Ohio is exploring the option adding more transportation railways as a way to reduce the traffic congestion of the state highways. This comes after the expansion of I-71 to three lanes in 2009 for $559.4 million.
Part of the why simply expanding transportation options as opposed to creating more lanes on the highways is induced demand, a topic that was heavily discussed. Induced demand is the idea that new roads and lanes will attract more drivers which would just lead back to the same issue the biggest example of this being the Katy Freeway in Texas.
Mayor Kapszukiewicz who spoke during the event compared the situation of induced demand on highways to loosing your belt and thinking that you have lost weight. You think that you have solved the problem but in reality have done nothing to it.
Ohio through the BorderID program, was approved for four corridors to go through the state and connect with other states. Some of the benefits of increasing transportation railways has already been seen in Ohio.
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Cities like Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland have seen the result of having this mode of transportation by creating a total of 1,000 to 1,200 jobs as well as $64-$66 million dollars in earning statewide.
Chair member of the All Aboard Ohio board, Erin Rosiello, said, “We are hoping that we can at the very least get all of our major cities like, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus interconnected through transportation railways.”
The Border ID program is at this point past the planning and selection phases with OH a little bit of improvement of existing services, extension of existing services and creation of new services for the transportation railways.
All aboard Ohio’s whistle stop will next be in Crestline at The Hub at Village Square, 311 N Seltzer St.
For more information go to allaboardohio.org.
