Category Archives: Announcements

Joint meeting of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association and National Association of Railroad Passengers Regions 6 & 7

WHEN: Saturday, March 24, 2007; 8:30 A.M. to 3:30 pm

WHERE: Union League Club, 65 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL

Cost: $45 Lunch included

Keynote: Anne P. Canby, President, Surface Transportation Policy Project
Click here for more information on the Surface Transportation Policy Project.

Book signing: Alfred Runte, Author, Allies of the Earth, Railroads and the Soul of Preservation
Click here for more information on the book.

DC Update: George Chilson, President, National Association or Railroad Passengers

Online reservation at http://www.signmeup.com/56228

Riding the Electric Rails in West Michigan

WHEN:Tuesday, March 13, 2007- 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:Maas Auditorium, Hope College
264 Columbia Avenue, Holland, MI

Very few people remember the thrill and convenience of riding the electrically-powered interurban rail system in the area. Learn more about the history of the interurban in the Holland area with historian and GVSU professor Dr. Carl Bajema.

The program is presented by the Holland Area Historical Society. For more details about the meetings or membership, contact Geoffrey Reynolds at the Joint Archives of Holland (395-7798). More information is available on the web at: http://www.hope.edu/jointarchives/society.html

MARP Goals for 2007

 

 

1)     Maintain an effective and wide-reaching public education and outreach program during 2007 that includes at least the following levels of activity for the organization:

a)     Speaking engagements at five (5) public events

b)     Tabling at fifteen (15) public events

c)      Coverage in twelve (12) media stories

d)     Publish at least three (3) newsletters

e)     Maintain an updated web site

 

2)     Continue to educate public officials about the benefits of passenger rail through at least the following levels of activity:

a)     Education of potential coalition partners to interface directly with elected officials on the need for full passenger rail funding

b)     Implementation of applicable sections of NARP’s “Grass Routes Advocacy” program for state ARP’s

 

3)     Advocate for passengers’ needs with appropriate agencies and government entities with emphasis on improving on-time performance and on-board service quality, to include at a minimum:

a)     Quarterly meetings with Amtrak operations management

b)     Stakeholder participation in MDOT and SEMCOG transportation initiatives

c)      Communication with appropriate regulatory and elected officials

 

4)     Develop and implement the “Ride the Train Michigan” marketing program

 

5)     Implement the recommendations of the Route Enhancement Committee

 

6)     Increase member meeting attendance to an average of 17 individuals per meeting, and MARP membership to 450 memberships. Encourage life members to get more actively involved.

 

Approved by the MARP Executive Committee on January 13, 2007

MDOT’s Long Range Transportation Plan

MARP is an invited participant in the development of the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Long Range Transportation Plan through the year 2030. Chairman Mike Whims represents MARP at the stakeholder meetings. Clark Charnetski also attended an open house held recently in Ann Arbor.

A draft “Preferred Public Vision” has been published by MDOT that considers intercity passenger rail to be “important” and focuses on high-speed (200mph+) rail for the future. Chairman Whims testified at the meetings that the future plan needs to:

  • Focus more on “standard speed” intercity passenger rail that can at a minimum consistantly meet the current 79 mph speed limit without freight interference.
  • Consider “high-speed” rail as a goal to carefully work toward for certain high-volume corridors after solving the freight interference problems. A fear Whims expressed is that the price tag for 200+ mph rail service will frighten everyone away from ANY passenger rail.
  • Focus on increasing the share of freight movement by rail as a top public priority that will require public investment of some sort in the state’s privately-owned rail infrastructure.
  • Analyze the state’s 50,000-mile state highway system to see how many miles can be abandoned or transferred to local road authorities based on low relative usage. (this was very unpopular among the meeting stakeholders).

You are encouraged to voice your opinions at the state website that has been set up for this long range plan: www.michigan.gov/slrp

You are also encouraged to attend and represent MARP at the following upcoming public open house meetings (details at their website)
August 7-Novi
August 7-Kalamazoo
August 8- Warren
August 8- Grand Rapids
August 9- Lansing
August 9- Ann Arbor
August 14- Mount Pleasant
August 15- Tawas City
August 15- Kingsford
August 16- Traverse City
August 16- Ironwood
August 17- St. Ignace

Full funding proposed for Michigan’s Amtrak services in 2006-07 budget

Full funding for Michigan’s Amtrak service (Pere Marquette and Bluewater trains) were included in the Governor’s budget for 2006-07 fiscal year and were introduced to the State House of Representative and the State Senate in February.

The Micigan Legislature cut funding for Amtrak’s Michigan service by $1 million in the 2005-06 budget.

HB 5737, introduced Feb. 21 by Rep. Rich Brown (D-Bessemer) and SB 1097, introduced Feb. 28 by Sen. Jim Barcia (D-Bay City) and Sen. Bob Emerson (D-Flint) both place the Governor’s Executive Budget on the floor. Her budget includes the full $7.1 million for Amtrak funding for 2006-07.

There appears to be no bill that reinstates the $1 million shortfall for passenger rail in the 2005-06 budget yet. The implications for an uninterupted passenger rail service schedule until the end of the budget year (Sept. 30) are unknown as of this date.

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