Sterling Heights, MI
Stop on the proposed 17,000-mile maglev network. Next stop: Warren, MI (6.1 mi).
About Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A northern suburb of Detroit, Sterling Heights is located roughly 18 miles (29.0 km) north of Downtown.
Source: Wikipedia summary (full article). Population and facts as published there.
Cost breakdown (proposal-scale estimates — see math)
| Item | Basis | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal construction | Mid-size terminal (parametric range $1-2B) | $1.5B |
| Land acquisition | Regional factor 1× on $200M base | $200M |
| Track: Sterling Heights → Warren | 6.1 mi × $500M/mi | $3.05B |
| Annual operations (share) | Staffing, power, maintenance | $30M/yr |
| Stop total (excl. annual ops) | $4.75B |
Best terminal location (proposed)
A site in the Lakeside district on the M-59 corridor. The Lakeside area mixes the Lakeside Mall redevelopment opportunity with large commercial parcels along M-59, the east side's main artery. The corridor connects directly toward the Van Dyke axis, and the surrounding subdivisions put hundreds of thousands of residents within a short drive.
Before / after
Aerial mock-up (illustrative, not an engineering rendering). Left: the proposed site today. Right: with the maglev terminal.
- Center Line, MI - enclave city just south on the corridor
- Corridor note: no further towns fit - Sterling Heights and Warren are 6.1 miles apart on continuous suburbia
- Corridor note: any additional stop here would be a neighborhood station, not a new town