About
Project Description
Midwest Connect aims to reestablish passenger rail service across 545 miles connecting the cities of Chicago, Fort Wayne, Columbus and Pittsburgh. The corridor is notable for its growing population, large industries, access to jobs, centrality as an economic hub in the Midwest and ability to connect America’s Midwest and Eastern regions. A key focus of the corridor development is convenience and reliability for passengers.
This project will improve connectivity between cities, increase climate resiliency and support economic growth for small, mid-sized and large communities along the corridor.
Potential Route
Midwest Connect would use existing railroad right of way, where possible, to optimize the cost-effectiveness of the project. The potential route shown would connect Chicago, Fort Wayne, Columbus and Pittsburgh.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Intercity passenger rail connects cities over longer distances than commuter rail. Midwest Connect will connect Chicago, Fort Wayne, Columbus and Pittsburgh. Intercity passenger rail is typically operated by companies such as Amtrak or Brightline and offers an alternative to travel by car or air. Intercity passenger rail in not currently available for travel to and from Fort Wayne, Columbus and many other communities on the corridor.
While Chicago and Pittsburgh have continued to be served by other intercity routes, the cities in Indiana and Ohio in this corridor have not had passenger rail in decades. For instance, the last passenger train pulled out of Columbus in 1979, and the last passenger train left Baker Street station in Fort Wayne in 1990.
The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) Program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, coordinates planning and development for new or enhanced passenger rail across the nation. The Corridor ID Program includes three steps:
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Step 1 – Develop the scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing a Service Development Plan.
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Step 2 – Prepare the Service Development Plan.
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Step 3 – Complete preliminary engineering and NEPA activities.
The City of Fort Wayne received a grant from the FRA to conduct Step 1 of the Corridor ID Program for the Midwest Connect corridor.
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Several passenger rail studies for this corridor have been conducted across the past 10 years by various agencies. These studies provide a foundation to advance Midwest Connect. Visit the Library page for details.
The high-level details of the project – including stations, infrastructure, operations and cost – will be determined in the Service Development Plan, which is a future Step 2 of the Corridor ID Program.
The City of Fort Wayne received a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to conduct Step 1 of the Corridor ID program. Additional funding will be needed to move to Step 2 of the Corridor ID Program. The cost to implement has not been determined. More than 80% of the funding is anticipated to come from the FRA. State and local partners across the corridor are working to secure the 20% local match needed to complete the planning steps in the Corridor ID program.
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