Michigan Mass Transit Super Thread

[LMich]

Didn't see this coming. With broad(ish) bipartisan support, all of the long-languishing transit bills for Detroit passed the state senate, yesterday:

Michigan Senate approves Regional Transit Authority for Metro Detroit

Jonathan Oosting | MLive.com

November 27, 2012

LANSING, MI -- The Michigan Senate today approved a series of bills designed to establish a regional transit authority for Metro Detroit.

The legislation, if approved by the House and signed by the governor, would put an end to decades of in-fighting that stalled previous efforts to coordinate and improve public transportation in the state's most-populous region.

...

The main bill, which passed the Senate in a 22-16 vote, would create an authority and establish a governing board comprised of one representative of the governor, one representative of the Detroit mayor and two representatives each selected by county executives in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw.

The authority would be tasked with developing a regional transportation plan, serving as a recipient for state and federal grants, coordinating routes between existing bus networks and implementing a new rolling rapid transit system.

...

Each county would be considered a provisional member of the authority and would not receive voting power or transportation service until local voters approve a special assessment or vehicle registration fee to help fund the system.

...

House approval would also boost efforts to develop a street car system along Woodward Avenue in Detroit. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has said that federal grant money is contingent upon creation of the regional authority.

...

I wonder what Snyder promised these guys? lol

Here are the major bills passed:

Senate Bill 909, the main bill establishing the authority and a 10-member governing board, passed the Senate 24-14. The board would consist of two members from Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties; a member appointed by the mayor of Detroit; and a nonvoting chair appointed by the governor. In a bid to win support of Detroit legislators, the bill requires one of Wayne County's appointees to be from Detroit.

Senate Bill 911 would allow the transit authority to seek voter approval in the four counties for a special registration fee not to exceed $1.20 for every $1,000 of a vehicle's listing price.

Senate Bill 967 would allow local road commissions and the transit authority to establish dedicated lanes for rapid transit buses.

Not perfect bills, but an absolutely necessary start. The kinks can be worked out.

[uaarkson]

When is the House vote?

[LMich]

There isn't one. I believe that a hearing was held before the House Transportation Committee on November 29, but it still would have to make it out of committee, and then the majority leader or speaker (I forget which one) would have to schedule a vote. Everyone that watches government is saying that this thing is moving fast, but you never know with Michigan Republicans, especially a House that is more skeptical of the legislation than the state senate was. Here's to hoping it makes it through the House before the lame-duck is over.

[LMich]

Resurrecting the thread as a catch-all for all Michigan mass transit news. Anyway, and update on the WALLY (Washtenaw-Livingston Rail) commuter rail project. Yes, it along with the the SEMCOG regional rail are still alive, with the last hang-up being bringing up the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) up to speed. However, we're still quite a ways off as the RTA won't even be able to get to the point of transit coordination until around this time next year. Though, all of the cars and engines for both services have already been purchased and refurbished.

Anyway, in the latest news, it seems like they've (fortunately) gone beyond only have one stop north of the river to bringing this thing downtown, which tells me that must have some kind of tacit approval from Ann Arbor Railroad to use the track south of the river for the servic. Please note in the map below that north is to the left:

Neal Billetdeaux showed this graphic at the Community Meeting highlighting the potential locations for a downtown Ann Arbor WALLY station. (Courtesy Smithgroup JJR)

Four locations identified for potential downtown Ann Arbor light-rail station

By Ben Freed | MLive.com

October 9, 2013

If a proposed light-rail line between Livingston and Washtenaw Counties becomes a reality, there will likely be at least one station in downtown Ann Arbor.

Planners and city officials met with community members Tuesday night to discuss potential locations for the station and to give an update on the planning process for the project.

“We’ve been moving too slowly for some, and too quickly for others,” landscape architect Neal Billetdeaux said.

Billetdeaux, with Smithgroup JJR, has been leading the planning efforts to determine where a station on the Washtenaw And Livingston Line (WALLY) could be located.

“By the end of the year we hope to be able to be able to present a preferred site and a concept of what a station could look like,” he said.

“Not an architectural rendering necessarily, but what the dimensions would be and how we would incorporate a platform, the station, meet American Disabilities Act regulations and what access would look like into and out of the station.”

