Getting on track: Forum on rail plans set

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Grand Vision rail committee chairman Hans Voss would like anyone with an interest in freight or passenger rail service to attend the upcoming MDOT forum to gauge public opinion on an improved rail plan for the state. Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump

September 19, 2010

Public forum on passenger, freight rail plan is Wednesday

BY SHERI McWHIRTER smcwhirter@record-eagle.com The Record Eagle Sun Sep 19, 2010, 07:14 AM EDT

TRAVERSE CITY — Larry and Jan Snyder are pondering a move to a warmer climate. A key attraction in their potential migration is proximity to public train lines.

"We're considering moving to South Carolina to be closer to Amtrak. That was one of our major considerations," said Larry Snyder, of Traverse City.

State officials want to hear similar stories, albeit from people who want to stay in Michigan.

The Michigan Department of Transportation will host a public forum in Traverse City on Wednesday, an effort to gauge public opinion about an improved rail plan for the entire state. It's part of Michigan's attempt to garner federal transportation money dedicated to railway systems by developing an updated state rail plan for both freight and passenger service.

"I think if you could go to Chicago or Detroit from here, they might get people to do it," Jan Snyder said.

Another thing going for the region that could pique interest in passenger rail service is residents' environmentalism and drive to lessen their use of automobiles, she said.

"I think people in Traverse City for the most part are pretty green, more so than other areas," Jan Snyder said.

That's an agreeable point for Traverse City coffee-shop owner Alice Tighe. She rides her bike as much as possible and a number of her employees don't own vehicles, whether for financial or environmental reasons.

A reliable passenger rail line connecting Traverse City to other parts of Michigan and the Chicago area would be a great benefit for those without wheels, Tighe said.

"It seems safer and more environmentally friendly," she said.

Evan Smith, senior operations manager for Traverse City-based wholesaler Cherry Capital Foods LLC, said improved rail lines would bring benefits for businesses that could use the freight side, as well as those that cater to tourists who could arrive on passenger trains.

"Moving people is going to be just as crucial as moving freight. It makes us an attractive destination," Smith said.

Smith also serves as the chairman of local transportation planning group TC-TALUS.

"Modern, 21st-century transportation systems provide choices. Regions that invest in mass transit have more competitiveness and more-resilient economic vitality," said Hans Voss, executive director of the Michigan Land Use Institute in Traverse City. "A competitive economy hinges on attracting young talent and new investment, and the workers of the new economy are demanding transportation options."

Voss hopes anyone with an interest in either freight or passenger rail service will attend MDOT's forum this week. About 120 braved heavy rain in July to attend a Grand Vision-sponsored rail forum at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center, he said.

"I think the possibility of reviving rail service is as exciting as any other opportunity in northern Michigan in the next 20 years," Voss said.

Voss is chairman of the Grand Vision's rail committee. The Grand Vision is a citizen-based regional planning effort.

The state's planning process will include an inventory of all rail assets, a long-range infrastructure investment program and an evaluation of passenger service, said Bob Parsons, MDOT's public hearings officer.

An emphasis will be placed on citizen input, he said.

The forum will be Wednesday from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the Michigan Works Service Center, 1209 S. Garfield Ave. in Traverse City.

Opinions also can be shared with state officials online at www.michigan.gov/mirailplan.