Funding Approved for High-Speed Train From Chicago to Detroit

jlurie

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $150 million in federal funding to create a high-speed train service between Detroit and Chicago. The new line will decrease travel time by about 30 minutes by allowing for speeds up to 110 mph. Plus, the project will add about 800 new jobs to the area for the Michigan Department of Transportation. The news release from the DOT states:

The grant will enable MDOT to acquire ownership over much of the Chicago-Detroit/Pontiac High Speed Rail Corridor within the State of Michigan and pave the way for them to begin a track and signal improvement project between Detroit and Kalamazoo, MI, in the spring of 2012.

Congress hasn't approved rail funding for 2012, but this money was dug out of previous appropriations. Sadly it won't help the traffic for this Thanksgiving, but for Chicago's many ex-Michiganders, hopefully your future Thankgiving pilgrimages will be slightly shorter.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@chicagoist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Samantha Abernethy in News on November 22, 2011 5:00 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

Gnobbit

Only reduced by 30 minutes? What is the current duration?

jason

It takes just under 6 hours to go between Chicago and Detroit via Amtrak if everything goes according to schedule. Things rarely go according to schedule, though.

Gnobbit

So, now one will be able to get there in 5 hours 30 minutes? Is that what we're taking away from this? I say if you're going to build high-speed rail, go all-out and build the 200MPH shit.

jason

Agreed.

eric .

Current time travel is 5h30m from CUS to Detroit. 30-minute time saving puts this on-par with driving. Signaling from 79mph to 110mph is cheap.. going to 150mph or 220mph requires a much larger investment than our current Congress could stand to approve.