According to studies done by Smithgroup, there are four segments along the line in Ann Arbor that meet the basic requirements of uninterrupted track length, straightness of the track and not being in a floodway.

From east to west, the four locations are between Hill Street and East Madison Street, between Liberty and Huron Streets, between Miller and Felch, and Felch to Summit Street.

“There seems to be a preference for the site at Washington Street,” Billetdeaux said after the meeting. “I think a lot of that is due to the proximity to downtown and the fact that it’s at grade access.”

...

There was some discussion at the meeting of attempting to have one station that would be able to service both the WALLY line and the potential future east-west Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line.

...

To those of you familiar with Ann Arbor, what would you preference for the site be? They seem pretty dead-set on the Washington Street plot:

The original concept for a greenway park at 415 W. Washington, showing the building on the site still standing while the greenway takes shape along the tracks. Now the building is expected to be demolished. If a commuter rail station is built along a portion of the tracks, it's expected the rest of the site still could be turned into a greenway park.

Allen Creek Greenway Conservancy


Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

As the article states, it also seems that there is a possibility that they could build a bigger station near the intersecton of the Ann Arbor Railroad line and the NS line to serve both WALLY service to Livingston County and SEMCOG service (as well as Amtrak service) to Detroit. Though, just knowing this area, these lines literally criss-cross next to and under Main Street. You'd have to have a really complicated, multi-level and cantilevered station to have a single union station, and that's not even to get into it being further from the action of downtown than the current Amtrak station already is.

[hudkina]

I think they should definitely extend it south to the Stadium and even down to the Eisenhower/Briarwood area and at some future time an extension to Milan and Dundee.

[LMich]

Anything south of Ann Arbor, though, in my view, would be a different and seperate service, since many of thosee people would be commuting to (or visiting) Ann Arbor and not Livingston County, and that's even if there is enough demand. WALLY is really designed to cut down traffic on that hellish stretch of US 23 between Ann Arbor and I-96.

[hudkina]

It wouldn't be that much of a difference. Milan and Dundee are as economically connected to Ann Arbor, even if they aren't surrounded by as much sprawl as Brighton and Howell.

[LMich]

My point was that there has to be demand, not whether they are simply economically connected. I imagine that there is no need for a commuter line much south of Ann Arbor. If anything, there'd be more demand between Jackson and Ann Arbor, since there was commuter service between the two (well, to Detroit) as recently as the 80's. What is clear is that the traffic along US-23 between Ann Arbor and I-96 by itself makes a pretty good case for WALLY. It connects two urbanized areas, as is also the case with the proposed SEMCOG regional rail. If AATA wants to later study something to the south, more power to them, but I imagine it would (and should) be a very low priority.

[LMich]

In other transit news:

Silver Line BRT: This 9.1 mile, 33 station BRT "lite" line connecting downtown Grand Rapids to its southern suburbs is well into its construction, and should be operational by next summer.


Cottage Grove Station


Franklin Station

Michigan/Grand River BRT: A 8.5 mile, 28-station heavy BRT line connecting downtown Lansing with its eastern suburbs is in the FTA's project development phase as of April of this year. An Environmental Assessment clearence is expected in spring of next year.

I'll try and get some information up on all of the Amtrak station renovations and new constructions (Grand Rapids, Lansing, Troy, Dearborn, etc...) when I can find some pictures.

[subterranean]

I really like those stations in GR. I'm glad Michigan seems to finally be getting on board, so to speak.

[hudkina]

Originally Posted by LMich

My point was that there has to be demand, not whether they are simply economically connected.

Back in 2000, Dundee TWP sent about 11% of its workforce (336 workers) to the city of Ann Arbor. If you throw in the workers who might commute to Milan, that number goes up to 17%. For Milan, the number is 23% (560 workers) as far as commuters to Ann Arbor is concerned. Throw in Dundee and the number goes up to about 28%. Overall, you're looking at about 1,350 people who commuted between the three communities.

