Lunch & Learn | All Aboard Ohio

You're Invited!

LUNCH AND LEARN

INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL DRIVING ECONOMIC VITALITY IN NORTHEAST OHIO

Presented by All Aboard Ohio in partnership with NOACA

Cleveland is no longer just hoping for passenger rail — Ohio is one of only a handful of states with four routes already selected into the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor ID program, including the 3C+D corridor connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati. This is federally recognized momentum, not speculation.

And the economic case behind that momentum is strong. National research released in February 2026 by the American Public Transportation Association found that sustained public transit investment generates roughly $5 in long-term economic value for every $1 invested. Locally, a 2023 analysis prepared for All Aboard Ohio projects that Cleveland-Elyria's share of the 3C+D

Ohio's passenger rail map in the early 2030s if Corridor ID is successful.

construction investment alone could mean $14–$24 million in economic impact and 150–240 new jobs — the kind of return that keeps compounding once trains start running.

But rail only pays off if people can actually get where they're going once they arrive. Picture a business traveler stepping off a train downtown from Columbus for a conference. How do they get to a client meeting on the near West Side, a partner's office in University Circle, or their hotel? That "last mile" question is exactly what the City's Cleveland Moves plan is designed to answer — and its five-year timeline lines up almost perfectly with the Corridor ID process. Get both right at the same time, and Cleveland is positioned to compete for visitors, talent, conventions, and investment in a way it hasn't been able to for a generation.

This session lays out the state and local plans side by side, backed by the data above, and explains what needs to happen over the next five years to make sure Cleveland is ready when the trains are.

Why now: Ohio's next biennial state budget process begins in 2027, and rail advocates need a stronger, more visible coalition of business and civic voices to make the case at the statehouse. The City of Cleveland's own Climate Action Plan (Action 55) already commits to advocating to state and federal government for expanded public transit funding and passenger rail service — this session is a chance to help build the coalition that can deliver on that commitment.

Who should attend: Business and economic development leaders whose organizations depend on people being able to move easily in and around Cleveland and the state of Ohio. This event is invite only. If you'd like to request an invite please email lisa@allaboardohio.org

Lunch will be provided.

Featured speakers:

Brian Schriver, Board Secretary and Northeast Ohio Director, All Aboard Ohio

Sarah Davis, Senior Transportation Planner, City of Cleveland

A representative from NOACA

This is the same event, offered twice — RSVP for whichever date works for you:

Tuesday, October 13 · 11:30 AM–1:00 PM

Wednesday, October 28 · 12:00 PM–1:30 PM

Where: Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA)

1299 Superior Ave, Cleveland, OH 4411

Questions? Email lisa@allaboardohio.org

RSVP: