Today, Secretary of
Transportation LaHood announced the second round of High Speed Rail funding. In total, 54 applications were selected to receive approximately $2.5 billion in FY10 and remaining FY09 funding, including California, Florida, the Northeast region, NC-VA-DC, Oregon-Washington, and several midwest investments.
Michigan will receive a $150 million grant to allow the MDOT to purchase and restore 135 miles of rail line between Kalamazoo and Dearborn. This is hugely important for improving Detroit-Chicago Amtrak speed and reliability. It will also help make Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail more likely.
An additional $7.9 million grant will pay for new connecting track, a new bridge, and infrastructure in western Detroit. These projects will significantly improve efficiency and safety while reducing passenger travel times along the corridor. Th ese investments will build on prior Recovery Act awards that are constructing new stations in Dearborn and Troy/Birmingham.
The HSIPR Program is intended to help address the nation’s transportation challenges by investing in an efficient network of passenger rail corridors that connect communities across the country.
One potential thorn with this rose – Michigan must provide $30 million in matching funds to receive this grant. That money could be provided with passage of state legislation – HB 6484 introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt – that allows bonding to secure the matching funds.