The Washtenaw and Livingston Line (WALLY) is a proposed 27-mile long north-south commuter rail service that would connect Ann Arbor and Howell, with several intermediate stops. WALLY is being developed as a cost-effective alternative to ease traffic congestion along US-23 between Howell and Ann Arbor and to promote economic development and job creation in the region. This effort is powered by the WALLY Coalition, comprised of government and business leaders, area residents and other community groups that have worked for several years to keep this project on track for you!

Quick Facts
WALLY was developed as a cost-effective alternative to ease traffic congestion along I-96 and US-23 between Howell and Ann Arbor and to promote economic development and job creation in the region.

WALLY will operate between Howell and Ann Arbor with stations located along the rail line in Whitmore Lake, Hamburg Township, with additional sites under consideration. View the WALLY station map along the rail line. The service will be operated by the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (TheRide), likely through a third-party contract.

More than 1,200 commuters are expected to ride WALLY every weekday and it is estimated that it will take about 60  minutes to travel between Howell and Ann Arbor. Fares are estimated to be about $150 per month, depending on the station of origin.  

WALLY was estimated to cost $32 million, with an additional $7 million per year for operations, according to a 2007 study by R. L. Banks, a leading passenger rail consulting firm. Like most public transit services, federal and state grant funds may be available for WALLY and most operating funds will come from a combination of passenger fares and government grants.  Funding for some improvements is already committed, but additional funding sources must be found before the service can begin

WALLY is supported by a coalition of local public and private organizations in Washtenaw and Livingston counties that are working with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to provide commuting options in the heavily growing areas. The coalition is facilitated by the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (TheRide) that was established as the designated authority for the development of WALLY in February 2009.

WALLY History
In 2006, a variety of stakeholders from Washtenaw and Livingston counties saw the need for better commuting options -- particularly as an alternative to a then-planned $500 million widening of US-23.

In order to continue to move the project forward, an organization of government and business leaders, area residents and other community groups was established in 2008 called the WALLY Coalition.

The coalition includes representatives from the cities of Ann Arbor and Howell, Washtenaw and Livingston counties, the University of Michigan, the Washtenaw Transportation Study (WATS), MDOT, Northfield and Hamburg townships, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, Washtenaw Community College, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, local Chambers of Commerce, TheRide and other interested groups and community members throughout the WALLY proposed service area.

In response to requests from local and county officials, TheRide agreed in October 2008 to serve as the designated authority for the WALLY commuter rail project. TheRide has since provided technical support for service and station planning, and as a public agency has the ability to apply for the government grants needed for the project.

Today, TheRide along with the Coalition, are working with communities along the WALLY route, MDOT, the Great Lakes Central Railroad and other local planning authorities to ensure that WALLY becomes an integral part of the regional and statewide transit plans.

The name “WALLY” was coined to reflect the fact that the service spans both Washtenaw and Livingston Counties.

The WALLY Coalition
In order to continue to move the project forward, an organization of government and business leaders, area residents and other community groups was established in 2008 called the WALLY Coalition.

The coalition includes representatives from the cities of Ann Arbor and Howell, Washtenaw and Livingston counties, the University of Michigan, the Washtenaw Transportation Study (WATS), MDOT, Northfield and Hamburg townships, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, Washtenaw Community College, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, local Chambers of Commerce, TheRide and other interested groups and community members throughout the WALLY proposed service area.

Commuter Rail Overview
A commuter rail service, like WALLY, consists of a locomotive pulling passenger cars and is generally 25 to 50 miles long with stations about 5 miles apart. Commuter rail services are specifically designed to move people as an alternative to congested freeway travel.

Rail Service
WALLY will use traditional commuter railroad technology, which consists of passenger cars being pulled or pushed by a locomotive engine and will run on an existing state-owned freight line linking the cities of Howell and Ann Arbor.

The passenger car interiors contain rows of double seats on the first level, and single seats on the upper or gallery level. The setting will be designed for passengers to read, nap or work comfortably while they travel. The passenger cars will seat about 140 people.

