What's Going On:

Rapid Transit Projects in Greater Detroit (and elsewhere)

• Detroit-Metro Airport-Ann Arbor Commuter Train
• Woodward Light Rail
  
  • M-1 Rail (phase 1)
  • Detroit Transit Options for Growth Study (phase 2)
    
• WALLY: the Washtenaw-Livingston Commuter Train
• Silver Line: Grand Rapids Bus Rapid Transit
  

The official website is www.semcog.org/AADD.aspx.  Also check out SEMCOG's video explaining the project (or on YouTube).

Recent News - Due to funding constraints, full daily service will not begin until 2011, although special event trains will begin this fall.

Next Steps - The train cars will begin being refurbished in April and the first train set will be available for testing in July. One of the most critical track improvements, which will result in a ten minute travel time reduction, is moving toward construction at West Detroit Junction. Station development plans are underway, final commuter schedules are being prepared, capital and operating costs are being finalized, Request for Proposals for locomotives and an operator are in progress, and the MDOT Environment team is developing the environmental documents for the overall project.

TRU's take - We are concerned about the continual delays in the launch of this service, which began planning ten years ago!  The lack of experienced rail staff and the lack of dedicated local funding seem to be causing difficulties.  Also, even phase two's four trains a day will not be sufficient to fit the schedules of potential riders and, without immediate plans for expansion, may provide a poor demonstration of the potential of commuter trains. 

Want to support this effort? Tell elected officials at the state, county and local level to fully fund this important project.


M-1 Rail - Woodward Light Rail phase 1

Summary:  Light rail along Woodward Avenue is a top transit priority of the City of Detroit, Southeast Michigan and the State of Michigan. M-1 Rail, a 3.4-mile line that will connect Downtown Detroit to the New Center District, will be the first of several phases.

It will be a light rail / modern streetcar line running along the sides of Woodward Avenue from Hart Plaza to Grand Boulevard. It would have a dozen stops near major destinations such as Campus Martius Park, Wayne State University, the DIA, the Detroit Medical Center and the Amtrak station.

It is being developed under a private-public partnership led by the Downtown Detroit Partnership.  The estimated $125 million price tag for construction would be paid for primarily by businesses and institutions that would benefit from station branding rights and anticipated property value increases, plus foundations that support Detroit's growth and development.  

State legislation was passed in December to enable a new public-private entity to operate it, to allow for tax-increment financing to support operations, and to ensure up to $8 million in annual state support for operations.

Recent news:  The US DOT has committed $25 million in federal ARRA funding for the complete rebuild of Woodward Avenue in conjunction with this project.  Mayor Dave Bing recently reiterated his support for the project and its goal of starting construction before the end of 2010. 

The project developers have launched a new website - M-1Rail.com.

TRU’s take: This is an exciting and enormously important project that will set the stage for rapid transit throughout greater Detroit.  Given that importance, it must demonstrate the speed and reliability of true rapid transit.


Detroit Transit Options for Growth Study / Woodward Light Rail phase 2

  Summary:  The city of Detroit is working to build a light rail line along Woodward Avenue, from downtown to the State Fairgrounds. Assuming M-1 Rail is developed, this will provide an expansion from New Center to 8 Mile Boulevard.

Since 2006, DDOT and their consultants URS have been following a carefully prescribed federal funding progress to first figure out the best place to build the city’s first rapid transit line, then develop the line. Based on population, jobs, bus ridership, estimated cost, estimated ridership, public input, and more, in March 2008, they selected light rail on Woodward Avenue.

Initial construction cost estimates for the proposed eight-mile Woodward line are roughly $370 million. Federal funds would potentially pay for 50%-60% of construction, with the remainder coming from state, local and other funding sources. Future expansion further up Woodward and out Gratiot and Michigan Avenues and elsewhere can be expected in the future, depending in large part on the success of this first line.  Learn more at www.WoodwardLightRail.com. 

Learn more and check out a great video demonstration.

Recent News:  City leaders and M-1 Rail leaders have agreed (in concept) to merge their projects into two phases of the same project and got federal approval to use the $125 million from M-1 Rail as local matching funds for the full eight-mile line.  Full details of the merger still need to be developed.

Next steps include formally applying to the Federal Transit Administration and developing a plan for local funding.


WALLY: the Washtenaw-Livingston Commuter Train

Summary:  Plans are underway to develop a commuter train to connect Ann Arbor with communities to the north, providing a much-needed alternative to traffic on US-23. The train would run for 27 miles from Ann Arbor to Howell, initially running just during peak hours in the peak direction. Great Lakes Central Railroad is an enthusiastic partner, ready to operate the service and provide the rail stock. Ann Arbor's bus agency, AATA, is the authority overseeing the train service. 

There is strong support from local, county, state and federal officials. The line would save commuters thousands of dollars a year in gas and traffic stress, while also supporting transit-oriented development at the stations and reducing the need for parking for both the University and the City of Ann Arbor.

The biggest hurdle is developing the funding needed to run the line. Funding has been committed from MDOT, Ann Arbor DDA, Washtenaw County, Northfield Township and Great Lakes Central Railroad. In addition, University of Michigan and the US EPA have both committed to purchase passes for their employees the first year.

The coalition hired RL Banks & Associates to review and validate their analysis and plans. They found that the service is viable based on projected ridership (650,000 the first year), but is recommending significant investment in the rail infrastructure to allow for speeds up to 59 mph. They estimated initial costs at $32.5 million for rail improvements and $7 million for annual operations.

Next steps - A governance agreement must be approved, funding for capital improvements must be identified, and operations funding must be committed from local communities to proceed.

The official website for Wally is www.ewashtenaw.org/wally.  AATA is making presentations to interested groups and finding support in both counties. Anyone interested in a presentation on WALLY should contact Michael Benham at AATA.


The Silver Line:  Grand Rapids Bus Rapid Transit line

Summary:  Silver Line bus rapid transit (BRT) offers a new, high capacity, higher speed, cost-effective public transit solution that can achieve similar performance of a light rail system at a significantly lower price tag.

The efficiency and high speed of BRT is achieved by frequent service, wider spacing of stops, dedicated bus-only lanes, payment prior to boarding, signal priority, low-floor buses, real-time station information, and other service improvements.  The Silver Line rapid transit line will serve downtown and 9 miles of Division Avenue, the area with the highest commuter volume in the region. The corridor links hospitals and research facilities on Medical Mile, five college campuses, government buildings, and downtown restaurants and entertainment venues.

The Rapid is currently working closely with local cities, organizations and developers on the details of the project, such as zoning and placement of the stations. In order to get the $40 million in state and federal funds that have been committed to the project, The Rapid needs to show that it has the financial capacity to operate the system.

Recent news:  Millage funding for the Silver Line was on the ballot May 5, 2009.  While 47.7% of area voters supported it, that was not enough to pass.  Stay tuned for the next steps in the effort to implement this line.

The official website is www.rapidsilverline.org/.