[LMich]

Almost there...

I'm interested to see what Hertel comes up with. He could come up with an umbrella authority that keeps SMART and DDOT in place, or the new authority could get rid of the existing agencies, altogether.



Metro transit authority plan expected by April (http://www.freep.com/article/20090129/BUSINESS04/901290364)

BY JOHN GALLAGHER • FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER • January 29, 2009

Metro Detroit transit czar John Hertel hopes to propose a regional transportation authority structure by April and win approval for it from regional leaders and state legislators soon after that.

Once approved, the regional transit authority would build and operate a transit system for metro Detroit.

But the authority's first job would be to sell tri-county voters on the need for a new transit tax to pay for the proposed 400-mile, $10.5-billion transit system.

"The sooner we can do this, the better," Hertel said Tuesday night at the annual meeting of the group Transportation Riders United.

TRU is a nonprofit citizens organization that advocates for creation of mass transit in metro Detroit.

State lawmakers recently passed legislation allowing the creation of a regional transit authority to create a new mass-transit system for metro Detroit. Now it's up to Hertel, the civic leader chosen by leaders in Detroit and Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, to propose a structure for the governing authority.

One natural way to create a regional authority is to pick one board member each for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties plus Detroit.

But Hertel said he was examining regional transit authorities from other cities to see if other models offered better ways.

Speaking of the need for a new tax to help pay for the plan, Hertel stressed the long-term economic benefits of a new transit system for the city.

"If you're going to have a mass transit that serves the three counties and Detroit that is a unified system and a modern system, yeah, you're going to have to have some way to raise local funds. There's no doubt about it," he said. "Mass transit is expensive, but it's a lot more expensive not to do it."

Asked for a prediction of whether Detroit would actually get a mass-transit system soon, Hertel said, "I now believe that the chances have passed 50-50, but I'm not telling you it's a sure thing."

Contact JOHN GALLAGHER at 313-222-5173 or gallagher@freepress.com.

[the urban politician]

Great news.

Can any of you kindly post what the nature of the plan is? (sorry guys, too lazy to do the research)

[LMich]

Check out my thread on this in the transportation subforum.

[ginsan2]

Almost there...

I'm interested to see what Hertel comes up with. He could come up with an umbrella authority that keeps SMART and DDOT in place, or the new authority could get rid of the existing agencies, altogether.

I just wonder, what type of mass transit? I want more than buses.

Southeast Michigan really has a remarkable grid in place for mass transit-- between the M's and the "Miles" you have a fantastic square grid. It's superb in how it serves bus, the boulevards (especially Telegraph) that have all the room in the world for light rail, et cetera.

And although I'm sure this is a billion miles from anyone's minds, I'd like to see some sort of cost analysis done on the probability of a subway. Just 'cause I'm a cost nerd and I crave that sort of speculation.

[hudkina]

Detroit doesn't need a subway system. It widened its streets in the early part of the 20th century to make room for streetcars. The Main Avenues are 9 lanes wide. They can easily handle light rail plus two+ lanes of traffic in either direction. That's especially so when you get out in the suburbs with the wide medians. The only place where a subway system might be feasible would be in the immediate downtown area, but it seems that the People Mover, elevated system is the more sensible approach.

[LMich]

I just wonder, what type of mass transit? I want more than buses.

You haven't heard? The first line will be Woodward Avenue light rail, and there is also an Ann Arbor-Detroit commuter line in the works. There is also the WALLY commuter line that'll connect urban areas in Livingston and Washtenaw counties.

Here, check these out:

- Transportation Riders United (http://www.detroittransit.org/)

- DTOGS Woodward Light Rail (http://www.woodwardlightrail.com/Home.html)

- WALLY (https://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/planning/Wally/RFP)

[ginsan2]

Detroit doesn't need a subway system. It widened its streets in the early part of the 20th century to make room for streetcars. The Main Avenues are 9 lanes wide. They can easily handle light rail plus two+ lanes of traffic in either direction. That's especially so when you get out in the suburbs with the wide medians. The only place where a subway system might be feasible would be in the immediate downtown area, but it seems that the People Mover, elevated system is the more sensible approach.

See, I think that we do. Need a subway, that is. Subways don't have the same air resistance issues, they can achieve much higher speeds due to uninterrupted track (how many freaking lights are there on Ford these days?), and they aren't exposed to the weather. Because frankly, the last time I drove on '96 my neck hurt by the time I got out of the car.

I just like the idea of things being underground; Chicago's rail doesn't seem to have had a good time dealing with winter.

You haven't heard? The first line will be Woodward Avenue light rail, and there is also an Ann Arbor-Detroit commuter line in the works. There is also the WALLY commuter line that'll connect urban areas in Livingston and Washtenaw counties.

