Funds will be used to purchase and restore a 135-mile stretch of tracks between Kalamazoo and Dearborn so trains can operate at 79mph and then 110 mph. It is part of the Pontiac to Chicago high-speed corridor, currently operated by Amtrak.
The $161 million grant is expected to be formally announced by the administration on Oct. 28, along with the $800 million and $900 million grants to Florida and California repectively. Unlike Michigan, those awards will be applied to 150+ mph high speed rail corridors that are currently being planned.
"U.S. Rep. John Dingell announced (on Oct. 25) that Michigan will receive more than $160 million for high-speed rail projects, including $150 million to develop a high-speed railway between Kalamazoo and Dearborn under the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program.
U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan put out news releases saying the funding will go toward purchasing and restoring the 135-mile-long track."
From Dearborn Press and Guide:
"Significant additional funding would be needed to upgrade the service from Detroit all the way to Chicago. Earlier this year, a grant included about $28 million to rebuild Dearborn's Amtrak station"
Thanks to E&E Publishing - Greenwire
FULL STORY: State to get rail project grants $160 million in the works
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