{"id":12136,"date":"2010-05-31T19:01:30","date_gmt":"2010-05-31T23:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/?p=12136"},"modified":"2020-12-03T08:41:39","modified_gmt":"2020-12-03T13:41:39","slug":"nipra-continues-to-advocate-high-speed-rail-for-fort-wayne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/2010\/05\/31\/nipra-continues-to-advocate-high-speed-rail-for-fort-wayne\/","title":{"rendered":"NIPRA continues to advocate high speed rail for Fort Wayne"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Northeast<\/p>\n

Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association (NIPRA) board member Geoff Paddock recently wrote an 0p-ed piece for local papers.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

He has graciously consented to its reprinting here:<\/p>\n

NIPRA continues to advocate high speed rail for Fort Wayne<\/strong><\/p>\n

The extension of Interstate 69 to Evansville emphasizes the importance of transportation and the future development of our state. The completion of I-69 to the southern tip of Indiana will more easily connect thousands of Hoosiers to our state capital and create jobs and economic activity, just as the northern leg to Fort Wayne has for the past 40 years.<\/p>\n

However, building new highways is very expensive and controversial. There is a heavy price to pay in taking precious farm land, forests, and other environmental habitats. It is also hard to imagine widening highways beyond the four and five lanes constructed in many large urban areas. After seeing the environmental havoc being wreaked by catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, we need to be reminded again of our need to develop other means of transportation that utilizes less foreign and domestic oil.<\/p>\n

The Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association has been advocating the development of high speed passenger train service as the interstate highway system of the 21st Century. In January, the Federal Rail Administration awarded Indiana about $71 million to begin that process. This money, referred to as the Gateway Project, will build passing track and overpasses in a congested area of Lake County, so passenger and freight trains can more easily traverse our state and arrive in Chicago in less time. This $71 million was part of the federal stimulus money awarded to over a dozen projects that will benefit some 30 states. NIPRA is optimistic this is just the beginning of an effort to build a hub and spoke high speed rail system connecting Chicago to Fort Wayne and many other cities in the Midwest.<\/p>\n

Linking Fort Wayne with Chicago and Cleveland will create thousands of jobs in Indiana. Restoring train service would add some $30 million in economic activity to our area each year and add value to our properties, particularly downtown. The Indiana Department of Transportation estimates the Chicago\/Fort Wayne\/Cleveland route would be self sustaining. Support in the community is growing, as seen by the 800 people who attended the January 16 Rally for Rail at the Baker Street Train Station.<\/p>\n

NIPRA is currently meeting with members of our legislative delegation. We are emphasizing the importance of committing state funds to build this connection. We are asking State Legislators to consider the following points as they plan for the 2011-2012 state biennial budget:<\/p>\n