Source:
mliveMichigan legislature on Wednesday approved a supplemental spending bill that will unlock federal funds to fast-track improvements along the planned high-speed rail line between Detroit and Chicago.
Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to sign the bill, which uses a combination of $39.2 million in local, private and state transportation funds as a match to finish unlocking $358.9 million in competitive federal grants.
Most significantly, the legislation sets aside money for the state to purchase and rehabilitate a 135.7 mile segment of tracks between Dearborn and Kalamazoo that currently is owned by Norfolk Southern. If you've taken Amtrak to Chicago in the past few months, you know congestion on this stretch has been causing regular delays, but improvements are expected to allow trains to travel up to 105 mph and cut the trip from Detroit to under 4 hours.
The bill also authorizes spending on a track connection project in west Detroit and construction of new stations in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor.
Michigan won a sizable portion of the federal rail funds -- nearly $200 million -- after Florida's Republican governor rejected stimulus dollars awarded by the Obama administration, but Snyder has embraced high-speed rail.
Read more:
http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/09/michigan_legislature_approves.html
Thanks Florida