kind of investment in passenger rail probably since the New Deal Era,” Stu Nicholson of All Aboard Ohio, an advocacy group for transportation, told 10TV.
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Part of the planned expansion will extend through what is known as the 3C+D corridor, which does through Dayton, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. The 3C corridor hasn’t been used for passenger rail since the early 1970s, according to the report.
“The second great passenger rail revolution is here – and Amtrak and its state and federal partners are ready to lead the way,” Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia said.
Nicholson predicts central Ohio could see the Amtrak route in three to four years. The first step is believes will be doing studies to look at what needs to be fixed to make it capable for trains to roll.
“For instance what bridges might need to be strengthened, what bridges of railroads might need to be replaced,” Nicholson said.
Amtrak said it anticipates the plan will create more than half a million jobs by 2035.