By Beth Milligan, The Ticker; October 8, 2018
Reestablishing train service between Traverse City and Ann Arbor could attract 1.5 million riders and generate nearly $100 million in revenue annually by 2040, according to a report being released today (Monday) by the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities.
The report is the result of a six-month study spearheaded by a steering committee that includes the Groundwork Center, Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA), the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), and the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers. Funding for the A2TC project, as it’s called, comes from a federal transportation planning grant and local matching funds from MDOT, the City of Alma, City of Traverse City, Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau, Petoskey Downtown, Traverse City Tourism, and Washtenaw County. Reestablishing a passenger line to northern Michigan has been identified as a goal in Michigan’s State Rail Plan, with existing tracks already in place between Traverse City and Ann Arbor (as well as a further leg north to Petoskey).
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