(The Lansing State Journal posted the following article by James McCurtis Jr. on its website on March 14.)
LANSING, Mich. — Amtrak offered the state a proposal Thursday to keep rail service going until May 15, which would give legislators more time to lift the cap on the amount of state money the railroad gets.
The state gives Amtrak $5.7 million a year to run two of its three Michigan routes, including the Chicago-to-Toronto line, which runs through East Lansing and Port Huron. The Legislature set the $5.7 million cap in 2001, but Amtrak says it needs $7.1 million to operate the trains.
Without the additional money from the Michigan Department of Transportation, Amtrak officials say they will shut down the two state-funded routes when the contract expires March 31.
MDOT and Amtrak would have to agree on a short-term contract extension to prevent the shutdown.
“Nothing has been signed,” MDOT spokeswoman Stephanie Litaker said.
“It’s definitely a possibility that this has a chance of going through.”
Amtrak representatives were in Lansing on Thursday speaking with legislators and MDOT officials when they made the short-term offer.
“We will work closely with the Legislature to pass the amendment that will lift the cap,” Amtrak spokeswoman Karina VanVeen said
“We want to give them an opportunity to work through this amendment.”
State Rep. Lauren Hager, R-St. Clair, introduced a bill Wednesday that would lift the cap.
“I think that this is a show of good faith on the part of Amtrak that they want to reach an agreement,” Hager said.