Stations
At this time, stations are planned for Howell, Hamburg Twp, Whitmore Lake and Ann Arbor with additional stations under consideration. The stations will feature a boarding platform, shelters and lighting, and will provide parking, bike racks and, where feasible, connecting buses.

Train Schedule
In the beginning there would be four trains in each direction daily, operating during the busiest commute periods. As demand grows, WALLY will expand service on weekdays as well as provide weekend scheduling.

Routes & Connecting Services
The service will run between Howell and Ann Arbor with stops at Hamburg Twp. and Whitmore Lake. Connecting buses in Ann Arbor will serve North Campus, Medical Center, and downtown.

Fares
Fares are not set at this time, but have been estimated to be about $150 per month, or about $3.75 for a one way trip. The fare structure will be proposed once operating costs are finalized.

Resources
Members of the governments and organizations involved in the WALLY Coalition initially worked to develop a budget and operating plan for WALLY.  Later they selected the firm R.L. Banks and Associates to evaluate existing planning efforts and validate the Coalition’s findings of project feasibility.  The results of this research are available below.  Please note that the report presents recommendations based on the project scope as of February, 2008.  Elements of this scope are being reevaluated as current planning efforts progress. 

Final Report and Draft Business Plan
Final Report and Draft Business Plan
Wally Validation Study Final Report Presentation

Technical Reports
Choices: The Case for WALLY Commuter Rail
Operating Plan and Operating Budget
Station Development
Track Signal and Grade Crossing
Ridership Estimates
Finance and Administration
Customer Services and Bus Interface
Development Opportunities
Ann Arbor Rail Road Extension
Funding

Benefits
WALLY was developed as a cost-effective alternative to ease traffic congestion along I-96 and US-23 between Howell and Ann Arbor and to promote economic development and job creation in the region. By keeping thousands of cars off the road, WALLY will also have a number of environmental benefits.

Jobs Creation
Improved transit options translate directly to economic growth. Businesses and workers are increasingly choosing to locate where their employees and customers have access to convenient, reliable commuting options. It has been estimated that construction of WALLY will create nearly 800 jobs for the community! Already, track work and the rehabilitation of rail cars for WALLY is creating many jobs in the state.

Quality of life
Livingston County, with a population of nearly 200,000, is the fastest-growing of the state’s 83 counties with a 16.3 percent increase from 2000 to 2008. Not so far behind, Washtenaw County, population 347,400, is experiencing the 5^th largest population gain.   

With residential and employment growth in Washtenaw and Livingston counties rising over time, offering safe, convenient, reliable and affordable commuting choices for the community will become increasingly important. WALLY would eliminate much of the need for additional parking capacity in downtown Ann Arbor and reduce the University of Michigan’s need to build new parking structures to accommodate the rapidly expanding medical and life sciences facilities.  WALLY represents an assertive strategy to meet a growing demand and will improve quality of life for area residents.

Environmental impact
The growth of Washtenaw and Livingston counties has led to congestion along the U.S-23 corridor – and with it pollution and aesthetic threats to our landscape.

WALLY will remove about 1,300 vehicles daily from the peak direction on US-23, providing substantial reductions in both energy consumption and air pollution. It’s estimated a commuter rail line would cut gasoline usage by 580,000 gallons annually, preventing the release of 3,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Safety
The National Safety Council says commuter rails are about 15 times safer than private automobile travel on a per-passenger-mile basis. During a five-year period ending May 31, 2009, there were 2,747 vehicles crashes on the portion of US-23 where WALLY would operate. Since WALLY could be expected to reduce peak travel volumes by 20 percent on US-23, it would have a significant, positive impact on limiting highway crashes, injuries and fatalities.

Property values
Similar rail commuter projects in other parts of the country have shown that property values increase – sometimes in excess of 25 percent – with the biggest increases going to properties in closest proximity to the rail line.