US OKs $196.5M for high-speed Chicago-Detroit rail

[The Straight Story]

US OKs $196.5M for high-speed Chicago-Detroit rail

3:50 p.m. CDT, October 5, 2011
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved $196.5 million for part of a high-speed Amtrak passenger rail link between Chicago and Detroit, Michigan U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow said Wednesday.

The funds now being obligated cover work from Kalamazoo in western Michigan to Dearborn in suburban Detroit, the Democratic lawmakers said.

The grant to the Michigan Department of Transportation will cover track and signal improvements.

“This is an important investment that will reduce travel time, improve reliability and on-time performance, and attract more passengers,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. “We are creating jobs in Michigan, building our rails with American-made materials and growing the regional economy.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-us-oks-1965m-for-highspeed-chicagodetroit-rail-20111005,0,6690857.story

[gratuitous]

1. Oh, sorry, those won't be "real" jobs

Snark aside, I have to say that I am impressed by Ray LaHood, who seems to take his job seriously and is a surprising advocate for transportation projects that aren't automobile-centric.

[FarCenter]

3. Might be "real jobs" but it won't be real "high-speed"

"Officials say the rail line improvements will allow trains to reach 110 miles per hour on 135 miles of the route."

[gratuitous]

4. That could be

It doesn't appear that this will do much to cut the travel time between Chicago and Detroit, but there might be a Huey Long aspect to this. The story goes that years ago, when Long was governor of Louisiana, some money came through to pave some roads. Then as now, Louisianans were a tax-averse bunch, and it was likely the only money the state was going to get to pave roads perhaps ever. Some of Long's advisors suggested the road between the capital in Baton Rouge be paved to Long's home town so the governor could drive in comfort. Other advisors said the road between Baton Rouge and New Orleans should be paved, as more people would use it.

As the discussion went on, Long was working on a map of the state with a red pencil. Finally, he interrupted to say that this was his plan: A patchwork hodgepodge of paving. A few miles here and there, on dirt roads all over the state. It was crazy, but his advisors were reluctant to say that out loud. Long explained his rationale that when people in various places got a taste of what a paved road felt like as opposed to the horrible dirt roads they were now traveling on, they'd vote to tax themselves to lay more paved road.

Maybe a taste of nearly high-speed rail is in order so people can see what's possible, and insist on a faster, more efficient railway.

[frazzled]

2. I'm really all for this (but)

(a) It's only going to shave 30 minutes off the current train trip? It's a 5 and a half hour train ride currently, meaning you would get there in 5 with the new service. That doesn't sound like a huge savings in time.

(b) I'm not sure it will save people that much money, unless they are traveling solo. Gas is mighty expensive, but when you multiply it times 4 tickets for a family (@$64 per ticket currently), it's probably still cheaper to drive. We could do it round trip (474 miles) on one tank of gas (10.5 gallons, approx. $45).

I want train travel to be better and faster and more accessible--and I want for there to be more jobs as a result of this. But given that American cities are still built around the car (with the exception of those that have decent public transportation, such as NYC, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco), most people want to drive still. There's a whole lot of culture to change here. I'm not trying to be a naysayer. I say build it, and maybe they will come!

[DearHeart]

5. We need more MASS TRANSIT not high-speed rail systems.

I live in the suburbs of Chicago and there are no buses running around this area. I would rather be able to take the bus to the other surrounding towns and I would also like to have more trains to other further outlying suburbs than a high-speed rail system that I will never use. I don't travel to Detroit. I'm glad that it will help bring some jobs to Michigan, but mass transit seems a much better job creator, IMHO.