| Mayors Comments For Tommorow's Ohio Rail Commission Meeting |
| Monday, July 6, 2009 4:33:10 PM - Middletown Ohio |
Provided By:
Judith
A. Gilleland
City Manager
What the 3-C rail means to Middletown:
Rail Transit for the city of Middletown touches a number of assets that we’re able to leverage quickly. You have the commitment from the city that we are willing to work with the rail officials to ensure proper infrastructure for the stop. There are a number of sites in the core district that would directly benefit from connections to passenger rail.
Adding passenger rail will give us the opportunity to leverage our city-owned and operated public transit system. The city has jointly funded a public bus system with city wide routes for the past several decades. Earlier this year we opened a route to Hamilton, the county seat. We also connect to points in Warren County and this fall we will be upgrading our bus fleet with newer more fuel efficient engines.
Other multi-modal access points are within reach. The Middletown Regional Airport, provides the area’s longest runway, second only to Lunken field in Cincinnati, and is 2 miles away from the proposed train stop. Interstate 75 is only 4 miles away, via 122, and our bike path, along the Great Miami River, is just 1 mile from the station.
Our infrastructure system includes two overpasses and one underpass along the rail line. With good access over and under the rail line, there aren’t concerns of traffic flow issues.
We have an ideal location with our historic train station. This location featured train stops by Presidents and Governors, saw Middletownians off to war and delivered them home again. There is surface parking available adjacent to the train station. This isn’t just a shovel ready site, it’s a train ready site!
Our Downtown Business district is along Central Avenue, walking distance from the train station. There are a number of local restaurants, shops and convenience stores. Also located DT is the Manchester Inn, a historic hotel with over 100 rooms, banquet space for 700and a full service restaurant. It serves as another destination point for many out of town guests.
By creating a stop in Middletown, an urbanized area, it opens up access to a broad region to and from Middletown. To highlight a specific study, last year we partnered with Warren County, and completed a retail market analysis. It identified annual spending opportunity of $1.5 billion that was leaving the market area. This market area extended into Warren County, communities such as Franklin and Springboro would benefit as a result of 3-C access.
At this time, I’d like to invite those others here from Middletown to stand in support of this important project for the State of Ohio and the City of Middletown, please stand…... Thank you.
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