I was driving downtown to the City Market [very peaceful] and was happy to find Michigan Ave open. The drive after Frandor and 127 was very smooth with 2 lanes going west and a left turn lane and one east which seemed OK but this needs to be very well marked as it is different. The sidewalks look good they go right up to the businesses front doors. So, they are much wider, seems like a lot of tree spaces which will help a lot. Of course, they cut down all the trees, so it looks a little bleak right now. It is interesting to note the view goes all the way down to the Skyview with no trees. I also saw that a new business moved into the closed brewery on E Michigan, which is another brewery. I bet those on the avenue are very happy.
I read an artical online LSJ which talked about new passenger train routes in Michigan. I remember this idea was brought up a while back, the route from Detroit to Traverse City seemed to be the one that has some chance of happening soon with other routes like Detroit to Lansing and on to Grand Rapids also talked about but "these things take time" with 2030 as a goal. That would be so cool if actually happened. I am not expecting Washington to help much with train travel for the next four years maybe Michigan could get the Brightline company to build the new lines.
I love the idea of more passenger rail but hate the Detroit/Ann Arbor/Traverse City proposal. It's a joke that the passenger rail line getting the most support is between the richest areas of the state and their playground up north, all while managing to not meaningfully connect any population centers nor provide any value as a commuter service.
The lower part of Michigan is actually quite dense and would be about as practical a place in the US to build a commuter rail network outside the northeast. Detroit to GR via Lansing, Flint/Saginaw to Kalamazoo/Battle Creek via Lansing, Detroit to Benton Harbor, Detroit to Flint, Lansing to Jackson, Benton Harbor north to Muskegon/Ludington/Traverse City. Connect Detroit to Toledo and Benton Harbor to Chicago for intrastate. It's a nice thought at least.
So, the AA-to-Traverse City is priority not because of what you said, but rather because it's where the state actually owns the actual rails. A lot of us have been pushing our legislators to at least study how much it'd cost to buy the CSX Plymouth Subdivision corridor between Detroit and Grand Rapids, but no one's bitten. There is no vision, despite what many thought would be a more transit-friendly legislature that came in in 2022.
I'd love to see things more interconnected like hood outlined. I would likely utilize those routes regularly, if they did it right. Especially as someone who commutes to GR and Kalamazoo regularly. Detroit regularly enough too. I've always hoped something useful would come together but I'm starting to think it won't happen in my lifetime.
Ann Arbor to Traverse City is not a very urban connector route it is true, but there are two large universities, and stops near larger [and poorer towns] along the way. A route up the west side of Michigan from Chicago to Petosky would attract a lot of tourists and could also serve the big cities along the way. The AA to TC route could spur growth in the small cities on that route. It seems like there are many existing rail tracks in Michigan, one goes along Lake Huron through the towns there. A tourist route can also be a service for the local folks and help the tourist towns get people to visit. Out east [oh no not another Mass. story] there is an T train from Boston to Hyannis that serves tourist and commuters. [ yes, Lansing folks, some people out east commute over 100 miles to and from Boston] Dedicated bus lanes along highway could be an easier and cheaper way to connect the rural areas to the rail routes, how about a big electric superbus racing at high speed down a bus only lane! It is fun to think about I don't know why here such a lack of imagination about these things. Of course, I think Lansing could be a great rail hub for many routes to cross.
Regardless of whether the state owns the lines, it'll cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build out and probably require significant subsidies in perpetuity. Not where I want to see resources going, just personally. As for a larger network, to me following the freeways would make sense, riding in the center median.
Looking at the big picture there's so much change on the horizon maybe it's best to not go after the type of system I described anyhow. Autonomous vehicles are basically here now, they may take a little while to get dramatically cheaper than alternatives but autonomous buses/vans/cars could make trains a lot less appealing at least on shorter trips. Maglev trains are possible now and could become much cheaper with new material breakthroughs that could happen anytime (or may have already). Look further down that road and you end up with hyperloop-type systems that go far faster than jets while using less energy. Then you have robotics and AI, which are going to affect everything, including the cost of building/maintaining roads, traditional rail and other infrastructure. I say all this because in a decade or three we could be building infrastructure practically for free, it changes the calculus, post-scarcity world and whatnot. There's reason to be optimistic. /rant (be careful suggesting using imagination @gbdinlansing )
thanks for your interesting post, I am hopeful that these ideas will come to be, and it is very nice to hear hopeful and positive thoughts about the future. What I am really worried about is what is going to happen to the price of Labatt Blue if that fellow has his way!:}
I know the project is not finished but the new Michigan Ave improvements are very basic. I love the new paved street but, there are no finishing touches on the sidewalks like brick work or even textured patterns in the cement. Right now, what really comes to notice is all the empty buildings and store fronts. I don't know what is left to be done and I am thinking that the little stick trees they will surely plant won't do much to beautify the street scape for a long time. So much cement! is about all I can say.
Comments
The lower part of Michigan is actually quite dense and would be about as practical a place in the US to build a commuter rail network outside the northeast. Detroit to GR via Lansing, Flint/Saginaw to Kalamazoo/Battle Creek via Lansing, Detroit to Benton Harbor, Detroit to Flint, Lansing to Jackson, Benton Harbor north to Muskegon/Ludington/Traverse City. Connect Detroit to Toledo and Benton Harbor to Chicago for intrastate. It's a nice thought at least.
Looking at the big picture there's so much change on the horizon maybe it's best to not go after the type of system I described anyhow. Autonomous vehicles are basically here now, they may take a little while to get dramatically cheaper than alternatives but autonomous buses/vans/cars could make trains a lot less appealing at least on shorter trips. Maglev trains are possible now and could become much cheaper with new material breakthroughs that could happen anytime (or may have already). Look further down that road and you end up with hyperloop-type systems that go far faster than jets while using less energy. Then you have robotics and AI, which are going to affect everything, including the cost of building/maintaining roads, traditional rail and other infrastructure. I say all this because in a decade or three we could be building infrastructure practically for free, it changes the calculus, post-scarcity world and whatnot. There's reason to be optimistic. /rant (be careful suggesting using imagination @gbdinlansing )