DUBLIN, Ohio — The city of Dublin is preparing for a possible passenger rail station that would connect central Ohio to Chicago.
The city said they’re currently in Phase 1 of the project for alignment and information gathering.
Houchard Road is the proposed location the city is considering. It would be a multi-modal passenger rail station on nearly 100 acres of city-owned property.
They’re working with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission or MORPC for short. Elliott Lewis is the senior planner.
“Central Ohio is the fastest growing region and the largest metro in the nation without a passenger rail,” said Lewis. “That puts us on the map."
He said the Federal Railroad Administration is considering offering funding for several new passenger rail routes and some of those are in Ohio.
Lewis said if a route comes to central Ohio, it will have an impact on every community, town and city in reach.
"We have been really expressing to everyone along the route to be prepared to get ready if you think you are a candidate to have a station," said Lewis.
Lewis said they’re expecting to hear if they have the green light to move forward from the government in November and December.