CANTON, Ohio — The transit agency serving Canton has hired a consultant to study building a light-rail line between downtown Canton and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Massillon Independent reports the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority has approved a contract with consultant WSP USA and envisions a six-month time frame for the study, which will examine the costs of land acquisition and construction, potential ridership, the number of people needed to run the service, and other issues. The study is expected to cost about $100,000.
Some of the proposed service would use an existing rail line owned by Akron’s Metro Regional Transit Authority, but new tracks would be needed to extend into downtown Akron. In its request for proposals, SARTA indicated that it wanted to examine the possibility of using trains powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
If the agency chooses to proceed based on the results of the study, it would apply for federal funds for at least 80% of the estimated $25 million to $50 million needed to build the line, which could be about 3 miles long in its first phase. Construction for that initial segment would likely take about two years.
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