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TRANSPORTATION & COMMUNITY DESIGN News
Traverse City Passenger Train Team Hired; Study Begins
The effort to reestablish passenger rail between southeast Michigan and the Traverse City and Petoskey areas reached another major milestone when the Groundwork Center and the Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA) selected rail industry experts, Transportation Economics and Management Systems (TEMS), to explore costs and create a business plan for regular train service.
Don’t Just Vote for Public Transit, Try Riding It
Affordability is often discussed as a housing issue, but in mostly rural, sprawling northwest Michigan, affordability is inextricably linked to the costs of transportation. We strive to provide affordable transportation alternatives for our workforce and celebrate when those options are made available. BATA’s regional bus service is an underutilized asset that is well positioned to address the region’s affordability and affordable housing dual conundrums.
A Central Michigan University Student Moves to the Rhythm of the Rails
Andrew Vriesman, a 22-year-old senior at Central Michigan University, is excited about passenger rail that will one day connect Mt. Pleasant with Ann Arbor to the southeast and with Traverse City and Petoskey to the northwest. The route will travel through thriving downtowns that include growing businesses, tech sectors, and colleges that are collectively home to 90,000 students.