Commuter-rail proposal for southeast Michigan reaches study phase

The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA) has announced the start of a study aimed at determining the feasibility of commuter-rail service between Washtenaw and Livingston counties in southeast Michigan.

The proposed North-South Commuter Rail project is being considered as a cost-effective alternative to ease traffic congestion along U.S. Highway 23 between Howell and Ann Arbor, Mich. The proposed service also would help to create economic development and new job opportunities in the region, authority officials said in a press release.

The study will be done in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Transportation and includes plans for public meetings and discussions with local elected officials, businesses, environmental groups and other interest groups, they said.

The study is being funded by a Transportation and Community System Preservation grant from the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. While the TCSP grant requires a 20 percent match, the funds were collected in advance by the authority in partnership with local contributors, AAATA officials said.

"Not only are commuters eager to see an alternative to congestion on US-23, but developers and businesses are looking at potential investments around the stations," said Larry Krieg, an AAATA board member. "This could be the beginning of a new kind of sustainable living for Southeast Michigan, based not solely on private vehicles, but with robust public options based on the fuel and operating efficiency of rail."