Complete Story
 

OABA Members Invited to Attend Ohio Rail Plan Stakeholder Involvement Session

The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) is an independent commission within the Ohio Department of Transportation tasked with the development, promotion, and support of safe, adequate, and efficient rail service throughout the state. ORDC is responsible for updating the Ohio Rail Plan, which the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requires for Ohio to remain eligible for federal funding opportunities related to rail. FRA has developed specific guidelines for what the rail plan must include, including gathering stakeholder input into issues and trends involving rail transportation in the state.

To that end, ORDC and its consultant are engaging with a number of stakeholder groups in the state that have an interest in rail such as Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Port Authorities, economic development groups, industry and shipper groups, and the railroads themselves. Since the Ohio Agribusiness Association represents many shippers of grain, feed, and fertilizer, which are important commodities in Ohio that are often transported by rail, ORDC would like to further consult with OABA’s members.

The meeting will be held on February 27 from 1-3 p.m. at the ODOT Central Office building (1980 W. Broad St, Columbus, OH 43223) in room GA. Those interested in participating should RSVP to Chris Henney at chenney@oaba.net.  

Potential issues for discussion include service-related issues, rail versus other modes of transportation and their role in the industry, changes/trends over the last 5-10 years (positive or negative) related to rail transportation in Ohio, and virtually any other topic that OABA members would like to discuss. ORDC will develop an agenda for this meeting to collect information on issues as required by FRA guidelines; however, ORDC also hopes that a free-ranging discussion will result.

If you cannot attend ORDC is happy to discuss any issues with you on a one-on-one basis. They will also have a public survey available very soon that will include a section for stakeholders that ship by rail to give feedback.

Printer-Friendly Version

0 Comments