Could it be that — after an astonishing run-up at the pump — the point at which oil prices “matter,” in terms of changing consumer behavior, has finally been reached? New York Times reporter Andy Revkin wonders after the Times reported that gas prices are fueling a nationwide increase in transit ridership.

The next challenge is for regions to prepare for transit boom times. How will regions around Denver and Cleveland, where the Cuyahoga County sales tax supporting our transit system has dipped, respond? In line with the national picture, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has reported an increase in ridership for the last five years, despite fare hikes and cut backs in bus service (to adjust for rising fuel costs).

But, with “transit managers predicting growth of 5 percent or more this year, the largest increase in at least a decade,” RTA, regional transportation managers and the region at large will have some decisions on how to meet the demand increase. With the cost of liquid fuels rising, RTA has already decided to move more bus passengers to its light rail lines (RTA trains marked a 9% increase last year). How much will the increase in rail ridership prime the real estate market and drive consumer demand for transit-oriented development?

With some of the largest increases reported in the Times coming on commuter rail, expect pressure to mount for reuse existing freight lines like the current effort by a number of West side communities to run a Lorain-to-Cleveland rail service. All Aboard Ohio, rail advocates who are facilitating the Lorain-Cleveland working group, note the benefits of commuter rail include, "One three-car train removes 450 cars from the roads."

Meanwhile, inter-city rail popped up again this past March when Governor Strickland requested that Amtrak formally review a passenger rail line connecting Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati.

The governor and The Ohio Rail Development Commission, an independent agency operating within the Ohio Department of Transportation, want to beef up rail service in the state. The commission recently approved its 2008 Action Plan, which includes:

• Seeking funding for rail infrastructure initiatives for freight, passenger and rail safety
• Accelerating efforts to develop inter-city passenger rail through exploring opportunities for Amtrak start-up services and continuing to build a long-term system of fast, corridor-based passenger trains under the Ohio Hub Plan
• Develop a State Rail Strategy Plan in cooperation with ODOT and other state agencies like the Ohio Department of Development to identify challenges like rail choke-points and needs like increasing capacity for more trains
• Continuing Ohio’s strong commitment to improving rail safety projects that benefit the public and improve delivery of those projects.

The commission also requested each member of Ohio’s Congressional delegation support the development of an intercity/interstate passenger rail system by funding a “program-level” environmental impact statement (PEIS) for the Ohio Hub passenger rail corridors that will serve the citizens of their districts.

Is it time we finally invested seriously in rail service? Does mass transit figure into your family’s transportation needs?