Here, check these out:

- Transportation Riders United (http://www.detroittransit.org/)

- DTOGS Woodward Light Rail (http://www.woodwardlightrail.com/Home.html)

- WALLY (https://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/planning/Wally/RFP)

Aw, that's adorable, you'll have a line named after a Pixar film :P

That being said, I want to murder someone for all the hours I've had to sit on '94 going from Detroit and Ann Arbor. I can't even fathom what it would be like to not have to drive that.

[hudkina]

I don't think there is much of a difference time-wise between LRT with its own ROW and a subway. Often times, traffic lights are timed to favor light rail trains. The line that always comes to my mind when picturing what a Woodward LRT system would look like is Boston's Commonwealth Ave line.

[Hayward]

That being said, I want to murder someone for all the hours I've had to sit on '94 going from Detroit and Ann Arbor. I can't even fathom what it would be like to not have to drive that.

That's not the first time I've heard that. I have many friends who make that commute and tell me their stories. Apparently, it's a huge science, juggling options, dealing with unusual and unpredictable backups. It's like you can't win, no matter what. There's also that ramp from the Lodge to Wb 94 that's closed forever.

[LMich]

I feel the same way about coming from Lansing, though, the traffic is much less an issue. If we ever got the high-speed train between the two, I'd never drive down there again. Yeah, and 94 can be just plain ridiculous. I've learned my lesson about trying to get from Metro by taking 96 to US-23, and then taking it to 94, especially in the morning. I thought it'd save me time since its a shorter distance, but it's only saved me time, once. And US-23 between Livingston and Ann Arbor can be a disaster in the morning. Hopefully, this bodes well for WALLY.

[LMich]

Troy and Birmingham are planning on going in on a centralized intermodal transit center that will be capable of being tied into Detroit's regional mass transit plan. Things just keep moving foward. Also, take note that this is all being done with no help or leadership from the county executive. I always thought he had to be one board to make this work, but regional mass transit is going forward despite him:



Growth platform: Troy, Birmingham race for $7M for transit site (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902020348)

Jennifer Chambers / The Detroit News

February 2, 2009

Troy -- The cities of Troy and Birmingham are racing the clock to finance a multimillion-dollar regional transportation center designed to increase rail travel, provide a regional transfer point for SMART buses and offer taxi and black sedan service.

Both cities have 16 months -- or until June 2010 -- to come up with $7 million to fund construction of a transit center building, a pedestrian tunnel and two platforms on a 3-acre parcel behind Midtown Square shopping plaza near Maple Road and Coolidge Highway.

The new station, called the Troy Intermodal Transit Facility, is envisioned as a hub in a larger regional transit system planned for Metro Detroit, including a commuter rail line from Ann Arbor to Detroit and a proposed light rail line along Woodward Avenue in Detroit to the suburbs of Oakland County.

The transit center, on the Troy side of the railroad tracks, would be built around the existing Amtrak rail line and stop in Birmingham and give passengers centralized access to bus, taxi and limousine services, which could help connect them to the northern suburbs.

Officials from both cities have been working on a transit center project since 2000 when developer Grand Sakwa, under a consent judgment, agreed to donate the land to Troy with the condition it be used for a transit center. The property will revert to Grand Sakwa if the deadline is not met.

In December, Troy and Birmingham agreed to pay the law firm Clark Hill $7,500 a month to lobby state and federal lawmakers for the funds.

City officials hope the transit center is an ideal candidate for funds in the federal economic recovery plan proposed by President Barack Obama. Obama is lobbying for congressional passage of an $825 billion stimulus package.

"We have an excellent chance of receiving funding under the stimulus plan," Birmingham City Planner Jana Ecker said. "We are one of the few packages for transit that is this far along." U.S. Congressman Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, said he is working with state, municipal and business leaders to help gather support to get the project off the ground.

Megan Owens of Transportation Riders United said the success of mass transit demands that people know where to catch a bus or train and where the routes go. Providing a centralized area for people to get information gives them an easy connection to the system, she said.

Plus, rail passengers who already use the Birmingham station would welcome the new amenities, Owens said.

"These types of transit centers can be a boost for redevelopment," Owens said. "You get lots of mixed use and condos and lofts around transit centers."

Bill Cowger of the Troy Chamber of Commerce said the transit center is a small capital expense with a huge potential payoff.

"Other transit proposals require major infrastructure. The primary infrastructure for this project is already there: the railroad. It's a really small investment for a huge leap to make Troy and Birmingham more walkable and eventually connect to the Ann Arbor-Detroit rail," Cowger said. "Once the service is provided, they will come."

City leaders said they plan to hold brainstorming workshops in the spring to get input from the public on the proposal.

