Letter to the Editor: Improve Current Birmingham Station – Don't Build New
"Perhaps by combining our best ideas and filtering out the bad arguments, we can find the best way forward."
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The following letter was written by 23-year Troy resident Dale Murrish, who has worked in the transportation industry since 1979 at Caterpillar and GM. He’s a 26-year member of SAE, the professional society for mobility engineers. An avid bicyclist, he has ridden over 10,000 miles in Europe and America and traveled 4000 miles by train, bus, and ferryboat.
Dear Editor:
Good points have been made on both sides of the Troy transit center project, but also many bad ones. Perhaps by combining our best ideas and filtering out the bad arguments, we can find the best way forward.
The most important thing to remember is that all this $8.5M does is move the station; we are not improving the service to Chicago, which is supposed to happen either way. People with cars will still have other options, such as driving a half hour to Dearborn, cutting an hour off the train trip and $2-4 off the fare. They can also drive to Detroit or Ann Arbor and take a cheaper bus to Union Station. The rest of the Futures 2020 Plan will probably never happen. Part of Phase 2, a light rail line on Woodward, fell through recently because of the required $10M annual subsidy.
Comparing crowded cities like New York and Shanghai to Detroit is a bad argument. Thankfully, we don’t have their traffic and parking problems. Comparing roads to rail is also apples to oranges. People and freight are two different cargoes. The reason Eisenhower pushed for the interstate highway system was Germany’s autobahns, not their rail system. Amtrak has a terrible record of losing money, while inter-city bus companies make profits with the good highway system we now have.
One reason Europe has efficient trains is because their governments tax motor fuel heavily and subsidize them. There is little stomach here for even a 50 cent fuel tax to move us toward a market driven desire for fuel economy instead of the CAFÉ mandate, let alone doubling the price like in Europe.
The most disturbing argument is the idea that the money is already spent in Congress’ mind, and it will go to another state if we don’t use it. We should get our fair share of federal money coming back to us. This selfishness nearly torpedoed our country when the Constitution was being debated. As Ben Franklin said, “We will confounded by our own regional interests.”
We don’t actually start paying interest on the borrowed money until the dirt flies from the shovel-ready projects. Washington is supposedly looking for ways to cut the budget; what if we offer them $8.5M and say we’ll solve the problem ourselves?
Everything mentioned in the pro-transit center arguments could be accomplished by improving the current station. It could be spruced up with more comfortable seats, a heated building and a covered platform. A low cost display could show train ETAs and local students could paint the bare concrete. This would make an ideal Eagle Scout project, with donations from Telly’s and Bordine’s for the landscaping, Home Depot for building materials, etc. It could be done with volunteer labor at little or no cost and would set an example for other towns to have their own old-fashioned barn-raisings with sponsorships.
Someone can walk a quarter mile west, have a cup of coffee and sandwich at the Whistle Stop, and catch a bus on Maple Road. If there was enough demand, the route could be changed to swing past the station. People can call a cab to pick them up at the current station. If someone wanted to rent a bike, they could call a bike shop 1.2 or 3.5 miles away on the bike friendly Birmingham side. The nearest bike shop on the Troy side is 7 miles away in Sterling Heights.
In contrast, the new site behind Kohl’s in Troy is better suited for buses and cars and difficult for bicycles. Real estate is all about Location, Location and Location. The area around the Troy site is light industrial and much less attractive: take a look at the pictures and you’ll see the difference. Birmingham decided this project was a waste of money; why does Troy insist on going forward without them?
The only drawback of the current site is the lack of parking. There are only 20 parking spots, but three of them were open on Thanksgiving weekend, the busiest travel weekend of the year. Only 8 of 20 were used on a December Sunday afternoon. If ridership increases, maybe the companies on Troy’s side would allow overnight and weekend parking in certain parts of their lots (see photos).The Reserve and Chop House restaurants are both closed on Sundays and might allow parking Sunday-Tuesday on the top floor of their shared garage.
Birmingham has had a train station since 1839. The Chop House was Birmingham’s third train station from 1931-1978 and reopened as a restaurant in 1984, so they might partner to help build Birmingham’s fourth station building.
The transit center arguments have been nauseatingly Troy-centric. Like most metropolitan areas, the only way to tell you’ve crossed a border is the signs. While not quite as bad as Coleman Young insulting the suburbs, it’s not exactly neighborly of us to steal Birmingham’s station because they don’t want to spend $8.5M of our country’s tax money to move it a quarter mile to a less desirable location. If they were less polite, they would complain about losing a piece of their history.
Finally, this government project is way more expensive than necessary: $8.5M for a 2400 square foot building with $30,000 in annual upkeep. Compare that to a privately funded 16,500 square foot building in Pennsylvania for $6.8M. Troy is more than 8 times as much per square foot. To be fair, the Troy proposal has to delete the Birmingham side parking and add a footbridge, but the parking lot on the Troy side is already paved. $8M for a 2400 sq.ft house would leave money for gold-plated fixtures and chandeliers in the bathrooms except for the inherent waste in any government funded project.
Do we want to saddle our kids and grandkids with $610,000 annual payments* when we have an alternative that accomplishes our objectives at a fraction of the cost? With some creativity, we might be able to do it without any government funds. That would send a strong message to Washington and other cities to follow our example.
Sincerely,
Dale Murrish
Troy Patch accepts letters to the editor. Please include your hometown when writing. Letters may be edited. Send to editor Jen Anesi at jen.anesi@patch.com.
