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Disability advocates and rail groups urge Ohio to rejoin Midwest rail commission and expand passenger rail under HB 54
Summary
Ability Center and All Aboard Ohio urged the committee to prioritize passenger rail funding, accessibility, and to rejoin the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC); witnesses cited survey results, corridor studies and a $25,000 annual membership fee to reenter the commission.
Sally Fish, a disability rights advocate at the Ability Center of Greater Toledo, and Mitch Radakovich of All Aboard Ohio told the House Transportation Committee on Feb. 12 that expanding passenger rail and rejoining the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC) are essential components of House Bill 54.
Fish testified that passenger rail is often more accessible for people with disabilities and older adults than air travel, because it allows travelers to keep mobility devices and improves restroom access. The Ability Center surveyed its community and received more than 500 responses in six weeks; Fish said respondents in northwest Ohio expressed strong interest in intercity rail connections to Columbus and to southern Michigan, and that a Detroit–Toledo–Cleveland corridor has completed Corridor ID phase 1.
Fish urged that Ohio rejoin the MIPRC to secure a seat at regional planning tables and to increase Ohio’s competitiveness for federal corridor funding. She told the committee rejoining the commission would help Ohio access federal grants to modernize stations, improve ADA compliance, and expand passenger service.
Mitch Radakovich, representing All Aboard Ohio, reinforced the call to rejoin MIPRC and testified that Ohio’s absence has left the state out of regional conversations on equipment sharing and route planning. Radakovich said the commission’s annual fee is $25,000 and noted that other Midwestern states are actively coordinating corridors and studies. He told the committee an amendment to HB 54 to reinstate and fund membership has been offered; Radakovich said Representative Pizzoli had submitted the amendment the previous day.
Committee members asked about the status of rail lines and studies. Witnesses said many corridors use existing rail rights-of-way shared with freight and that some lines (including Toledo–Columbus) exist but require upgrades. Fish and others encouraged funding for step-2 corridor studies for routes including the 3C&D group (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton), Midwest Connect, and the Detroit–Toledo–Cleveland corridor so Ohio could pursue federal Corridor ID follow-on grants.
The witnesses emphasized accessibility and economic connections: Fish said better passenger rail would connect northwest Ohio residents to medical centers and jobs and would reduce the transfers and delays that now make intercity travel difficult for people with disabilities. Radakovich and other witnesses said rejoining MIPRC is a modest annual expense with outsized planning value.