In comparison, about 3% of the Howell workforce (136 workers) commuted to Ann Arbor. About 5% of the Genoa TWP workforce (419 workers) and 21% of the Northfield TWP (Whitmore Lake) workforce (957 workers) commuted to Ann Arbor. Overall, about 2,900 people commuted between the four communities.

I don't think the difference is that pronounced even if the north has double the prospective riders. Obviously there are fewer workers south of Ann Arbor, but many of the residents of Livingston County commute between each other. For example, much of 2,900 commuters are actually just commuting between Howell and Genoa TWP. I would assume that most of those workers would rather drive to their job than drive to a train station and then take the train.

Ultimately studies would need to be done to determine the viability of extending the train down to Dundee, but if they think it's a good idea to extend it north to Howell where barely 3% of the workforce commutes to Ann Arbor, I don't think it's out of the question to extend it south to Dundee where 11% of the workforce commutes to Ann Arbor.

[LMich]

How many outbound commuters from Ann Arbor go north and south? I've lost the link to the Census' commuter numbers data.

[hudkina]

In either case it isn't much. It doesn't make sense to live in Ann Arbor only to commute to a less-expensive, smaller town for work.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by LMich

To those of you familiar with Ann Arbor, what would you preference for the site be? They seem pretty dead-set on the Washington Street plot:



As the article states, it also seems that there is a possibility that they could build a bigger station near the intersecton of the Ann Arbor Railroad line and the NS line to serve both WALLY service to Livingston County and SEMCOG service (as well as Amtrak service) to Detroit. Though, just knowing this area, these lines literally criss-cross next to and under Main Street. You'd have to have a really complicated, multi-level and cantilevered station to have a single union station, and that's not even to get into it being further from the action of downtown than the current Amtrak station already is.

I would build it at that northern end of town as you mention for a big transfer station. The elevated issue isn't really a problem. Rail stations, especially ones with transfers really want to be elevated and it will be complicated no matter which way it is built.

Ann Arbor will eventually need to do their part and build streetcars around town. Something to move office workers around for that final mile and also shuttle students and hospital workers about campus. I'm surprised something for at least campus hasn't already been built. The buses were running seconds to minutes apart and were overcrowded.

[LMich]

I don't know. The combined station would only really make sense if you believe most of the riders on the WALLY line (Livingston County) are ending their trips in points east of Ann Arbor. If that is true, then it'd totally make sense to sacrifice location for transfer ease. Otherwise, it just seems a too-long route for riders from Livingston County with a destination in Wayne County/Detroit.

I guess, like you said, if they could connect this station to downtown via some kind of streetcar system, then you could sacrifice location, but at the moment, this area just seems so out of the way. Or, you could simply connect the SEMCOG/Amtrak station with the WALLY station with a streetcar, too.

[LMich]

Looks like there is some new information out on the Woodward Avenuee Rapid Transit Alternative Analysis. It's a 52-page pfd from the steering committee put out on October 15 detailing likely alignments for the BRT.

The baseline alternative at the moment has the line running down Woodward basically the entire length with it mixing with traffic south of Grand. There options including swerve off Woodward to hit downtown Royal Oak and downtown Berkley. In Midtown Detroit, they still include options to take the alignment off Woodward of Grand and Warren and route it down Cass. Two other Midtown options have a loop using Cass and John R, though the report says making the loop adds too much time to the service. There are also four different alignments for downtown. There is a meeting in December to start on a Locally Preferred Alternative.

I still don't understand SEMCOG's tepid response to shooting for studying LRT on Woodward since it was already studied and chosen as a LPA for a part of route, anyway. Woodward will be the spine of whatever regional system the RTA comes up with. If there is any service that deserves rail it is Woodward, and in fact, that's what SEMCOG's own plan had in their last regional transit plan. I mean, if you're going to run BRT, run them up Gratiot and Grand River and whatever. It's why I can't wait until planning is given over to the RTA, because SEMCOG has made some really dumb moves, lately, when it comes to transit.

[hudkina]

Here's what I'd do:



I'd have five total commuter rail stations. The WALLY line would have three (North Campus, Downtown, Stadium) and the SEMCOG line would have two (Medical Center, Amtrak). I would have three streetcar lines. There would be a relatively easy transfer between the two commuter lines along the "red line" or the "blue line". There would also be relatively easy transfers between the various lines. Beyond this, the bus system would extend out into the neighborhoods.

