Driving drags down Michigan’s graduation rates. Regional rail is the solution.

Hourly trains, linking Michigan’s largest cities, would give students greater flexibility to attend the college of their choice – And finish with a degree.

A network of regional-rail lines linking southern Michigan would give 80 percent of the state’s population—8 million people—easy access to excellent, affordable transportation. It would also give Michigan a powerful tool for solving its college-graduation problem.

The percentage of working-age adults with a post-secondary degree or certification in Michigan is about 50 percent. The national average is roughly 54 percent.

This graduation gap drags down the state’s whole economy. A low-skilled workforce earns low wages, which shrinks the tax base and prevents the kind of investments that could make Michigan more attractive to quality employers. The result? Consumer Affairs ranks the state 47th of the 50 states in overall quality of life, 39th in overall economy, and 36th in affordability.

So, improving graduation rates is urgent. And the solution is right under our noses: A network of quality trains—with hourly service throughout southern Michigan—will boost the state’s graduation rates and catalyze robust growth across the whole economy.

Why driving is a drag

The hardships of driving often make it difficult or impossible for students to finish their program. In one recent study, for example, college students reported that their commute was a barrier to both campus participation (60%) and academic success (30%). And the burdens fall disproportionately on less-affluent students and minority populations.

One analysis noted a 10% gap in college completion between Latinos and White and Asian Americans. The authors write that “respondents “overwhelmingly agreed that transportation was a barrier to their ability to persist in their education.”

Because cars are a big and unpredictable expense, this barrier also creates barriers across every realm of life. In 2022, the average US household spent about $12,000 on transportation. Most of that money went to buying and maintaining cars. At the same time, nearly half of Americans have no practical access to public transit options.

So, it’s not only about enrolling more students. To finish their degrees, students need mobility options that support their journey instead of derailing it.

Creating a Michigan innovation corridor

The key is to think of the cluster of cities south of Grand Rapids as a single corridor stretching from metro Detroit to metro Chicago. About 18 million people—or more than 5 percent of the total US population—live in this corridor.

Outside of the East Coast, nothing in the US comes close in terms of economic muscle, educational assets, and affordable housing stock. Tens of thousands of students, commuters, elected officials, and business leaders traverse the corridor each day. But, given the current speeds and frequencies on Amtrak’s lines, driving is their only viable option for making a day trip of it.

Hourly train service would tie the region together and unlock, easy affordable access to educational, work, and leisure opportunities for all residents—no matter where they are.

A college student living with her parents in Battle Creek could take the train to school in Jackson. The mom could take it the opposite direction, to her job in Kalamazoo. And the whole family could take a train on their adventures all across the region—visiting the Art Institute in Chicago, watching the Red Wings in Detroit, and enjoying the arts and dining scenes in Ann Arbor.

There are hundreds of other possibilities—all without the soul-crushing, wallet-draining headaches and expenses of driving.

How do we get there?

There are three foundational steps for building Michigan’s regional rail network:

• Amtrak’s Wolverine line—which connects Chicago and Detroit via Kalamazoo and Battle Creek—is the backbone. Fortunately, the state and Amtrak already own much of the track, and the line has few freight trains. Michigan has taken initial steps to modernize the Wolverine with track upgrades and faster trains. Hourly service should be the priority.
• Amtrak’s Pere Marquette line—running from Chicago to Grand Rapids—offers just one round-trip run per day. The state should buy the railroad from CSX all the way from Porter, IN through Grand Rapids to Detroit and upgrade it for hourly departures.
• Several other north-south segments would complete the network.

The tool for achieving these goals is the Federal Railroad Administration’s new Corridor ID program. The Wolverine and Pere Marquette lines have already been accepted into the program. As a result, the Michigan Department of Transportation received $1 million to plan corridor upgrades.

You can make a big difference in the process by contacting your representatives. Tell them to push MDOT to create a bold plan for quality regional rail—i.e., fast trains, hourly service, and easy, affordable access by train or bus to all of southern Michigan.

Moving toward a healthier Michigan—in every sense

The numbers don’t lie. Michigan’s subpar transportation system undermines its graduation rates, its economy, and its overall quality of life.

Regional rail will deliver a new era of prosperity and sustainable growth. When people can leave their car at home and easily travel between communities in the corridor, demand for more and better train service will increase. Towns and cities will invest in local transit systems and bike- and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.

Michigan will be healthier in every sense. The state will have a thriving corridor—stretching from metro Detroit to metro Chicago—that boasts a well-educated workforce, a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, and an extraordinary quality of life.

The opportunities are waiting. The returns on investment will be immense. Let’s get started.