Passenger, freight line from southeast Michigan to Traverse City still in the conversation

Koppers will pick up and dispose crossties for a new Class 1 operator.

A state-owned railroad corridor in Michigan could be re-energized in the near future.

The line runs from southeast Michigan to Traverse City, and more than $2 million has recently been provided for a planning study. Michigan state lawmakers approved $1 million for the Northern Michigan passenger rail Phase II planning study in July, and the project just received another $1.3 million through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program.

The Cadillac/Wexford Transit Authority, the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, and other community groups will work on the planning study.

The study will zero in on the state-owned railroad corridor that covers southeast Michigan, Traverse City, and Petoskey areas, and will look at both passenger and freight rail development. Needed improvements along the line will be identified and prioritized, changes in supply chains will be evaluated, and a business plan will be developed for passenger service.

Back in 2018 a study noted that trains running between Ann Arbor and Traverse City would generate $100 million annually by 2040 and there would be an estimated 1.5 million riders a year. The study also stated it would take $40 million in capital costs for a 60-mph train service. Trains achieving speeds of 110 mph would call for track upgrades around $1 billion.

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