By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI – Governor Rick Snyder and federal transportation officials will speak at a conference in Lansing on improving rail service in Michigan.
Michigan has 540 miles of publicly owned rail. The governor has called for improving and expanding that system to move people and cargo more quickly and efficiently The governor says he will seek more federal dollars and wants part of vehicle registration fees to be used for improving mass transit.
Sara Wurfel is the governor's press secretary.
"He believes very strongly that infrastructure is very important both to Michigan's economy and to the future and that rail is very important to that mix, both passenger and freight," Wurfel says.
The state recently won a federal grant to purchase and upgrade 140 miles of track to be part of accelerated rail service between Detroit and Chicago. The governor's plans for the state include making Michigan a central point in a regional business corridor that runs from Chicago to Toronto.