Students can share feedback on potential train service
A nonprofit that’s proposing the creation of a train service connecting north and south of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula is asking for community feedback.
North and South Passenger Rail is a potential future route from Detroit to Petoskey, with a stop in Mount Pleasant, proposed by Groundwork.
The nonprofit is looking for potential users to take a survey and share the best times, places, days and other things that matter for them when travelling by train, said Groundwork’s Program Manager Carolyn Ulstad.
She said they’re also interested in hearing from students.
“I just really love the idea of giving our younger adults the freedom of movement ... especially, those years of when you're at school,” Ulstad said. “I find being able to travel in this way could be just really freeing, and having those new experiences can be so informative for our future lives.”
The survey findings will contribute to an advanced study that will be released this spring, Ulstad said. The study will show the project’s estimated cost, timeline and routes, she said.
According to the North and South Rail website, the project team secured $1 million from Michigan’s Labor and Economic Opportunity office in 2021 and a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2022 for the project.
The idea for the train route was born in 2009, according to the website. Ulstad said the train service will potentially be live in about 10 years.
This spring, when the study is released, Ulstad said the organization will hold public meetings to work with communities on this project.
