Amtrak Posts Record Year in Michigan

Nearly 800,000 passengers traveled on Amtrak trains in Michigan in 2012, setting a highest-ever ridership record for the state's three routes. Michigan's routes include the three-times-a-day Wolverine Service (Pontiac/Detroit-Chicago), once daily Blue Water Service (Port Huron-East Lansing-Chicago), and once daily Pere Marquette Service (Grand Rapids-Chicago).

Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) officials cited increased awareness of train service and a positive focus on the future of rail travel as the most important reasons why ridership numbers are increasing. In addition, Amtrak operated extra trains in Michigan to supplement regularly scheduled Wolverine service (between Chicago and Kalamazoo/Ann Arbor) over the extended Thanksgiving holiday, and added extra capacity and frequencies over Christmas and New Year's, enhancing the strong performance.

There were 792,769 riders overall, with 495,277 traveling the Wolverine, 187,991 passengers on the Blue Water, and 109,501 passengers on the Pere Marquette. This compares to 780,655 total riders in 2011. The Wolverine service had an especially strong finish to the year, posting large ridership gains over the last four months compared to 2011: up 19.7 percent in September, up 9.5 percent in October, up 8.6 percent in November, up 6 percent in December.

Revenue from the three routes also jumped to a best-ever high of $27.8 million in 2012, with Wolverine revenue at $18.4 million, Blue Water at $6.1 million, and Pere Marquette at $3.3 million.

Timelapse Video of Bridge Being Moved (On Purpose)

In 2004, transportation officials discovered cracks forming on Portland, Oregon's 87 year old Sellwood bridge.  Closing the crossing entirely while building a new one would divert too much traffic to other bridges, so why not simply move the bridge?  Well that's exactly what happened last weekend as construction crews moved the 1,100 foot long bridge 33 feet on the east side and 66 feet on the west side.  Once the new bridge is completed, the old will be used as a crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists.  See the impressive time lapse video below.

Built for Speed-99% Invisible Podcast

Several weeks ago the podcast 99% Invisible, hosted by Roman Mars, asked a simple question:
How long are those white stripes that divide highway traffic?

With that question as a starting point, Mars explores the bizarre ways that we experience landscapes while travelling 75 miles and hour.  This is one of the best explanations of auto oriented design that we've heard, and we are excited to share it with our readers!

If you want to hear more from 99% Invisible, visit their website, where they post all of their episodes (we recommend Episode 66- Kowloon Walled City)

Update to Non-Motorized Border to Border Trail Progress

The section of the Non-Motorized Border to Border Trail that connects Hudson Mills Metropark to the Village of Dexter will begin construction this Winter.  Residents near the new path can expect to hear chainsaws and construction equipment during the daytime as crews begin work on the new path.  Following the clearing of trees and removal of roots, the contractor will be installing the necessary timber piling to support the new boardwalk portions of the pathway.   The contractor has indicated that they will be working on the portions of the pathway closest to the Village from early February through early April. 

Upon completion, the project will connect to the West Side Connector boardwalk that was recently completed last year and allow pedestrians and bicyclists to safely travel between Dexter Village and the Hudson Mills Metropark.

West Side Connector in Dexter Village

Help Plan Washtenaw County's Transportation System and Future Projects

Help WATS plan the future of Washtenaw County's transportation system as we move forward with our 2040 Long Range Plan.  We've added an exciting tool as part of our public involvement process that allows you to comment on projects in the county, and even identify projects you don't see in the Long Range Plan.  Visit the My Community Remarks website and provide your comments by February 28th!

How to Leave a Comment

1. Visit the My Community Remarks Website
2. Select a project type or specific improvement
3. Leave your comment on the improvement

You can also add your own project (link on top right of map)

Detroit News: LaHood to Grant $25 Million to M-1 Rail at Auto Show

The Detroit News is reporting that US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will be visiting the Detroit Auto Show on January 18th to announce $25 million in federal funding for Midtown Detroit's M-1 Rail.  Readers may remember a similar announcement in February 2010.  However, that funding was reallocated to a bus rapid transit system.  Returning the funding to light rail hinged on the progress of a Regional Transit Authority (RTA), which the Michigan legislature created in December's lame duck session.

According the the project website, the M-1 rail line will:

• Have 11 stops from the Riverfront to the New Center area
• Stations will be wheel-chair accessible and fully lit,  have a closed-circuit security system, emergency phone and covered ticket vending machine
• Each light rail car stops every seven to eight minutes during peak hours and every 12 to 13 minutes during off-peak hours
• Vehicles seat 60 passengers with the capacity to carry 149
• The light rail will be equipped with a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system

Check out the M-1 website for more information about the M-1 streetcar, or visit the Detroit News for details of LaHood's expected announcement.

What Makes a City Walkable-APM's Marketplace

American Public Media's Marketplace radio show recently aired an interesting piece on making cities walkable.  Listen to the short clip in the embedded player below.  Or you can find the clip on the Marketplace website.

Snyder to Address Transportation Funding in State of the State

According to the Detroit News, Governor Rick Syder's third State of the State address on January 16th will focus on policies related to Michigan's roads and transportation funding.  In 2011, Gov. Snyder addressed the issue in a speech at Lawerence Technological University, but legislation advancing his ideas stalled in the state legislature.  Most public radio and local television stations will carry his January 16th speech live.  See the Detroit News for more information.

Distracted Driver Goes to Jail - New MDOT Safety Video

"Step in the cell!" is the first thing that you hear in a new safety video posted on the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) YouTube channel. The new educational video, titled "Distracted driver crashes and goes to jail," shows some of the consequences motorists can face if they engage in dangerous distracted driving behavior.

The safety video was produced by the MDOT Office of Communications in partnership with the Michigan State Police (MSP), the Macomb County Sheriff's Office, and the Traffic Improvement Association of Michigan (TIA).

MDOT hopes to raise awareness and change driving habits to improve roadway safety. According to www.distraction.gov, the official U.S. government Web site for distracted driving, 3,092 people were killed in 2010 in crashes involving a distracted driver. That same year, an estimated 416,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver.

Visualizing Bike Trips on a Portland Bridge

This year, Portland Oregon installed a bike counter on a major bridge over the Willamette River through downtown.  Since August 8, 2012, the counter has registered more than 644,000 trips at this single location.  Even better, the city has visualized this data for the rest of us online.  If you see the screenshot below, you will note the heavy traffic Monday-Friday, which would indicate that thousands of Portland residents are choosing their bikes for their work commute.  Visit the full website for more information and other nifty charts.