TRAVERSE CITY — The North+South Passenger Rail design survey has closed after drawing more than 21,000 responses from across Michigan, according to survey organizers.
The online survey, part of the ongoing North+South Passenger Rail study expected to wrap up this spring, invited the public to share how a future rail line could serve their travel needs if they were to travel by train.
In just over a month, 21,786 people completed the survey, including more than 8,000 within the first two days. The survey was circulated by media outlets and posted on northsouthrail.org.
Organizers said the strong turnout demonstrates widespread interest in passenger rail and provides insight into what potential riders view as important elements of their travel experience.
The highest response rates came from Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties, which together accounted for 7,030 submissions. At least one response was recorded from every Michigan county.
More than 75% of respondents said they have previously ridden a train in the United States, suggesting many participants were already familiar with rail travel.
When asked about their top reasons for using the train, more than 65% said they would use it for occasional trips. More than 25% indicated they would want to use it for both occasional travel and regular commuting if possible. The most common travel purposes identified were vacations, entertainment, outdoor recreation and visiting family.
Interest in using the train was fairly evenly distributed across seasons, with slightly higher interest in fall and summer travel. Organizers noted that current travel patterns in Michigan tend to lean toward more summer and spring travel by car and said the survey responses may indicate demand for winter travel when road conditions can be unpredictable.
When asked why they might prefer traveling by train, respondents most frequently cited the ability to have downtime to read and relax. Many also said they would value the opportunity to walk around and stretch during longer trips, such as the roughly four-hour drive between Traverse City and Detroit.
Survey participation was broadly balanced among respondents over age 25. Organizers said younger adults may have responded at lower rates, possibly due to differences in how they access news and information.
A formal report of the survey results is expected to be released this spring as the study concludes in the coming months, according to Carolyn Ulstad, transportation program manager.
To learn more about the project, click here.