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The brand new website for 3C Corridor “Quick Start” project just went live at 3CisMe.ohio.gov. From the website:
“Ohio’s 3C Corridor will connect Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati as part of President Obama’s nationally-prioritized Chicago Hub Network. The 3C Corridor is a federally designated high speed rail corridor, but has not seen passenger service since 1971. With funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Ohio’s “Quick Start” plan would have initial conventional-speed service running by 2011, generating jobs and economic development at station stops and putting travel choice in reach of more than 60% of Ohio’s population.”
Yikes. That’s a new website? Why can’t we get something like California’s High Speed Rail website – http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/
I’m really nervous about the 3C plan. I’m really worried that these trains are too slow, too conservative, and don’t do much to excite businesses and individuals to locate to Ohio. Why locate to Ohio when California is going to build 220+ mph trains? Ohio has the density – let’s build a statewide system that will put Ohio on the map….but maybe I’m just crazy.
I agree with colubusmike. I looked at the specs on the old website. Even with high speed, going to Cincy (which I often do) through Dayton and Springfield will take 1:47 minutes not including the time it takes to get to and from the station – the same amount of time it takes to drive there. It didn’t say how much it would cost, but it would be highly unlikely that it would be cheaper for 2 roundtrip tickets than the 6 or 7 gallons of gas we use going there and back. It’s cool and all, but all things considered I’d rather the money be spent on something that enables mainstream consumers like myself to finally buy an auto that gets 100+ mpg.
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Ohio’s professional sports teams are on board with the 3C, with support from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cincinnati Bengals, Columbus Clippers, Columbus Crews, and Columbus Blue Jackets. [/quote]
Oh, well if the sports teams are for it, then it must be a good idea.
WTF? Is that the best endorsement they could come up with?
Who are the Columbus Crews?
@mstimple: I think it’s important to keep perspective on just how far behind we are in terms of the infrastructure required to move people around Ohio and the nation in general. The rest of the world has been developing their rail systems for decades, and the cost associated with skipping multiple iterations would be astronomical. If you’re hoping for Maglev trains in the next 5 years, you’re looking at more than the entire state budget.
I think the worst thing we can do is compare the experience to driving, because it’s apples and oranges as far as I’m concerned. It may be no faster to ride to Cincy or the Cleve than it would be drive, but I don’t have to park my car, I can drink at the ball game, and, best of all, I don’t have to drive on Ohio highways and risk getting pulled over by Highway Patrol for doing 70 in a 65.
shibbol3th Says:
[quote]
I think the worst thing we can do is compare the experience to driving, because it’s apples and oranges as far as I’m concerned. It may be no faster to ride to Cincy or the Cleve than it would be drive, but I don’t have to park my car, I can drink at the ball game, and, best of all, I don’t have to drive on Ohio highways and risk getting pulled over by Highway Patrol for doing 70 in a 65.[/quote]
Or worry about deer, a semi doing 70 running you into a guard rail, contruction projects, people blowing by you at 90-100MPH, people stopping for optical illusions etc..
<quote>
“Why locate to Ohio when California when California is going to build 220+ mph trains?”
</quote>
Columbusmike, You’re not crazy… you’re just passionate about it and the state. And yea, that website is pretty crappy.
That said, I still don’t think the 3C is going to be the determining factor when deciding where to start a business or move. Rail is important and for some, a must. But so are good schools, low taxes, low crime rates, cost of living, diversity, etc, etc.
I think it’s smart to progressively build up from the slower speeds based off of fiscal and economic risk. However, knowing government, they’ll spend just as much on a slower-speed train as they would on high speed and we won’t be as competitive.
Looking at the ‘map’ on the site of the proposed route.. i wish it had a Iowa City stop and more direct East lansing and Ann Whorebor stops.. with the potential to already have Madison, Minneapolis, W Lafayette and Bloomington I wouldnt need to drive to a Big 10 game other than Happy Valley.. which figures because parking at Happy Valley is the worst of the Big 10 schools…
I’m just happy we’ll have a passenger rail option again. I always enjoyed riding the “City of New Orleans” train from Memphis to New Orleans. Sure, it took the same amount of time if not longer to get there, but you didn’t have to deal with other vehicles and you could divert your attention 100% of the time to doing other things like reading, socializing with friends, sleeping, etc. :)
Planning for high speed rail in Ohio is already in the works, but it’s probably not going to happen at the earliest for another 7 years because of all of the extra development, track upgrades, etc.
In the meantime, standard speed rail can be up and running in 18 months. I think this is a perfectly fine interim solution. You’ve got to walk before you can run.
Any speculation on where the Columbus main hub might be? Convention Center? Grandview Yard? CMH? I think it goes without saying that putting it in an “existing” freight rail yard like Roberts Rd or Rickenbacker would be very counterproductive.
Samurai,
Check out the Midwest High Speed Rail Map here:
http://www.midwesthsr.org/network/index.html
It has stops in Iowa City, Lansing, and what appears to be Ann Arbor.
HogRoaster: Sounds like a couple of sites are still being studied, but it sounds like the main Columbus stop is going to be Downtown, most likely around the Arena District. There will also be a suburban stop in each of the 3c cities probably on the north side for Columbus.
Why not put it on Nationwide Blvd, where the proposed casino would go (west of Huntington Park and Buggyworks)? That would keep the casino out of the Arena District, and there is a huge area there for it to be built. Also, one of the proposed streetcar/light rail lines was to travel along Nationwide Blvd.
Oh my, what a bad site. I agree with Columbusmike, California is much further ahead in public awareness of high speed rail’s potential. I don’t know how OhioHub is funded, or ODOT with this site, but more public announcements need to happen to show how much potential the 3C has. Maybe the rail advocates are too concentrated in NEO and therefore doesn’t reach Central Ohio public or care what our rail station may look like. I have seen several versions of cleveland’s hub. I think it will cost 10x what they would build here? Though I maybe wrong since I haven’t seen a similar sketch of what the station would look like here.
Indiana is pushing for a Fort Wayne to Chicago line which opens the door for a Columbus, Lima, Fort Wayne, Chicago line. That would greatly benefit the Central Ohio hub
Good news is we are further along in the transportation options sector than ever before… getting us even closer to a bevy of other options, like intra-columbus light rail, that’ll make travel around the city and to other cities much more convenient – especially for those who are unable to or choose not to drive.