MichiganRadio

Closer to Reality ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) -

Michigan Amtrak riders' dreams of zipping along on a high-speed train from Detroit to Chicago may be closer to reality.

State officials have been saying for some time that the Detroit to Chicago route would be ideal for a high-speed rail link. Now, the Obama Administration is saying the same, sort of. The administration has released a preliminary report identifying potential high speed rail corridors. The Detroit link is part of a larger Mid-West regional hub based in Chicago.

A Granholm Office spokeswoman says the governor is pleased Detroit is included in the preliminary report. She says Amtrak is already testing a signaling system that allows trains to move at close to 100 miles per hour along part of the route. That may qualify the Detroit route to be considered for 8 billion dollars in economic stimulus money.

Federal transportation officials will have to decide if the project is both 'shovel-ready' and would generate enough jobs.

Michigan is competing with projects in California, Florida and 20 other states. A decision on which of those projects gets the money will be made this summer.

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