All Aboard Erie, Lakeshore Rail Alliance urge MPO to pursue corridor ID and incremental passenger service

Brian Pitzer, chair of All Aboard Erie, and Bill Hutchison, co‑director of the Lakeshore Rail Alliance (a program of All Aboard Erie), urged the MPO to support a regional economic impact study and a coordinated push for corridor identification to improve passenger rail service across the region.

Pitzer reminded the committee the MPO previously passed a motion asking staff to seek funding for a study of passenger rail economic impacts. He turned the presentation to Hutchison, who emphasized the strategic location of Erie on the Lakeshore Limited route between New York and Chicago and described impediments to service expansion that include state‑level corridor ID processes and uneven state buy‑in.

Hutchison said Amtrak is not anticipating adding long‑distance trains until about 2040 and that incremental daytime service (for example, Detroit–Cleveland–Erie–Buffalo–Albany–New York) would require congressional and state support. "At this point, Amtrak is not anticipating adding any more long distance trains... at least until 2040," Hutchison said. He recommended a coalition of MPOs and congressional engagement to push the corridor ID process and explore incremental service improvements.

Committee members discussed corridor ID progress in adjacent states, the Southern Tier and Scranton efforts, and the need for a regional authority or coordinated framework to advance multi‑state service. The presenters urged freight and station development planning tied to an economic impact study to strengthen the case for service improvements.

The presentation was delivered as information to the committee; staff and members noted continued interest in regional rail planning and the potential for MPO collaboration on study funding and corridor advocacy.