All posts by Carolyn Ulstad

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November 16: Joint TRU & MARP Community Meeting

MARP is teaming up with TRU—Transit Riders United—for our November member meeting.  TRU advocates for transit of all types across Michigan, though it is most well known as the advocate for local and regional bus transit.

Each organization will present a high level overview of their objectives, the current status of bus and train services in Michigan, and discuss how we may work together in the future

Because this has the potential to be a large meeting, we are asking attendees to register in advance to ensure we have enough snacks and chairs.
                                      Register now!
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR! MARP Annual Meeting October 19

At this year’s 51st annual meeting, Tod Bassler, President of Indiana Passenger Rail Alliance, will be speaking about the work IPRA folks are doing to improve passenger rail in Indiana.  The title of his talk is “Indiana – Bringing Better Passenger & Commuter Rail to the Crossroads of America”.
Also speaking is Michigan State Rep. Jason Morgan of Ann Arbor who will speak about the efforts of the Transit Caucus to more adequately fund local transit and intercity passenger rail.
MARP’s 51st Annual Meeting takes place on Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 12:00 Noon to 3:00 pm at the Lost Railway Museum, 142 W Michigan Ave, Grass Lake, MI 49240.
Advance registration is required. Details will be posted on the website within the next few weeks. Members are asked to also watch their home mailboxes for a postcard that may be returned with the $25 / person registration fee.
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FRA’s Corridor ID Program

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the  Bipartisan Infrastructure Law , of 2021 (Public Law 117-58) authorized the Secretary of Transportation to establish the Corridor Identification and Development (CID) Program. The CID Program is a comprehensive effort to fund and guide planning and project development work toward building new and enhancing existing intercity passenger rail services across the country.

The  CID Program  focuses on identifying key transportation routes or corridors that require development or improvement to facilitate economic growth, improve mobility, and enhance overall quality of life for residents and businesses.

Discover more about the program on FRA’s website.

Announcements, Meetings

September 7: In-Person Member Meeting (all welcome)

Make plans now to join MARP members and friends at the Kalamazoo Public Library in downtown Kalamazoo on Saturday, September 7th, at 1:00 pm.
Our guest speaker will be Mark Buckley, a retired Amtrak ticket agent, who will share with us his experiences serving Michigan passengers in East Lansing and in Ann Arbor.
The meeting will be held in the VanDeusen Room on the 2nd floor of the Library.
If you plan to arrive on the train, please reply to this message with your Train number, time of arrival, and if you would like a ride to the Library. The 4 block walk to the Library offers a “taste” of the variety of downtown attractions with a number of places along the way where you can get a late morning snack or cup of coffee.
Following the meeting, we’ll reconvene at The Blue Dolphin for a late lunch / early dinner (no host). The restaurant has ample free parking.
For those of you driving to the meeting, downtown parking is free on Saturdays.
Some of you might wish to make a weekend of it, staying over to enjoy the many attractions Kalamazoo has to offer. You will find a complete guide on the Discover Kalamazoo  website.
Convenient accommodations include the adjoining Hilton Garden Inn and Home2 Suites  just a half block from the train station and the Comfort Inn Downtown a few block west of the Library.