Feds award Michigan $200M for high-speed rail

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Feds award Michigan $200M for high-speed rail

David Shepardson and Leonard N. Fleming / / The Detroit News

Washington— Michigan will get nearly $200 million in federal funding to make high-speed rail a reality — and to help build a new bus and train station in Ann Arbor, the U.S. Transportation Department announced this morning.

The bulk of the funds — $196.5 million — is to help retrofit a 135-mile section of the Kalamazoo-to-Dearborn track for high-speed rail service. In total, this will eventually allow trains to travel 110 miles an hour on 235 miles between Chicago and Detroit, the government said.

The work should wrap up by the end of 2013 and cut the travel time by 30 minutes from the current 5 hours and 45 minutes. The service would still have the same number of stops.

The Obama administration has now invested $11 billion in rail service, the government said.

"High-speed rail is coming to America. There is no going back," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters on a conference call. The administration wants to get Americans "on trains, off of congested highways, out of their

cars

— particularly when gas prices are higher."

LaHood said "Detroit to Chicago is a critical link" in the government's high-speed rail plan.

He was joined by several state politicians — including Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, Gov. Rick Snyder and Reps. Hansen Clarke and John Dingell — in formally announcing the grant at a 2:30 p.m. news conference at Detroit's Amtrak station.

"This isn't about politics today; this is about advancing our economy," Levin said.

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said the turnout from political heavy-hitters at today's event is "an indication of how important today is," which "a few years ago … none of us could have dreamed of."

LaHood praised Snyder and Bing for backing high-speed rail efforts and said the investments would create jobs along the Detroit-to-Chicago corridor.

"This will become a huge economic corridor that will create a lot of jobs," LaHood said. "It's a great day for Michiganders."

The White House said Vice President Joe Biden and LaHood called California Gov. Jerry Brown and Snyder to congratulate them on winning high-speed rail funding.

Biden, LaHood and Snyder discussed "Michigan's plans for improvement of rail service between Detroit and Chicago by bringing trains up to speeds of 110 mph between Kalamazoo and Dearborn."

Michigan is also one of seven states that will buy next-generation passenger rail equipment in the Midwest. The government awarded $268.2 million to purchase 48 high-performance passenger rail cars and seven quick-acceleration U.S.-built locomotives for eight corridors in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Missouri. Michigan had sought $366 million along with three other states.

Michigan and 23 other states, the District of Columbia and Amtrak submitted nearly 100 applications seeking $10 billion after Florida returned $2.4 billion in high-speed rail funds.

The government awarded $2.02 billion to 22 projects in 15 states — including $199.3 million to Michigan.

"These projects will put thousands of Americans to work, save hundreds of thousands of hours for American travelers every year, and boost U.S. manufacturing by

investing

hundreds of millions of dollars in next-generation, American-made locomotives and railcars," Biden said in a statement.

This is the second grant for the key section of track in the Detroit-to-Chicago corridor. Michigan previously received a $150 million grant for the Kalamazoo-to-Dearborn track improvements — and to acquire the track from

Norfolk

Southern

.

In order to accommodate high-speed rail, the track will get upgrades, including new signals, crossing improvements and technical timing devices called positive train control. These improvements will put passenger rail speeds at 79 mph, with train speeds expected eventually to reach 110 mph.

The Transportation Department also said it is awarding $2.8 million for an engineering and environmental analysis to construct a new high-speed rail station in Ann Arbor, which will better serve passengers and allow more than one train to serve the station simultaneously.

The state's application seeking the funds said the station would be used for both buses and trains and shared by Amtrak, the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. Michigan will put up $700,000 as part of the project.

The station is the state's busiest, but has only single-tracking capacity, forcing intercity trains to block the mainline while serving the station. By constructing a passing track, more than one train will be able to service the station while others can pass unimpeded.

Michigan previously won $40 million to construct a new train station in Dearborn and to upgrade stations in Troy and Battle Creek.

Michigan's elected leaders also praised the awards.

"This funding will help move Michigan and the nation forward by making high-speed rail a part of our economic infrastructure," said Levin, D-Detroit.

"Our economic competitors around the world have long enjoyed the benefits of high-speed rail service between their cities. They have demonstrated that high-speed service can create jobs and promote economic growth, and that it can provide a more energy-efficient alternative."

Stabenow, D-Lansing, also hailed the announcement.

"This to me is about jobs when we're talking about creating a system that's going to put people to work," Stabenow said. "It's also about how we can travel in a way that will cut down on gas given what is happening at the pump."

"This high-speed rail is not only important for Detroit, but it's important for the state," Levin said, adding that other lines such as the M1 light rail project and other proposed lines would be enhanced because of the Detroit-to-Chicago one. "This is a huge advance on those dreams here today."

Michigan mass transit advocates also touted the announcement.

"Policy and transportation planners have ranked the Detroit-to-Chicago corridor as one of the most viable routes in the nation," said Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United. "Because of Michigan's existing infrastructure, we can do high-speed rail faster and more cost-effectively than most other states. It just makes sense."

Dan Gilmartin, CEO and executive director of the Michigan Municipal League, said support for high-speed rail has been bipartisan in Michigan.

"Here in Michigan, we have been fortunate enough to have strong bi-partisan support for high-speed rail," Gilmartin said. "Our political leaders on both sides of the aisle fully understand how important this money is to creating jobs, increasing affordable transportation options and jumpstarting our economy."

Michigan's passenger rail services are currently experiencing record levels for both ridership and revenue.

From October through March, traffic was up 16.3 percent on Amtrak's Wolverine service on the Pontiac/Detroit-Chicago corridor. The Blue Water service on the Port Huron/East Lansing-Chicago route saw traffic jump 26.2 percent, while ridership on the Pere Marquette service between Grand Rapids and Chicago jumped 6.7 percent.

But State Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, criticized the funding.

"If President Obama and Congress insist on piling more debt on our kids and grandkids, they should at least let us decide how to spend it," said McMillin. "We need to fill potholes and improve roads, not shave 50 minutes off a train ride from Detroit to Chicago."

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/a...l#ixzz1LyRLwfLZ

Edited May 10, 2011 by Lord Infamous