WALLY (commuter rail)
Encyclopedia
WALLY is a proposed commuter rail service which would link the Michigan
cities of Ann Arbor
and Howell
.
, which would cost upwards of $500 million. The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority
is the "designated authority" for the project.
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. 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. 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. After three years of service the line would become eligible for federal transportation funding.
In April 2010 supporters announced a scaled-back proposal with start-up costs of $16-$20 million, with yearly operating costs of $7.1 million. As of September 2011, $16 million had been spent on capital costs with another projected $19 million required for startup, and operating costs were projected as an annual $5.4 million.
, 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. Proposed intermediate stops include Brighton
, Hamburg and Whitmore Lake
. The stop in Brighton would not be in the downtown but rather at Chilson Road, 4 miles (6.4 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 1.75 miles into Ann Arbor 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
.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
cities of Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
and Howell
Howell, Michigan
Howell is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 9,489. It is the county seat of Livingston County and is located mostly within Howell Township, but is politically independent from Howell Township...
.
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. 23U.S. Route 23 in Michigan
US Highway 23 is a United States Numbered Highway that runs from Jacksonville, Florida to Mackinaw City, Michigan. In the US state of Michigan, it is a major north–south state trunkline highway that runs through the Lower Peninsula...
, which would cost upwards of $500 million. The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority
Ann Arbor Transportation Authority
The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority , which brands itself as "The Ride," is the public transit system serving the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Michigan, area....
is the "designated authority" for the project.
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
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
, 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. Both the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and the Ann Arbor offices of the Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
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. 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. After three years of service the line would become eligible for federal transportation funding.
In April 2010 supporters announced a scaled-back proposal with start-up costs of $16-$20 million, with yearly operating costs of $7.1 million. As of September 2011, $16 million had been spent on capital costs with another projected $19 million required for startup, and operating costs were projected as an annual $5.4 million.
Route
The proposed end-points of the line are Ann Arbor and Howell, for a total length of 27 miles (43.5 km). The line is operated by the Great Lakes Central Railroad, a short line railroad who leases the track from CSXCSX Corporation
CSX Corporation was formed in 1980 by the merger of Chessie System and Seaboard Coast Line Industries and eventually merged the various railroads owned by those predecessors into a single line that became known as CSX Transportation. Based in Richmond, Virginia, USA after the merger, in 2003...
, 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. Proposed intermediate stops include Brighton
Brighton, Michigan
Brighton is a principal satellite city of Metro Detroit located in the southeast portion of Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,444. Brighton forms part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area...
, Hamburg and Whitmore Lake
Whitmore Lake, Michigan
Whitmore Lake is an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community spans the boundary between Green Oak Township in Livingston County and Northfield Township in Washtenaw County. The United States Census Bureau has defined a census-designated place with this name for...
. The stop in Brighton would not be in the downtown but rather at Chilson Road, 4 miles (6.4 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 1.75 miles into Ann Arbor 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
Huron River (Michigan)
The Huron River is a river in southeastern Michigan, rising out of the Huron Swamp in Indian Springs Metropark in northern Oakland County and flowing into Lake Erie on the boundary between Wayne County and Monroe County...
nor interchange directly with Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
.