Annual Michigan Rail Conference Coming in August

The third annual Michigan Rail Conference will be held Aug. 19 and 20 at the Grand Valley State University L.V. Eberhard Center in Grand Rapids. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is partnering with Michigan Technological University, the railroad industry, and others to organize the event. The main conference will be on Aug. 20, with a half-day field trip to Grand Rapids-area rail facilities on Aug. 19.

This year's conference theme is "Gathering Momentum: The Challenges and Opportunities before Us." Joe Szabo, executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and former administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, will be the keynote speaker. Presentations and expert panel discussions will focus on topics associated with transportation funding implications, railroad crossings, passenger rail trends and connectivity, and rail shipper projections.