Cathy Fucinari
7:21 am on Sunday, December 18, 2011
Have you been to the Birmingham station? It is a bus shelter. Birmingham was unable to acquire the property required. The Amtrack people couldn't even find it when they came to inspect. I'm not surprised your go to position is to "Drive to Dearborn" - You are an automotive engineer! Separate grants are improving the rails to Chicago, Do you want to refuse to accept the return of $8.5 million dollars of OUR tax money (money Troy Taxpayers have paid to the feds) and have our money invested in some other community? This transit improvement is going to happen, it is only a matter of whether our community will benefit, or be left in the dust.
Dale Murrish
3:29 pm on Sunday, December 18, 2011
Cathy, I've been there 3 times and took pictures the last 2 times. If you check out the pictures and captions, you and others who don't live here will understand what I'm proposing and why. The last two show possible parking on the Troy side for the existing station.
People have options and will continue to use them. They want to get where they are going safely, quickly and cheaply. Yes, it's our tax money, but our country is broke, and if we don't need it, why should we burden our fellow citizens with paying it back? If we don't start reining in spending soon, we will have a huge pile of debt with little hope of digging out of. This is a small thing our community can do to set the example for others around the country.
Dale Murrish
8:24 am on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Has anyone taken a serious look at my proposal to upgrade the existing station? I'm thinking a replica of the original 1831 station with twice the square footage of the current shelter. It could have a wood burning stove, vintage benches, hitching posts but a modern electronic ETA board.
Now that our elected representatives have weighed all the evidence and determined that the transit center is not in the best interest of our city and region, we should close ranks and support their decision. They took input from everyone, pro and con. The majority of the council, elected by the majority of the voters in the last election, decided not to go forward.
My option C: conserve what we have and improve it, is a serious proposal. We learned at Monday's meeting that it would cost $2.3M just to build the bridge, elevators and platform at the new site. We already have a lot more than that at the current site. Please give me your feedback on this option C. Is there anyone looking for an Eagle Scout project?
Clinton Baller
10:55 am on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Great ideas, Dale, but doubtful anyone has actually looked into them. For some reason, the path of least resistance is rarely the one taken by government.
Linda
4:38 pm on Saturday, December 31, 2011
FYI. While the elected representatives were presented with all the evidence, that does not mean they took it in. They had their decision made prior to that meeting, as Janice said.
I'm curious though. What property would you need to attain to achieve this on the Birmingham side? Also, please explain more about your option C. Particularly, the "we already have a lot more than that at the current site."
paul jennings
7:25 am on Sunday, January 1, 2012
Love your ideas about "retro-fitting" your 1831 station with period but practical memorabilia. I especially like the idea of a wood burning stove....This is one thing the Brits would stop short of though...they'd have steam engine days with period carriages and staff wearing period costume. Just look up Goathland/west Yorkshire or, the one Margaret Thatcher tried to shut down: The Leeds-Settle line They still use steam from time to time and the stations have been restored to a very high (original) standard. For the winter months you can buy a "Dales" card (nothing to do with Mr, Murrish,!) for £10.00 per annum and this allows residents living within a certain distance of the line to travel (anytime usually) between Carlisle (Cumbria) and Leeds, w. Yorkshire a roundtrip journey of approximately 400 miles. for £6.50 (!) All other times of the year (roughly February to late November the travel card offers discounts of around 33%. Train travel is still incredibly cheap on mainland U.K. especially if you buy on line and, typically, you can travel for 200 miles (either roundtrip or oneway) for about £10.00. If you look up National express coaches you will see a deal called a "funfare." Prices start at £1.00 for - anything up to 100 miles! Ireland not so good. You still pay big (gas) money and diesel not far behind or ahead depending on which end of the island you are on. Public transport is, like much of the U.S. , neither affordable nor convenient.
Dale Murrish
8:44 am on Sunday, January 1, 2012
Linda, I’m proposing no new land, just an upgrade of what’s already there. Already 66 people a day use the trains with the 20 parking spaces we have. Upgrading the station would solve many of the complaints raised as reasons to build the new transit center. Remember the objective is to get people where they want to go.
We already have the walkable neighborhood, upscale condos and bike friendly streets that were envisioned for the Troy side. There is a bike shop 1.2 miles away that would probably deliver bicycles if people wanted to rent them. That's what I meant by we're giving up more than we're gaining by building new in Troy, except for the dedicated parking lot.
Paul, great to hear from you across the miles from Ireland! We’ll take your ideas into account if we can get support for the project on this side of the pond. We’re hoping to do it without any government money.
paul jennings
9:51 am on Sunday, January 1, 2012
One of the MANY things America excells in is non profit organisations....Can you get a bunch of rail/nostalgia enthusiasts together for the refit - all those unemployed/disillusioned engineer enthusiasts? Have you enough room for a little cafe with wi-fi thereby getting more under the same roof? Great the bicycle shop is near...how about safe and secure storage for cyclists encouraging them to ride to the station....twice as eco friendly....it would NEVER happen in Ireland! When I surfed the web for "free firewood" I found the best source of it to be in -----the U.S. just collect. Then you'd have (free) fuel for your stove. With the ongoing "unsustainability of current living patterns we're going to have to have more one-stop-shops. What about a communit -type-cafe as I mentioned initially so your station becomes a hub or point of focus.....Shower area maybe so people don't leave their bicycles and get into the train pouring in sweat......how about a couple of industrial washers so people could leave their laundry and have it ready and folded on their return from work....
Just an idea, I myself am toying with an idea for a one-stop-community-cafe (with Wi-fi) + launderette - 1950s style to cash in on the current nostalgia fascination. But to be doing same in an old railway station....love it love it....!