Thanks to funding from the City of Fort Wayne, Allen County government, local foundations and businesses, a study to determine the feasibility of bringing passenger rail service back to Fort Wayne is now underway. The intent of the study is to detail what upgrades need to be made to rail lines and stations in order to initiate passenger service from Chicago through Fort Wayne and eventually east to Columbus, Ohio.
“We believe the study will illustrate the tremendous economic impact that passenger rail service can have on northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio,” says Pam Holocher, deputy director of Planning and Policy for the City of Fort Wayne.
In addition to the feasibility study, City leaders and NIPRA (Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association) members have met with elected officials and community leaders in Columbus and Lima, Ohio to build partnerships and encourage development of a rail corridor to the east. Columbus, Ohio is one of the largest U.S. cities without passenger rail service.
“Building a strong regional coalition is important to this effort,” said Holocher. “Together, we’ll have more leverage when lobbying the Federal Rail Administration for funding.”
