An engineering firm says a proposed passenger rail line that would run from Chicago to Columbus, Ohio, could see between 387,000 and 765,000 passengers annually.
The Northwest Indiana Times reports that the Northern Indiana Passenger Rail Association and engineering firm HNTB argued Thursday that the proposed Amtrak line would connect cities that don’t have convenient connections. The line proposes several stops across northern Indiana.
HNTB’s analysis says passenger numbers will depend on the train’s speed and the number of daily round-trips. HNTB says the project could cost between $898 million and $1.2 billion.
Supporters hope the Federal Railroad Administration would cover 80 percent of the cost. The rest would be made up by state and local governments, as well as businesses that would benefit from the service.
