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Group asks for Amtrak in Oxford

Kelsey Anagnos

Every year, Miami University students make weekend and day trips across the Midwest and the country by car or by plane, but if a big proposal from a small group passes, they may have the option to travel by train.

A group of Miami students proposed Tuesday an Amtrak station be put in Oxford to city council as an additional method of transportation.

The four Miami students, juniors Mia DeNardi, Michelle Pelishek and Mimi Decker and senior Nathaniel Kaelin, have worked relentlessly to see their project put into action. Their efforts have not gone unrecognized, DeNardi said.

"At council tonight (April 21) we gave our presentation about implementing the plan, and council passed the motion to draft the letter of support to Amtrak and Ohio Rail Development Commission as well as look over our materials again," she said.

Alan Kyger, Oxford's director of economy development, said there are potential economic benefits to the Amtrak proposal.

"There are no disagreements with the concept," Kyger said. "In any location, the station will help stimulate the economy and we would see some sort of offshoot of that, but there is some hesitation."

The reason for hesitation is the cost and uncertainty of success with the project, according to Kyger.

"There was an Amtrak stop in Oxford in the past, but ridership decreased and Amtrak was forced to cancel the stop," Kyger said. "Logic says ridership should have been higher. We need to figure out why this happened and prevent it from happening again if we want to put another stop here."

At first, numbers for the cost of the station seemed daunting with estimates upward of $1 million for the station to be put in Oxford, but the group's calculations are significantly less.

"A minimal standard Amtrak station costs between $200,000 and $300,000, and that is all we are asking for," DeNardi said.

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Oxford Mayor Prue Dana said she has heard the proposal multiple times and lends her support to the students and their ideas.

"I think it is a great idea, especially because Amtrak does come through Oxford," Dana said. "This would be a great opportunity for Oxford to connect with other big cities and allow students to come to school and not bring their cars. There is a real possibility of something like this happening eventually."

City council is not the only group that supports the Amtrak proposal. Students are getting excited about the idea as well.

Sophomore Christin Devcich hails from Chicago and said she is in support of the proposal because of the convenience it could provide.

"I think it is a great idea, it would be so convenient for me. I probably wouldn't even bring my car back," Devcich said. "It would save on gas and probably cut down on parking problems and traffic in Oxford. Honestly, I'm surprised someone hasn't proposed this earlier."

DeNardi said it is important to put plans into action as soon as possible.

"President Obama is working on implementing 10 high speed rail corridors (across the country), one of them being from Chicago to Cincinnati," DeNardi said. "We don't want to fall behind and miss our chance to be included in this corridor."

The location of the station has not yet been determined, but Kyger said he is speculating a potential location for the station.

"This is all hypothetical, but the location being talked about is where the old lumber company was located, near Stewart Square. It would be a great area to be redeveloped," Kyger said.

Although the Amtrak station proposal is just a plan for the time being, students can make this idea come to life and the support of students and the Oxford community is vital, DeNardi said.

"I urge students to voice their opinions at student council meetings, letters or word of mouth," DeNardi said. "Just think how much better Oxford would be (in relation to) parking, traffic and the environment."