LIGHT RAIL UPDATE: Ray LaHood to announce federal commitment

**Gsgeorge** · July-22-10, 12:37 PM

This just in from Crain's Detroit Business:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...REE/100729955#

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood expected to announce federal commitment to Woodward light rail

By Bill Shea

Ray LaHood, the U.S. Department of Transportation secretary, is expected to soon make an announcement in Detroit related to a financial commitment by the Obama administration for the $425 million Woodward Avenue light rail project.

**dtowncitylover** · July-22-10, 02:43 PM

As always, with any Detroit project and as an optimist, cautiously happy....

**English** · July-22-10, 05:07 PM

Pleasepleasepleaseplease...

**DetroitPlanner** · July-22-10, 05:18 PM

Now if we can only get a local commitment to match those dollars....

**Baselinepunk** · July-22-10, 05:35 PM

I got a fiver!

**tkelly1986** · July-22-10, 05:40 PM

Has there been any recent updates from M1 on the alignment? Is the plan to still do curbside? I for one am in the "center lane is better" camp. Living in Boston, I have found the Green Line very efficient.

**canuck** · July-22-10, 07:52 PM

All ye faithful, your wishes will be granted. Detroit deserves money for light rail and the first phase will be a great success. The people mover was an attractive addition to transit but couldnt bring about the enthusiasm and investment that will make Woodward M1 the model thoroughfare for the rest of the city. When retailers start sprucing up older buildings and filling vacant spaces, and chain stores reappear on Woodward, then other corridors will claim their own. I am sure this project will have a snowball effect. Downtown to New Center need pedestrian traffic badly, and 4 miles of circuit is a pretty good start.

**Glowblue** · July-22-10, 08:34 PM

Is $425 million enough to build the line out to 8 mile?

**BVos** · July-22-10, 08:49 PM

USDOT doesn't make announcements or awards without local match. So since the M-1 line from Hart Plaza to the Blvd is fully funded with private money, this can only mean that it's the 80% [[or so) federal matching funds for the Blvd to 8 Mile segment [[I doubt $425 million would get you farther than that).

Now remember we had money back in the 70s that would have built out a subway system similar to the D.C. Metro and the region couldn't get it together to be able to spend the money. I'm thinking that a regional transportation authority will be needed in order for the Feds to fully approve the project.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-22-10, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by Glowblue

Is $425 million enough to build the line out to 8 mile?

Maybe,,,,,
http://www.semcog.org/Data/Apps/tran...password=guest

DDOT had about $40 miillion in 5307 funds committed with another $10 miilion match. Hertel has a couple hundred miilion in private lined up. $25 million in recovery funds was committed to Woodward transit as well.

**professorscott** · July-22-10, 10:21 PM

Once again, Bill Shea beats everyone else to a story, good work!

Regarding the alignment, all I can say is that the M1 Rail folks and the DTOGS folks got together, what, about a year ago, and worked out some things so that when the entire system is built it functions as a system. So that will mean, among other things, that M1 Rail as-built won't look exactly like the pictures you saw a couple years back.

**1KielsonDrive** · July-23-10, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by BVos

USDOT doesn't make announcements or awards without local match. So since the M-1 line from Hart Plaza to the Blvd is fully funded with private money, this can only mean that it's the 80% [[or so) federal matching funds for the Blvd to 8 Mile segment [[I doubt $425 million would get you farther than that).

Now remember we had money back in the 70s that would have built out a subway system similar to the D.C. Metro and the region couldn't get it together to be able to spend the money. I'm thinking that a regional transportation authority will be needed in order for the Feds to fully approve the project.

I don't think it was to be a subway system. If I remember correctly [[difficult at my age) it was to be light rail, eventually coming in to downtown along Woodward and then either Fort, Grand River, Michigan, Gratiot and/or East Jefferson. Probably three of those choices, in phases. All lines would have connected to the Pipple Mover to distribute the riders around downtown. President Ford had guaranteed a sum of money in the $600 millions range. Detroit and the burbs never got it together to plan and build a system, thereby utilizing the funds.