You can reach Jennifer Chambers at (248) 647-7402 or jchambers@detnews.com.

[subterranean]

I feel the same way about coming from Lansing, though, the traffic is much less an issue. If we ever got the high-speed train between the two, I'd never drive down there again. Yeah, and 94 can be just plain ridiculous. I've learned my lesson about trying to get from Metro by taking 96 to US-23, and then taking it to 94, especially in the morning. I thought it'd save me time since its a shorter distance, but it's only saved me time, once. And US-23 between Livingston and Ann Arbor can be a disaster in the morning. Hopefully, this bodes well for WALLY.

I can vouch for that last part. I commute to Ann Arbor from Lansing two days a week. It used to be a lot more, but thankfully that isn't the case anymore. Trying to get to my 8:30 class in time can definitely be a science. I honestly believe that leaving LATE by thirty minutes gets me there 5 minutes later than I normally would have if I had left on time. Don't be on 23 at 10 to the hour. But if you're there at quarter after 8, it's fairly smooth sailing, so long as you don't mind driving 60 mph and people riding your ass.

[Hayward]

I can vouch for that last part. I commute to Ann Arbor from Lansing two days a week. It used to be a lot more, but thankfully that isn't the case anymore. Trying to get to my 8:30 class in time can definitely be a science. I honestly believe that leaving LATE by thirty minutes gets me there 5 minutes later than I normally would have if I had left on time. Don't be on 23 at 10 to the hour. But if you're there at quarter after 8, it's fairly smooth sailing, so long as you don't mind driving 60 mph and people riding your ass.

I skipped that 8:30 class this morning. See me there in the waaaay back? Nope. And my commute is like 15 minutes lol.

[Trainman]

Great news.

Can any of you kindly post what the nature of the plan is? (sorry guys, too lazy to do the research)

Quote

Can any of you kindly post what the nature of the plan is? (sorry guys, too lazy to do the research)

End of Quote

The house bill that created DARTA was explicate and to the point. It meant the end of over $100 Million per in operating subsidies to SMART and DDOT from the state fuel tax. The new bill is the same and the preferred funding is one half percent for transit operation and one half percent for the county road commission. This is kept a secret to deceive the public into believing that we will get more from our limited transportation tax dollars, more federal funds and job growth.

The city of Livonia never paid for the large SMART buses ever. The money came from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The November 2005 opt. out was a hoax to disguise over $32 Million dollars per year in operating cuts that were once used for revenue sharing among communities.

The August 2010 SMART property tax renewal is a cover up, masquerade and a deception to get the public to believe that the state tax on fuel from the Michigan Department of Transportation is now defunct and must be replaced.

A vote of NO will only defeat the increase of this tax.

The savethefueltax.org website is designed to defeat this tax unless SMART officials respond appropriately to serve the best interests of all taxpayers. This will restore the dignity and respect of southeast Michigan’s taxpayers by allowing competition and the end of scare tactics designed to increase taxes by telling the public that the elderly, handicapped and the low income will lose their transportation options without your YES vote. This is illegal because of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is time to publicly disqualify SMART officials from denying the public a voice in how we use our tax dollars by mailing them the letter in the website to protect Act 51 which mandates state funds for all.

The NEW regional agreement rejects protecting existing federal and state funding by allowing a county take over of mast transit. This affords the taxpayers no accountable as it is essentially a bailout of over $70 Million in debts from the city of Detroit which is very explicit if you take the time to understand how mass transit is funded as specific to the state of Michigan. The only way a regional transit authority can be of any benefit is by reducing the per passenger costs of our existing public bus systems. The promoters of this agreement claim just that but they are wrong. Our county and local governments are not equipped to manage, build and maintain the transit system that is proposed by our leaders. This is best left to our industries without the county government.

The SMART property tax and NEW regional agreement are both regressive in the sense that it will be the low income and not state, federal or industry that will pay. There is just simply no reason why an average worker would want to support such an agreement or the SMART property tax unless they want to pay more taxes for no reason. Our existing laws protect our mass transit systems as we know them today. But, lawmakers in Lansing will take away all funding and move our state backwards unless directly challenged to make SMART and DDOT accountable by protecting all existing funds. That is not the case.


Remember Livonia in November 2006? That is the future of southeast Michigan unless the public demands the restoration of public bus service first in writing. Our leaders are not interested in supporting or improving our existing public bus systems. That is not the purpose of the new regional mass transit agreement.

Without Support, savethefueltax.org will expire and there just simply will not be any state money or a decent amount of fare box money or any industry support to speak of. It will be survival of the fittest and the rich will win every single time. Of course, unless our industries including Wal-Mart decide to pay a decent wage out of the kindness and generosity of their big hearts.

