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Ridership increases for Amtrak

(NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A new report coming out Monday morning says more people in Michigan are riding the rails to Chicago and back.

The three rail lines in the state connect the Detroit area, Grand Rapids and Port Huron to Chicago.

According to the Brookings Institution all three routes have experienced double digit increases in ridership since 1997.

In fact, it says shorter lines between major metropolitan areas, like the ones in Michigan, are driving Amtrak's growth nationally.

The Pere Marquette line from Grand Rapids to Chicago has the largest growth with a 68 percent increase in ridership over the 16 years of the study.

Michigan also ranked fourth nationally in state support for Amtrak.

The state spent $35 million between 2007 and 2011.