Study: Coast-To-Coast Train From Detroit to Holland Is a Good Investment
The proposal would reestablish train lines that haven’t been used since Amtrak began in 1971.
A new study finds a passenger rail system between Detroit and Holland, Michigan would be worth pursuing. The Michigan Environmental Council says a coast-to-coast train in the Lower Peninsula could attract as many as 1.7 million riders per year by 2040. That could generate an operational surplus of more than $14 million for the line. Project manager Liz Callin says it’s an opportunity for economic development.
“You’ve got 12 universities and colleges along the line, you’ve got numerous major institutions; major hospitals, major companies along the line. We see a great potential for the tourism side, but also the commerce and business side.”
Liz Callin, Project Manager of the Coast-to-Coast Passenger Rail Ridership and Cost Estimate Study
Callin says the rail line could connect Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Ann Arbor by a 110 mile-per-hour train. She says the study looks at three route possibilities, but future studies are necessary before any plan is set in motion.
