A strategic regional setting is of little advantage unless an adequate transportation system is available to connect the local community to surrounding areas. Monroe County is fortunate to have easy access to all major forms of transportation, including highway, water, rail and air modes of travel. Several important transportation routes are clustered into a major corridor located in the eastern portion of the County, running parallel to the Lake Erie shoreline. This corridor includes several important highways as well as a number of railroad tracks. The major components of this corridor and the Countys entire transportation network are discussed below.
Major Railways
The abundance of railroad lines serving Monroe County represents another important advantage for economic development. The Countys relatively high concentration of mainline railroads is due, in large part, to its proximity to the major urban centers of Detroit and Toledo. Lines fan out from each of those cities in different directions across Monroe County, with the heaviest concentration of lines and traffic along the corridor that runs directly between the two cities. CSX Transportation, CN (Canadian National), and NS (Norfolk Southern) all operate lines through the City of Monroe on the Detroit-Toledo Corridor. The former Conrail line was acquired in 1999 by Norfolk Southern when NS and CSX jointly acquired Conrail. NS also operates a Detroit/St. Louis line that passes through Milan in the extreme northwest corner of the County. The other railroad operating in Monroe County is the Ann Arbor, which operates between Toledo and Ann Arbor via Dundee and Milan. In February 2000, the Indiana and Ohio, a small regional carrier, acquired a portion of the CN line that runs through Summerfield Township west of Diann Tower where the line crosses the Ann Arbor, with trackage rights to Flat Rock over the CN.
A long-term program to consolidate rail lines running through the east side of the City of Monroe completed its first phase of implementation in 2002 with the opening of the John D. Dingell underpass at North Dixie Highway, but was terminated in 2008 due to lack of funding. Its purpose was to promote safety and alleviate traffic congestion. The programs first discussions were held in 1983, and several studies, each offering a variety of options, had been forwarded. The goal was to eliminate the westernmost track of the Norfolk Southern line through the City of Monroe that runs directly adjacent to residences on Kentucky Avenue, as well as several grade crossings.
Passenger Rail: The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) released its Ohio and Lake Erie Regional Rail Ohio Hub Study in October 2004, and continues to seek funding alternatives and take additional steps toward planning and implementation. The Cleveland Hub would have lines connecting Cleveland with Buffalo and Toronto, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Detroit. The Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit line would be the first segment to be built, and would pass through Monroe County on its way to Detroit Metropolitan Airport and the City of Detroit. A Monroe station location has been proposed by the Monroe County Planning Commission for West Seventh Street on the property of the Lake Erie Transit headquarters and bus garage. The Cleveland Hub would be the nexus between the Northeast Corridor on the east coast and the emerging Midwest Regional Rail and Chicago Hub systems.
Other potential passenger rail systems now in the development stage are a Detroit to Ann Arbor commuter line being studied by SEMCOG, and a proposal by the Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS) for a Washtenaw and Livingston Line (WALLY Rail) from Ann Arbor to Howell that could ultimately be extended south through Monroe County to Toledo.
Major Highways
Three major expressways serve Monroe County and represent the Countys most significant transportation asset. The most important expressway is Interstate 75, which runs from Sault Ste. Marie in northern Michigan to Florida in the south. Another major expressway is Interstate 275, which begins in northern Monroe County and runs in a northerly direction through western Wayne County, eventually terminating in Oakland County. Another limited access road traversing the County is U.S. 23. This freeway is located in the western half of the County, providing easy access to Ann Arbor and Flint to the north and Ohio to the south. These expressways connect with other major highway systems, linking Monroe County to the remainder of the midwest.
Several other major highways are also available in the eastern portion of the County along the I-75 corridor. These highways include Telegraph Road (U.S. 24) and Dixie Highway (M-125). The major east-west highways located in Monroe County are M-50, which runs through the center of the County and U.S. 223 and the former County Road 151, now called Luna Pier, Lakeside, Samaria, and St. Anthony Roads, which cut across the southern tier of townships.
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) released an access management study in September 2005, recommending improvements for Telegraph Road between Albain and Labo roads, where it passes through the Monroe urbanized areas. The study made recommendations aimed at reducing congestion and delay, maintaining capacity, reducing crashes, identifying acceleration/deceleration lanes to reduce delay, improving ingress and egress to businesses, coordinating land use decisions, and improving the aesthetic appeal of the corridor. A committee seeking strategies to carry out the studys recommendations has since met several times, and is expected to continue meeting in 2008.
Air Transportation
Two major airports, Detroit Metropolitan (Wayne County) and Toledo Express Airport, are located within an hours driving time from Monroe.
At the south end of Detroit Metropolitan Airport is the 97-gate Edward H. McNamara terminal. Opened in 2002, it is serves as a regional hub for Northwest Airlines. Two other terminals are on the north side of the airport. The Smith Terminal accommodates most other U.S. airlines plus Air Canada, and the Berry Terminal is for British Airways, Royal Jordanian and charter airlines.
