M1-RAIL on track with $12.2 Million Federal Grant from U.S. DOT

By Karen Hudson Samuels/Tell Us Detroit

DETROIT (Tell Us Det) - The M1-Rail project will stay on track thanks to a $12.2 million federal grant announced Monday in Detroit by U. S Transportation Secretary Anthony Fox, it will go toward construction of 3.1 streetcar line.

A cross section of public and private partners, led by M1-Rail CEO Matt Cullen, joined Secretary Fox for announcement held at Grand Circus, the third stop on the MI-rail line which began construction in July.

M-1 RAIL Board Chairman and project donor Roger Penske said “We are on time, on target, and on board to get this done in 2016. We are going to have a Super Bowl every day when the streetcar runs between New Center and Downtown.”

Also for the first time, the station sponsors were revealed for each of the streetcar stations. While the stations names will be designated based on the street or area where the cars stop, the sponsors will be recognized as part of the station design.

“It’s unprecedented that the private and philanthropic leadership of a community commit more than $100 million to design, build, and operate a public streetcar line and through its TIGER grant, USDOT has reaffirmed its commitment to Detroit and M-1 RAIL,” said M-1 RAIL President and CEO Matthew P. Cullen. “The M-1 donors have expressed unyielding support since the beginning. Their significant contributions of time, talent and resources have helped to keep this vision on track and for that we are forever grateful.”



Detroit is one of 72 transportation projects nationwide selected to receive funding from the Department of Transportation’s TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Program. “As uncertainty about the future of long-term federal funding continues, this round of TIGER will be a shot in the arm for that innovation, job-creating and quality of life-enhancing projects’ said Secretary Fox.

The transit system will give mobility and connectivity to an estimated 135,000 workers and 36,000 residents in the downtown and Midtown neighborhoods. It will help continue revitalization of Woodward Avenue which is home to 40 percent of all the jobs in Detroit and attracts 15 million visitors a year.

Governor Rick Snyder, Mayor Mike Duggan, members of U.S. Congressional delegation and the Detroit City Council and local business leaders all spoke during the Monday’s announcement about the importance of the public/private partnerships that came together to make the M-1 Rail project a reality, after seven years.

The 3.1 mile streetcar will start taking rider along 20 stations serving 12 locations in 2016.