M-1 Rail Risky Business? Workers Say It's Just A Matter Of Time Before Trouble Brews Below System
DETROIT (WWJ) - In April of 2013, the U.S. Department of Transportation gave final clearance to developers of a privately managed $140 million streetcar line following a 3.3-mile course through the heart of Detroit.
Now the M-1 rail project is about 40 percent completed and road construction workers in Detroit tell WWJ they think there is a ticking taxpayer time-bomb underneath the rail system stemming from fragile water and sewer pipes that are 100 years old.
"I'm crossing my fingers this winter because there hasn't been any real investment in the water - underground assets - for decades and there are very old pipes all over the city. On Woodward is just one location," said Gary Brown - Group Executive for Operations for the city of Detroit .
But what about the M-1 site?
"And I've been assured by our traffic engineer that if there are issues with the pipes under M-1 that many of the vaults are up under the sidewalks and we'll be able to get to them without replacing the complete line - but there is risk," said Brown.
He says the city was bankrupt when it started the M-1 and didn't have money for pipe replacement. Federal money is paying for M-1 rail project.
The streetcar will run every seven minutes along Woodward Avenue from Jefferson Avenue to just north of Grand Boulevard.
It's currently under budget, and is expected to finish on time by the end of 2016.
