STERLING HEIGHTS — City officials are exploring the possibility of passenger rail service connecting Sterling Heights with Detroit through Warren, using an existing freight rail corridor.

The city says its immediate goal is to preserve the Conrail corridor as portions of the tracks north of 22 Mile Road are being removed because they are unused and costly to maintain. Preserving the remaining corridor would keep future transportation options available.

City seeks regional support to preserve an existing freight corridor and study its potential for passenger service

City Manager Mark Vanderpool said Sterling Heights is bringing regional partners together to secure funding for a passenger rail feasibility study. He emphasized the importance of protecting the corridor, which runs between Mound Road and Van Dyke Avenue.

Vanderpool described public transportation as a major driver of economic development. The preliminary concept focuses on connecting residents with jobs, downtown Detroit’s sports and entertainment venues, and destinations served by Amtrak’s passenger rail network.

A concept paper presented to the City Council November 4 identified potential stops near the Velocity Center on 18 Mile Road in Sterling Heights, the General Motors Technical Center in Warren and the Eight Mile Road area.

The service could connect to downtown Detroit and potentially, in the future, Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

Vanderpool said the dismantling of tracks north of Sterling Heights raises concerns that additional portions of the corridor could eventually be sold.

“We don’t want that to happen in our city,” he said, explaining that officials want to act proactively to protect infrastructure that could prove essential to future transportation.

The city is discussing the concept with several regional partners, including Warren, Macomb County and the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan, to determine interest in a comprehensive feasibility study.

Officials hope to secure funding for that study within six to 12 months. The proposal remains preliminary; no passenger rail project, station locations, funding commitments or construction schedule have been approved.

Vanderpool said the study would examine, among other questions, whether the service should use conventional passenger trains similar to Amtrak’s or a lighter rail system comparable to the streetcars operating along Woodward Avenue in Detroit.

If developed, the service would link three of Michigan’s largest cities — Detroit, Warren and Sterling Heights — whose combined population is approximately 920,000. It could also offer connections for residents of nearby communities, including Ferndale and Royal Oak.