Building Light Rail - Detroit Style

Private group working to bring rail to Detroit arranges private funding

Follow up:

It appears the federal government is on board with a proposed $400-million light-rail project which aims to stimulate a transit system that has long eluded Detroit. Detroit has been heavily hit during the recessionary period.

There have been hints that the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, is positively weighing-in on the project, yet the Secretary's staff responded with "no comment".

M-1 Rail is a private group working to bring rail to Detriot.
The group has arranged private funding for a portion of the line which includes the downtown business area. The funding source is to be provided by private individuals and organizations including the Kresge Foundation and the Downtown Development Authority.

Detroit would be responsible for the portion north of the business district. The city's share would be partially funded through federal dollars.

Officials have said the FTA want guarantees that both the M-1 group and the City of Detroit could cooperate on the first leg of light rail that ultimately could spur a $10-billion system of light rail, commuter trains and high-speed buses spanning metro Detroit.

Could this happen in Virginia Beach where the special interest "Light Rail - Now" group could arrange financing for Virginia Beach's share of the light rail effort?