An effort to bring passenger rail service back to Bowling Green took another step forward with action taken by Warren Fiscal Court last week.

The magistrates, meeting Feb. 27, voted to approve a contract with Nebraska-based HDR Engineering for planning work and, potentially, a second phase involving development of a project management plan that would help Bowling Green be included in Amtrak’s expansion of its intercity rail system.

Amtrak’s $75 billion Corridor Vision plan to expand its network calls for connecting 160 new communities and 20 million more passengers annually by 2035.

HDR’s contract with the county and city of Bowling Green governments calls for a fee of $135,000 for the planning work and another $265,000 for execution of that plan only if the Federal Railroad Administration includes the Cincinnati-Louisville-Bowling Green-Nashville route in its Corridor Identification and Development Program. Those fees would be split between the city and county.

Bobby Rabold, a Bowling Green businessman charged with leading the effort to bring passenger rail service to the city, has explained that HDR’s work is expected to help the local governments procure a $500,000 federal grant to cover the costs.

Rabold said at a Bowling Green City Commission planning session in January that the Corridor ID Program was established through the Infrastructure and Jobs Act in 2021. Ninety communities across the United States applied for corridors during the 2022 fiscal year, and 69 were approved. Rabold said HDR worked with 23 of those successful applicants.

Like Rabold, Warren County Judge-Executive Doug Gorman is a big proponent of bringing passenger rail service back to Bowling Green for the first time since 1979.

“We’ve been looking at this for a year and a half,” Gorman said. “It’s a lengthy process. We’re happy to have the city of Bowling Green join us with this initiative.

“Having Bowling Green as a stop for passenger rail, I feel like that would be a game-changer.”

The fiscal court magistrates approved a number of spending items at the Feb. 27 meeting, including:

– $35,500 to Scott & Murphy Inc. for repair of Trammel Creek Bridge on Mt. Lebanon Road

– $7,500 to Fox Excavation and Contracting for installation of a sidewalk between the Basil Griffin Park pickleball courts and Aviation Heritage Park

– $5,400 to Hobdy, Dye & Read for the purchase of two snowplows and two salt spreaders for the county parks department

– $3,250 to Brantley Appraisal Company for appraisal of property located at 2325 Airway Court

– $11,800 to Boyd Cat for purchase of two grapple rake attachments for track loaders used by the parks department

– $10,824 to Stewart Richey Service Group for repairs to a collapsed drain line in the kitchen at the Warren County Regional Jail

The next meeting of Warren Fiscal Court is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 13.