[Rizzo]

That's a pretty good plan. I'm happy with all of your suggested routes except the blue line. There's never been any intention of using BR 94 for any transit ROW, or even mixed traffic. It's alway been to run stuff thru CC little transit center using University Ave, Geddes, Observatory and Glen to Fuller and up bonisteel to North campus, then up to the old Pfizer campus and then down Plymouth. Heading south from CC little it would use Hill, down to State, and then head out to Briarwood.

Transfering the Pfizer campus to U of M was actually a crucial component to directing the future for higher intensity mass transit.

[LMich]

Yeah, the blue line looked a bit tortued to me, too, but generally, that's a pretty good representation how you could make a commuter rail system work without having a combined central station. My only other criticism would be maybe a reworking of the southern end of yellow line. I mean, you want to try and get something down to the pratice fields on State, though, I get that it gets really difficult without having to build new infrastructure seeing as how State goes beneath Stadium if your goal is to give that line multiple transfers with WALLY.

[LMich]

Looks like MDOT is running a freeway project concurrently with WALLY. It will upgrade the shoulders of US-23 to provide another travel lane during peak demand:

MDOT has produced this map showing the improvements expected along US-23 and M-14 in 2016. That includes pavement repairs along US-23 from M-14 to Silver Lake Road, upgrading the shoulder between M-14 and 9 Mile Road, and pavement repairs on M-14 from I-94 to US-23.

$63.7M project could add peak-demand lanes on US-23 near Ann Arbor

By Ryan Stanton | MLive.com

November 15, 2013

If your morning commute to Ann Arbor involves driving south on US-23, there's a chance life could get easier in a few years.

The same goes for anyone heading north during the afternoon rush hour, or anyone stuck in traffic when there's an accident on US-23.

The Michigan Department of Transportation has unveiled plans for a $63.7 million highway project between Ann Arbor and Whitmore Lake.

"Construction on US-23 and M-14 scheduled for 2016 will allow us to make a variety of fixes to improve traffic flow and safety along these two main corridors," said Kari Arend, a Jackson-based MDOT spokeswoman.

The Ann Arbor News obtained documents from MDOT and other local officials on Thursday, showing details about what's being proposed.

One of the major components of the project includes installation of new technology and other upgrades to allow vehicles to use the left shoulder of US-23 — in either direction — as an extra travel lane when traffic volumes call for it.

That means US-23 — from M-14 to 9 Mile Road — would go from two to three lanes for southbound commuters in the morning, and the same for those headed northbound in the afternoon. The upgraded shoulders also could be used to keep traffic flowing when there are accidents blocking other lanes.

The so-called "active traffic management system" with smart technology would be monitored by an MDOT operations center with the use of cameras.

Lane control signals would be spaced a half mile apart. Electronic message boards would display a green arrow above the shoulder lane when it's open. When it's closed, a red X would appear above the lane.

...

Eli Cooper, Ann Arbor's transportation program manager, said he congratulates MDOT for thinking outside the box and considering innovative technology.

But he believes some of the ideas from the 2009 study are worth considering and an environmental review should be done to consider the pros and cons of various alternatives before going forward with any one solution.

Cooper said it's possible that widening US-23 by allowing use of the shoulder might not actually solve any problems for people commuting to Ann Arbor if traffic is still backing up once people get on M-14 or North Main Street.

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MDOT points out there's a concurrent project in the works to improve commuting between Ann Arbor and Howell and potentially relieve congestion on US-23. That's the north-south WALLY commuter rail line, which is in the planning stages and expected to continue moving forward with or without work on US-23.

According to MDOT, it's estimated the WALLY project would require $40 million for capital startup costs and $5 million to $7 million annually for operations, though the funding sources are separate from the US-23 project. The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority is the lead agency on the WALLY project.

...


MDOT points out there's a concurrent project in the works to improve commuting between Ann Arbor and Howell and potentially relieve congestion on US-23. That's the north-south WALLY commuter rail line, which is in the planning stages and expected to continue moving forward with or without work on US-23.