A rendering of the new Dearborn train station with walkway over the tracks to The Henry Ford. The eastbound lanes of Michigan Avenue can be seen in the upper left.

Dearborn is set to get an all-new train station adjacent to The Henry Ford as part of a series of grants announced by President Barack Obama. The new station could be a much-needed shot in the arm for downtown West Dearborn.

Michigan is set to receive $40 million to build the new passenger train station in Dearborn and renovate stations in Troy and Battle Creek.

The $40 million for Michigan is part of a larger $244 million award to the Michigan, Indiana and Illinois state transportation departments to fund a high-speed rail initiative that would link Pontiac and Chicago.

The Detroit Free Press reports that the money for Michigan is a fraction of the $800 million the state Department of Transportation had requested to shore up Michigan’s segments of the Pontiac to Chicago rail network, dotted with old, cramped train stations and rails that need improvements.

The $8 billion for high speed rail projects is part of the $787 billion in federal stimulus money approved last year.

A ground level rendering shows what Dearborn's new train station may look like.

It isn’t clear whether the $8 billion is enough to create a truly high speed rail system expansive enough to make a difference in commuter travel among car-conscious Americans but the money earmarked for Dearborn most certainly will be a positive improvement for our city.

Combine the new rail station with a plan to bring student housing to downtown Dearborn, new movie theatre and restaurants and west Dearborn could begin to feel more vibrant.  The stimulus money sure is a nice way for Dearborn to start the year 2010.