WALLY (commuter rail)

WALLY (the Washtenaw-Livingston Rail Line) [cite web | title=Washtenaw Livingston Rail Line (WALLY) Technical review; Scope of Services | url=https://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/planning/Wally/RFP | work=Washtenaw County | accessdate=2008-03-24 | date=February 20, 2008] is a proposed commuter rail service which would link the Michigan cities of Ann Arbor and Howell.

Proposal

Trains would run daily over existing trackage owned by the Great Lakes Central Railroad, which has also committed to providing ten stainless-steel bi-level passenger cars. The service is proposed as an alternative to adding a third lane to U.S. 23, which would cost upwards of $500 million.cite news | title=Rail cheaper for commuters, study says; But fares wouldn't cover costs; subsidies needed, experts warn | work=Ann Arbor News | date=October 21, 2007 | accessdate=2008-03-24]

Initial start-up costs were projected at $2.9 million, with annual operating costs at $4.8 million. Backers of the project estimate 884,000 riders per year, with a fare revenue of $2.4 million. The remainder would be subsidized by state and local governments. The project has received funding commitments from the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, and the Northfield Township Downtown Development Authority. Attempts to obtain a $1 million grant from the Federal government fell through.cite news | title=Grant denied, but rail effort on track | work=Ann Arbor News | date=October 26, 2007 | accessdate=2008-03-24] Both the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor offices of the Environmental Protection Agency would pay the fares of any employees who took the train in lieu of commuting. Backers conducted a $150,000 feasibility study of the line, with money pledged by the University of Michigan, the Great Lakes Central Railroad, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), Washtenaw and Livingston Counties. [cite news | title=County studying commuter line: Officials want to know how much the rail service to Ann Arbor will cost Livingston County. | work=Detroit News | first=Valerie | last=Olander | date=March 24, 2008 | accessdate=2008-03-24 | url=http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080324/METRO04/803240340/1414/METRO05] cite news | title=Commuter train study wins fiscal go-ahead | first=Kristofer | last=Karol | date=April 16, 2008 | accessdate=2008-04-16 | url=http://www.dailypressandargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080416/NEWS01/804160312/1002 | work=Livingston County Daily Press & Argus] The study reported back that the project is viable, but placed start-up costs at $32.4 million, much higher than initial estimates. Most of the outlay would be for infrastructure improvements. [cite news | title=Study calls Ann Arbor-Howell commuter rail line viable: But startup costs expected to far exceed $32.4 million estimate. | first=Valerie | last=Olander | work=Detroit News | date=July 7, 2008 | url=http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080707/METRO05/807070352 | accessdate=2008-07-07] After three years of service the line would become eligible for federal transportation funding.cite news | title=County hesitates on rail idea; Board requests viability study before committing money | work=Ann Arbor News | date=December 28, 2007 | accessdate=2008-03-24]

The proposed end-points of the line are Ann Arbor and Howell, for a total length of convert|27|mi|km. The line is operated by the Great Lakes Central Railroad, a short line railroad who leases the track from CSX, and was originally built by the Lansing, Alma, Mt. Pleasant & Northern and the Toledo, Ann Arbor & North Michigan, forerunners of the Ann Arbor Railroad, between 1885 and 1895. [Meints (2005), 71-76.] Proposed intermediate stops include Brighton, Hamburg and Whitmore Lake. The stop in Brighton would not be in the downtown but rather at Chilson Road, convert|4|mi|km to the west, as the railroad line through the downtown is owned by CSX directly and no operating agreement has been reached. Also pending is an arrangement with the Ann Arbor Railroad for service over the last mile into Howell itself. Trains in Ann Arbor would stop on Plymouth Drive near the North Campus of the University of Michigan and would neither cross the Huron River nor interchange directly with Amtrak.cite news | title=Howell votes to support regional rail; EPA, U-M commit to pay part of riders' costs | work=Ann Arbor News | date=June 15, 2007 | accessdate=2008-03-24] [cite news | title=Proposed rail line still hasn't left station | work=Crain's Detroit Business | first=Bill | last=Shea | accessdate=2008-03-24 | date=September 10, 2007 | page=12]

See also

*SEMCOG Commuter Rail

Notes

References

*cite book | title=Michigan Railroad Lines| first=Graydon M.| last=Meints| publisher=Michigan State University Press| year=2005| location=East Lansing

External links

* [http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/planning/Wally/wally_index Official site]
* [http://www.glcrailroad.com/ Great Lakes Central Railroad]