Dearborn Streets Closed for High-Speed Rail Construction

Crews closed streets in Dearborn as work starts on a high-speed rail line between Chicago and Detroit.

The Michigan Department of Transportation is temporarily closing some roads in Dearborn to prepare for the state’s high-speed rail project. Spokesperson Michael Frezell says crews will make railroad crossings across Mason and Monroe streets in Dearborn smoother while installing new tracks. He says the goal is to increase train speed by 40 mph.

“They vary in places, whether they’re going through cities or whether they’re out in the country, some of the speeds can be up to 70 miles an hour. The overall goal is to get the travel time down between Chicago and Detroit to four hours.”

-Michael Frezell

Frezell says it currently takes about six hours to travel from Detroit to Chicago by train. He says the project should be completed by 2017.

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