The St. Joseph City Commission is calling for Amtrak’s Pere Marquette line to be connected to the Blue Water and Wolverine lines. The body approved a resolution Monday to “strongly endorse and support the ultimate building of a rail connection in New Buffalo to link the Pere Marquette and the Wolverine/Blue Water services.” The resolution notes the Pere Marquette passes through New Buffalo on the way between Grand Rapids and Chicago but doesn’t stop there. However, other Amtrak trains, the Wolverine and the Blue Water, also pass through New Buffalo, but don’t share a connection with the Pere Marquette. The St. Joseph City Commission says a shared stop in New Buffalo would allow for the Pere Marquette to be more connected to other Amtrak lines and destinations. The resolution says Mayor Mike Garey has been discussing the idea with the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, and that it should be studied. The commission’s vote on Monday was unanimous.
