Big news for passenger rail service in Detroit MDOT wants to build a true Amtrak station in midtown to replace the temporary one dating from the early 90’s after the closure of Michigan Central. A whole complex of surrounding the site made up of mixed use developments and intermodal stops Detroit will finally have a true and worthy train station.
Denver’s Union Station was held up as a model to emulate although the Woodward location doesn’t have enough space however Michigan Central is mentioned as
as the place where something like that could be done depending on Fords plans.
Another juicy tidbit about rail service returning to Michigan Central hints at the building being used as the a potential equal to the
New Center station. At the very least due to its location and the layout of tracks and nearby rail tunnel. With the Wolverine line continuing its upgrades to have a true high speed line from Chicago to Detroit the future of rail service at MCS is looking like it really may come to fruition.
Quote:
MDOT wants to transform Detroit's 'cramped' Amtrak station into $57M hub with retail, more
ERIC SEALS
Detroit Free Press
12-14-2021
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Quote:
The Biden administration has announced a $10 million grant — money not connected to the recently passed $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill — to help fund the Michigan Department of Transportation's longtime goal of building a new train station. The aim is a station that would not only provide a more fitting gateway to the Motor City for rail passengers but one that would also bring other modes of transportation, including buses operated by Greyhound and Indian Trails, taxi and ride-hailing services such as Lyft and Uber, as well as bike-sharing, into a centralized hub just west of Woodward Avenue.
The Detroit New Center Intermodal Facility would be built at the current train station location on Baltimore Street and add a new, enclosed intercity bus station to replace the one about 3 miles away on Howard Street near the Lodge Freeway. Access to more transportation options is considered key for the New Center neighborhood, where, according to MDOT, one in three households does not have access to a car.
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Currently, Schultz said the goal is to have a request for proposal to build the center issued in 2023 with an opening date in 2025.
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… There have been discussions between the state and Ford about Michigan Central's use as a train station once again, but it is unclear when something might develop on that front. Both projects, Guidinger said, could exist together, with Michigan Central providing an eventual direct passenger connection to cities in Canada.
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