It’s a trip from one end of Michigan to the other using passenger transportation – train, bus, and bike. The purpose of the trip is to demonstrate the opportunities and challenges of Michigan’s passenger transportation system.
Trans4Mers will celebrate groundbreaking transportation events of 2012 and 2013. You can virtually “travel” with Trans4m by following travelers on Facebook and Twitter, or come along for the ride. To read our first blog post on the event, click here.
Our Itinerary
This year’s Odyssey begins Thursday morning in Traverse City with a bike ride along a portion of the 10.5 mile TART trail which links to over 30 miles of regional trails.
Next, we’ll head to Grand Rapids by Indian Trails. We’ll review progress on the upcoming Silver Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route, the first modern rapid transit project in Michigan.
Odyssey travelers will next head to Kalamazoo, again by Indian Trails motor coach. We’ll explore the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail, a trail which runs through downtown Kalamazoo.
We’ll take Amtrak from the historic Kalamazoo inter-modal transportation center to Ann Arbor where we’ll discuss the recently approved bike sharing program. We’ll also learn about the relatively new public-private partnership service, AirRide.
We’ll see how the service operates by taking it from Ann Arbor to Detroit Metropolitan Airport. At the airport we’ll celebrate the formation of the Regional Transit Authority and highlight some of its immediate opportunities. We’ll leave the airport on a SMART bus to Detroit where we’ll conclude this year’s transportation Odyssey with a look at Detroit’s new streetcar project, M-1 Rail and a transportation forum.
Coalition members, supporting partners, community stakeholders, and MI residents are invited to join Trans4M at our city stops, or to come along for the ride. Beginning September 1 you will be able to register to attend one of the events, including events in Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor and Detroit. Click here for a complete itinerary (more details are added daily)! Join our Facebook Page to get the latest details and updates on the Odyssey.
Registration will begin September 1, 2013.