A new 26-gate North Terminal is now under construction on the old site of the Davey Terminal, and when completed in the fall of 2008, it will complete modernization of all terminal facilities at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). The 820,000-square-foot facility will effectively compliment the McNamara Terminal. It will replace both the aging L.C. Smith Terminal and the Michael Berry Terminal. All commercial airline activity, with the exception of Northwest Airlines and its SkyTeam Alliance partners, will shift to the facility upon completion. Domestic and international charters will also be accommodated in the new complex.
Toledo Express Airport is located about 10 miles west of the city of Toledo. It is a secondary airport to Detroit Metropolitan Airport, providing limited flights and connections, and hosts air cargo services. It serves as a regional hub for smaller communities and rural areas in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. It is operated by the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.
Several smaller airports are also available within the County. The two main facilities within the County are the Monroe Custer Airport in the City of Monroe and Toledo Suburban Airport in Whiteford Township. Small public airports are found in the Erie, Petersburg, and Carleton areas, and several private airstrips are scattered throughout the County.
The City of Monroe and the Monroe Port Commission own Monroe Custer Airport. While there is presently no fixed-based operator, services listed are available through contracted concession agreement holders. The airport has a 5000 by 100 runway that can handle most airplanes except larger commercial airliners.
Pavement maintenance is carried out under FAA standards. An updated Precise Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) runway lighting system was installed in 2002 and a new taxiway was completed in 2004. Airfield electrical upgrade and partial perimeter fencing were installed in 2006. The potential of the airports value in local economic development is being explored. Traffic averages about 55 aircraft per day, and about 32 aircraft are based at the airport. The airport offers charters, fueling, maintenance, flying lessons, rental cars, and other special services. A five-year capital project plan was approved in November 2007. The layout plan is being updated to include an obstruction analysis for the proposed all-weather precision approach to determine any land acquisition needs. The entrance road and UST removal have been pushed to 2009. Rehabilitation of the airports entrance road and removal of an underground storage tank are slated for 2008. A new T-hangar and taxistreet are planned for 2010.
Custer Airport is designated as a reliever airport for Detroit Metropolitan Airport by the Federal Aviation Administration. The purpose of reliever airports is to divert smaller airplanes from Metro Airport during times of congestion to free airspace for the larger aircraft that use that airport.
Public Transportation
Public transportation in Monroe County is provided by the Lake Erie Transportation Commission (LETC), which is operated with funds made available through the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transit (SMART) and a local, voted, dedicated millage. The system serves more than 400,000 riders a year. It operates eight linehaul/fixed routes serving the residents of the City of Monroe, Frenchtown Charter Township, and Monroe Charter Township. The fixed routes utilize a transfer station on North Telegraph Road at Fredericks Drive. Dial-A-Ride service for residents of Frenchtown and Bedford Townships, Essential Transportation System service for handicapped and elderly citizens and ADA (Americans with Disabilities) services for those with certified ADA ID are also provided.
Water Transportation
Monroe County is the only Michigan county that is immediately adjacent to Lake Erie which forms part of the St. Lawrence Seaway system. Proximity to Lake Erie is therefore an advantage for economic development purposes. The St. Lawrence Seaway system provides opportunities for transportation costs savings for those industries that use water transportation routes for moving general or bulk material. Easy access to Lake Erie is also an advantage for those industries that need large quantities of water for processing or cooling operations. Access to Lake Erie for industrial and/or shipping purposes is provided via the Port of Monroe, which is located near the mouth of the River Raisin in the City of Monroe. The navigable portion of the Port consists of both an inner and outer channel and a turning basin. The inner channel, which connects the turning basin to the mouth of the river, is 200 feet wide and 15,800 feet in length. Both channels have a depth of 21 feet. The turning basin encompasses roughly 22 acres and is 18 feet deep and 800 feet in diameter. Dock Facilities include 1,043 feet of dock (concrete and steel sheet pile), 460 feet of dock (steel sheet pile) on the turning basin, and 1,500 feet of dock (natural bank) on River Raisin.
The port received a $495,000 federal grant in 2008 to dredge the main shipping channel for the first time in about 8 years. Dredging was expected to begin during the summer to increase the width of the area where cargo ships can navigate. The work, in addition to maintenance dredging performed in the fall of 2007 is expected to increase commerce at the port.
Other improvements to the Port are needed to enhance its economic development potential, the most significant of which involves increasing the depth of the channels and turning basin to 27 feet, which is the standard St. Lawrence Seaway depth. The Port contracted N.U.S. Corporation to conduct a health and safety plan, including hydrological investigation and groundwater study. The Port also contributed $250,000 toward demolition of the old Consolidated Paper Plant, and then purchased the entire site from the City for future development.
The Port of Monroe Industrial Park makes land available for industrial development, and offers a number of incentives and advantages for development.
