Watch the video: Ann Arbor - Detroit Regional Rail Project

"The current project is to provide commuter rail service in the Detroit-Ann Arbor corridor with stops in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Dearborn, and Detroit. The project takes advantage of existing infrastructure where possible and requires adding new station stops in Ypsilanti and at Detroit Metro Airport."

 

The page with explanation and other links, including the video download:  http://www.semcog.org/AADD.aspx

 

 

Just the Video Link:  (need Quicktime to view)

 

http://www.semcog.org/uploadedFiles/Programs_and_Projects/Planning/Corridor_Studies/AAtoDetroit.mov

 

If video doesn't begin automatically, start Quicktime first and reload page or with IE, go to Tools, Manage Add-Ons and Enable Quicktime...be patient.

Transportation Survey

"SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, is conducting a survey to gauge the public's level of satisfaction with the region's transportation system and their attitudes toward prioritizing transportation improvements."

Take the Survey

Candidate Forum June 24th - August Primary News

The League of Women Voters from Wayne County will be sponsoring a candidate forum for judicial candidates running for Third CircuitCourt, non-incumbent positions in the Primary Election (5 August 2008).

There are three open seats and the August Primary will cut the fieldfrom eleven candidates to six candidates. The forum will be held on Tuesday, 24 June 2008 at 7:00 until 9:00 PM at Vis-Ta-Tech Center at Schoolcraft College.

The address for the Livonia Campus location is 18600 Haggerty Road, Livonia. There are several entrances and the Vis-Ta-Tech Center is well marked. The phone number is 734-462-4595.

For more information, see also the LWVGP website at www.grossepointe.mi.lwvnet.org

Rouge River News

Kingfisher Bluff Update
From a Voter article, December 2005, regarding the Rouge River: “There is a lovely natural area behind Henry Ford Community College called Kingfisher Bluff. HFCC plans to cut into the banks of the bluff to build a large wooden lookout along with repaving their parking lot this is the area the Kingfisher bird uses as its nesting site. There are very few available sites for thee birds to nest. In addition, the soft shell mat and painted turtles gather at the foot of this site.”

Since that time, negotiations have been ongoing with HFCC, ECT Engineering, environmentalists, and the Michigan Department of Environment. It seemed that the engineering plans made too great an impact on Kingfisher Bluff, so MDEQ wouldn’t grant a permit to proceed.

In an interview with Allen Gigliottee, HFCC’s Director of Building and Grounds, public comments were accepted and resulting meetings were set to discuss the bluff and viewing deck. No public hearings were requested. As a result, ECT, Inc. changed their original plans which included a cantilevered design, a foundation and a retaining wall and agreed to a more natural bio-engineered style. It will be built at the very top of the bluff where the grade of ground is already level. In case there would be a disturbance of the Kingfisher birds, ECT will insert nesting tubes that the birds have been found to use at other sites.

It was the wish of all environmentalists involved that the overlook / deck would be placed near but not on the bluff because of the impact on its resources. Yet, negotiations prevailed and the outcome must have been acceptable to MDEQ as the permit was granted. HFCC will start on the overlook first, followed by the repaving of the parking lot which includes a rain garden and plantings that will help slow the storm water.

Frustration with access to voter information in Wayne County

Who filed for Wayne County offices?

This should be easily available to the public, especially civic-minded groups like the League of Women Voters. The deadline was May 13; withdrawal deadline May 16.Members of our Voter Service committee (LWVDDH) have been calling the Elections dept. of the Wayne County Clerk's office, every few days since to ask when it will be posted on their website, hearing "on Wednesday", "in the next few days", "next week."On June 3,"Gil" in the Elections Dept., said that if we want a copy of the candidates who will be on the August Primary ballot, we must go in person to the City County Bldg., room 502, and pay 25 cents a sheet -there are 94 sheets, but we can go through them and pick out the local municipalities (or county-wide races) we want to copy.

He doesn't know when it will be on line. I asked why it was being kept secret, and he said it's not, it's available to anyone who comes in person and pays 25 cents a sheet for the results. Mon-Fri. 8-4:30.

We want the (1) county-wide Wayne County races, the (2) 9th and 13th district Wayne County Commissioner races, and (3) the list of precinct delegates in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, and anything else that will be on our ballots that only Wayne County clerk's office has access to?

I never want to publicly print, in the name of the League of Women Voters, information I don't have from the official source. That State of Michigan Secretary of State's office has fabulous information, on line, fully accessible, at www.michigan.gov/sos, which includes all the many and confusing judicial races, as well as the other races we face in both the primary and general 2008 elections. The local city clerks offices in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights are always helpful, and give access to public information right after the filing deadlines. It is a real disservice to the people of Wayne County that public access, prior to the ballots being printed, is not readily available to interested citizens and groups.

P.S. Today, the morning of June 5, 3 weeks after the filing deadlines have passed, the information is still not on-line.
Betsy Cushman

Candidates Forum June 24th - 3rd Circuit Court

The League of Women Voters from Wayne County will be sponsoring a candidate forum for judicial candidates running for Third Circuit Court, non-incumbent positions in the Primary Election (5 August 2008).

There are three open seats and the August Primary will cut the field from eleven candidates to six candidates.The forum will be held Tuesday, 24 June 2008 at 7:00 until 9:00 PM at Vis-Ta-Tech Center at Schoolcraft College. The address for the Livonia Campus location is 18600 Haggerty Rd., Livonia. (Vis-Ta-Tech Center 734.462.4595).

There are several entrances and the Vis-Ta-Tech Center is well marked.The candidate forum will be moderated by a member of the League of Women Voters according to established League guidelines. Questions for the candidates will be from the audience. The public is encouraged to attend and learn about the candidates.