TO THE EDITOR:

On April 10, 2009, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, along with governors of seven other Midwest states and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, signed a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood in support of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI). Under the MWRRI, Fort Wayne will be a stop on the proposed Chicago – Toledo – Cleveland route. Once built, this line will secure Fort Wayne’s position as a major economic center within the Midwest.

We applaud Indiana Senator Tom Wyss for inviting Indiana Department of transportation Commissioner Michael Reed to Fort Wayne to present an update of Indiana’s progress on the passenger rail effort in Fort Wayne. At this public meeting held on July 9, Commissioner Reed indicated that INDOT had prepared a pre-application to the Federal Railroad Administration that requested $49 million to fund environmental studies and preliminary engineering for the Chicago – Fort Wayne – Toledo – Cleveland route. The submission of this pre-application was the first crucial step in bringing passenger rail back to Fort Wayne.

Along with thanking Indiana Senator Tom Wyss and INDOT Commissioner Michael Reed, we would like to thank the numerous individuals and organizations that have supported the passenger rail effort. Over the past year, hundreds of individuals have written letters and sent postcards to Governor Daniels expressing their support of this effort. In addition, many community partners, including Allen County, City of Fort Wayne, The Downtown Fort Wayne Economic Improvement District, Northeast Indiana Corporate Council, Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, and Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana, have written Governor Daniels formally endorsing the development of passenger rail in Fort Wayne.

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This is a multi-state regional effort that has been gathering strength over the past year by linking together many partners who have an interest in passenger rail service. In June, a regional alliance of rail advocates from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, met at the beautiful Baker Street Station, and has committed to work with NIPRA on ensuring that passenger rail service in Fort Wayne becomes a reality in the near future.

INDOT’s commitment to apply for stimulus funds for the Fort Wayne route is just first step of this journey. The “end of the beginning” may be in sight, but continued support from the public, our community partners, and others in the region will be crucial for this effort to be a success.

Sincerely,

Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association (NIPRA) & Justin Stalter, Downtown Improvement District