Project Description

In September 1997, the Michigan Department of Transportation was awarded funding to embark on a project involving (1) updating the 1994 Right-of-Way Improvement Program, (2) preparing an Integrated Cost/Benefit and Financial Risk Analysis Program, (3) updating the Ridership and Revenue Forecasting Plan, and (4) preparing a Financial and Implementation Plan, all with respect to the Detroit - Chicago high-speed rail corridor. The overall project costs $289, 500, with Federal funding of $118, 695, and funding of $170,805 through the States of Michigan and Indiana, and Amtrak in-kind contributions. The funding was awarded through cooperative agreement DTFRDV-97-H-60020 for Detroit - Chicago High-Speed Rail Corridor Planning Grant. The agreement was effective through December 2000.

In 1994, Amtrak, with funding from the Michigan Department of Transportation, prepared the Detroit - Chicago High-Speed Rail Right-of-Way Improvement Program, which outlined conceptual engineering requirements for the construction of the high-speed corridor. Since the preparation of the original program, one of the major elements in achieving reduced travel times on the corridor has been the evaluation of an alternate route for this corridor from Chicago, Illinois, to Chesterton, Indiana (porter Interlocking).

In order to complete most of the planning of the Detroit - Chicago high-speed rail corridor, additional comprehensive detail is required. In the past, information has been developed for right-of-way improvements, ridership and revenue forecasting, and financial and implementation planning. The goal of this project is to update this information and consolidate the plans into one complete program.

Amtrak and the State of Michigan have prepared a comprehensive, detailed, preliminary analysis of each of the infrastructure elements throughout the Detroit - Chicago corridor to determine the most cost effective application of limited funds to ensure the maximum benefit of investment.

The initial work program included operational criteria to establish the geometric and operational parameters to define each of the elements to support a 125 mph high-speed rail corridor. Further refinement included segmentation of the overall initial work scope into 33 segments. Detailed costs were provided for each of the refined engineering and operational elements. Although this work was completed several years ago, continuous evaluation has been progressed in a comprehensive effort to refine scope, overall project costs, and implementation schedule.

The Integrated Cost/Benefit and Financial Risk Analysis Plan is required to provide a comprehensive and detailed analysis of each of the corridor segments and options, and to ensure that each of the possible infrastructure and equipment investment alternatives are properly identified, costs estimated, analyzed, and synthesized to adequately support the overall infrastructure program on a prioritized cost investment/benefits achieved basis.

The Ridership and Revenue Forecasting Plan is required to provide a comprehensive and detailed analysis of each of the corridor-potential routing alternatives, and to ensure that the results of the possible infrastructure and equipment investment alternatives effects on ridership and revenue are properly identified, analyzed, and synthesized to adequately support the overall ridership and revenue programs on a prioritized cost investment/benefits achieved basis.

The Financial and Implementation Plan is required to provide a comprehensive and detailed analysis of each of the corridor segments and options, and to ensure that each of the possible infrastructure and equipment investment alternatives are properly identified, analyzed, and synthesized to adequately support the overall program on a prioritized investment basis.