**1KielsonDrive** · July-23-10, 12:40 AM

On second thought, the Woodward line might've had a plan as a subway line. Whaddoo I know, I'm having a senior moment, I think.

**Glowblue** · July-23-10, 01:14 AM

Originally Posted by 1KielsonDrive

On second thought, the Woodward line might've had a plan as a subway line. Whaddoo I know, I'm having a senior moment, I think.

I remember hearing that was a source of conflict between the city and the suburbs. The city wanted a subway, which meant little of the line would have gone into the suburbs due to the high cost of subway construction. The suburbs wanted the line to go as far into the suburbs as possible, which ruled out a subway. Also, the kind of system proposed was to be a People Mover-type rail system.

This is just what I heard, I cannot confirm any of it.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-23-10, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by 1KielsonDrive

On second thought, the Woodward line might've had a plan as a subway line. Whaddoo I know, I'm having a senior moment, I think.

You're mostly right, the subway portion was on Woodward and went underground in the New Center/Cultural Center area. I can recall lots of different proposals. In the end it don't mean a thing because all we got was the people mover and not the pieces that were to feed the downtown circulator.

Bearinabox · July-23-10, 07:56 AM

The city said it planned to apply for funding this year from the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program, which is aimed at partially funding qualified local fixed transit projects. It's unclear if the application has been made.

Interesting. So this is not the New Starts money? In addition to, or in lieu of? Or is LaHood just guaranteeing in advance that we will get the New Starts money we have applied/are applying for? Sounds like good news regardless, I'm just curious.

The goal is to have the M1 Rail phase running by 2012 and the city's portion by 2013.

If there is rail to 8 Mile by 2013, I will be fucking jubilant.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-23-10, 08:44 AM

Bib, your guess is as good as mine. We heard he was going to be in town this week, last week. I know that there is the $25 million in recovery funds and about $40 million in Section 5307 [[formula, typically goes towards bus replacements, facilities) that can be counted as federal funds so far. But thats a long ways from $400+ million.

**JJD** · July-23-10, 01:18 PM

Nowhere in that satement do they say he will commit the entire amount. Just that federal funds will be commited. I am one of the believers that a light rail system between RO and Detroit will have a game-changing impact to downtown detroit. As long as the rail system is kept clean, safe, and affordable [[not $20 per person).

**Detroit500** · July-23-10, 01:42 PM

No way does Oakland County want a rail system from there into Detroit!

**Gsgeorge** · July-23-10, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit500

No way does Oakland County want a rail system from there into Detroit!

The times, they are a-changin'. RO & Ferndale would love to be part of a regional transit system.

**esp1986** · July-23-10, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit500

No way does Oakland County want a rail system from there into Detroit!

L. Brooks is on board with this. All of the big four are, the executives for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties, as well as Mayor Bing. Bing has reached out to the execs and helped bring them together at the same table in favor of regional cooperation. They all realize it needs to be done, and now that Detroit has a leader that is open to suggestions, negotiating and finding middle ground, something could get done. I am in no way trying to praise Bing, because he has done some boneheaded things, ahem, Chief Evans... but look at Cobo, if it was left to the people of Detroit and their 'we're the only one's that matter' mentality, there would be no Cobo deal. The bottom line is that Detroit can't survive anymore without the rest of the region, something Bing realizes, so he is reaching out to the regional leaders to rebuild relationships that have long since soured. One of the biggest drawbacks to this region is the lack of a transit system, something that has been so for a long time, but now everyone realizes that a transit system is imperative to the long term health of the region, even Oakland County.

Bearinabox · July-23-10, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by esp1986

look at Cobo, if it was left to the people of Detroit and their 'we're the only one's that matter' mentality, there would be no Cobo deal.

Aren't the people of Detroit the ones who voted Bing in?

**English** · July-23-10, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

Aren't the people of Detroit the ones who voted Bing in?

Yep, and once upon a time, some of us voted Archer in, too.

**dtowncitylover** · July-23-10, 07:03 PM

If L Brooks doesn't like it, can't Royal Oak, Ferndale, and Pleasant Ridge just say "eff off" and let them build it in the cities? he doesn't have any direct control over those cities.