VIENNA TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- The Western Reserve Port Authority Wednesday approved a contract with a rail advocacy group to conduct a study of rail infrastructure improvements aimed at assisting the growing oil and gas industry and attracting other companies with an interest in rail.
The port authority, which operates the Youngstown/Warren Regional Airport, approved the $10,000 contract with Project Restore -- which stands for Rail Enhancements -- Sustainable Transportation, Opportunity, Revitalization and Employment -- to identify the top five strategic rail linkages, said Sarah Lown, senior director of economic development for the port authority. Reestablishing rail linkages could assist oil and gas companies expanding or coming to the Mahoning Valley, and attract other firms dependent on rail, she said.
"The idea is to identify the top five rail links that need to be established," which ones can be restored, looking at historical use, whether easements are in place and other issues, Lown said. "We’ll identify partners and stakeholders, what resources or funding is needed so we can restore those linkages between the lake and the river. If all goes to plan, there's going to be much more freight rail needed if the oil and gas shale industry expands in the region," she said.
"We have a good idea of what small-scale, immediate-needs-type projects are out there with regard to rail infrastructure," said Ken Prendergast, executive director of Project Restore, a nonprofit advocacy group created by All Aboard Ohio, which Prendergast also heads. Project Restore has six months to perform the work, although Prendergast said it should take less time than that.
"Right now we're trying to find projects that could be doable in a year or two," he said.
Project Restore will identify projects that are less expensive and don't require federal funding, which can delay work due to more stringent environmental requirements. Potential funding sources include the Ohio Third Frontier program and the Ohio Rail Commission, as well as private funding by community stakeholders.
The port authority board also approved a joint venture agreement with the Mahoning River Corridor Initiative, contributing $15,000 for this year, to join the Mahoning River Mayors' Association, Youngstown State University, Castlo Industrial Park and the Mahoning River Consortium as partners in the initiative.
"The goal is to have a coordinated development plan for all of the brownfield sites in the urban areas flanking the river corridor, with an eye toward redeveloping them and integrating industrial redevelopment with recreational activities and preservation of key natural sites or wetlands or habitats," Lown said.
The initiative will expand its study area and inventory and identify brownfield properties in the river corridor area of townships, not currently included in its research target area, and integrate them into its redevelopment plan, Lown said.
The port authority also approved a contract with Keynote Media Group, Youngstown, for facilitation and development of a strategic plan. Keynote will be paid $4,850 plus "reasonable expenses" for its work.
A formalized strategic plan will better define the port authority's objectives and strategies for the coming years, its executive director, Rose Ann DeLeon, said in a statement issued by the port authority following the meeting. DeLeon was not present at Wednesday's meeting.
Expected to take three months, the planning process will include input from board members, administrative staff, key stakeholders and the public.
Copyright 2012 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.