The Chamber

The Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce encourages business leaders to write letters of support to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) that your business supports a fully developed high-speed intercity passenger rail service (Chicago-Detroit/Pontiac) in Michigan.

Ridership on Amtrak has grown nationally from 2000 through 2008, and is on track in 2010 for its best year ever. Specifically in Michigan, the first six months of 2010 are at the highest levels ever with over 350,000 passengers through June 2010, further demonstrating the increased demand for intercity passenger rail services.
 
Building on what has been achieved on the western end of the corridor, including current passenger rail speeds up to 95 mph, Michigan is positioned to expand this success east of Kalamazoo to Detroit creating more efficient intercity passenger rail service for Michigan citizens.

We urge business leaders to contact MDOT and describe how important the high speed rail project is to your business, this region and the entire Midwest. Click here for a template letter that you could use or as a guide to help you craft your own letter.