[hudkina]

Nooooooooooooo!!!!

[LMich]

Trainman,

I know you from Detroityes.com, and I will let you know straight off the bat that if you do here what you do there, we will call it (unlike DetroitYes.com) for what it is: trolling.

[Hayward]

You gotta be kidding me. LMich, do something.

[ginsan2]

Trainman,

I know you from Detroityes.com, and I will let you know straight off the bat that if you do here what you do there, we will call it (unlike DetroitYes.com) for what it is: trolling.

I honestly wonder who has time to do trolling in Michigan. There are so many better things to do.

Like go to party stores.

Once upon a time, I took party stores for granted. Any time I wanted to, I could stroll down a block and choose between any three party stores. They all sold my favorite vodkas and gins at such reasonable prices.

Oh I complained about the weather, and the lack of light rail options. I too hated the long winters. But really, what I should have been focused on was the completely disregarded unparalleled access to booze. Cheap booze.

This is the first summer I won't know a Stoli Summer Sale at a drug store :(

[LMich]

Looks like the private line from downtown to New Center is further along than most folks in the region knew:



Bids for Woodward rail line being reviewed (http://www.freep.com/article/20090306/BUSINESS06/903060394/Bids+for+Woodward+rail+line+being+reviewed)

BY JOHN GALLAGHER • FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER • March 6, 2009

The proposed privately funded light-rail system on Woodward Avenue has a new name and an aggressive timetable as planners take the first practical steps to turn the idea into reality.

Formerly known as TRAIL for the Regional Area Initial Link, the system is now called M1-RAIL after the state designation for Woodward Avenue -- M1.

Paul Childs, a staffer at the nonprofit Downtown Detroit Partnership, now serves as project manager for M1-RAIL. He said Monday that bids for engineering design and pre-construction oversight were issued in late February and project staffers are now reviewing submissions from various firms.

Contracts could be awarded for those tasks as early as late March. Planners hope to break ground by fall and have the rail system running by late 2010 if all goes well.

"That's pretty ambitious," Childs admitted. "Everything has to align to make that happen." But he added, "We have a goal, and we think the goal is doable."

Ann Lang, president of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, said progress on the M1-RAIL system proved that good things can happen, even in a depressed economy.

"It's wonderful at this time to have something so big and so positive to rally around," she said.

Civic leader John Hertel led the Woodward Avenue rail effort until state lawmakers recently passed legislation allowing for the creation of the privately funded system. Hertel now has moved on to planning a region-wide transit system.

Businessman and civic leader Roger Penske, chair of the downtown partnership, serves as chair of M1-RAIL. Matthew Cullen, a former General Motors executive, serves as CEO of the rail venture. He is also president and chief operating officer of Rock Enterprises, a holding company for entrepreneurial firms controlled by Dan Gilbert, founder of Quicken Loans.

The $100 million needed to build the system is being raised by selling sponsorships of individual stations to prominent business leaders and institutions. Wayne State University has agreed to sponsor one station, while other sponsors include Penske, Peter Karmanos Jr. of Compuware Corp., Dan Gilbert of Quicken Loans, and the Ilitch family of pizza and sports fame.

Penske, Cullen, and project manager Childs are not being paid for their work with M1-RAIL.

The M1-RAIL system would feature streetcars running up both sides of Woodward Avenue in the second lane out from the curb between Jefferson Avenue and New Center. Childs said that the system probably would order either six or seven large passenger cars or 10 to 12 smaller ones.

Each of the 13 stops would involve two stations, one on either side of the street, to accommodate both north and south traffic.

The system still needs to obtain a City of Detroit operating license.

Contact JOHN GALLAGHER at 313-222-5173 or gallagher@freepress.com.

This is really quite impressive. It shows that the business community is very serious about this. I still can't believe it's happening, especially considering what's going on economically and socially in the region, at the moment.

[subterranean]

Leave it to Detroit leaders to Disney-fy something that should be taken very seriously. Not only is the line going to be substantially shorter than the public plan, now I'll have to sit on a bench that looks like a pepperoni pizza.

And what of a plan for the future, when the line needs to be extended? Who will handle that? Will you have to switch trains? Will a person downtown have to take the people mover to this private set and then switch again to get up past New Center.

I don't like this, not at all.

[alexjon]

^Sponsorship on this magnitude happens all the time, from attaching names to LRT stops in Salt Lake to sponsored stops announced by sponsor on streetcar lines in the PacNW (Next Stop... South Lake Union Park... sponsored by... UW Children's Hospital.). In fact, there's an entire alignment segment of about a mile and a half in North Portland that is owned by development groups (originally Bechtel) that had two stops put in anticipation of their new businesses, the first of which didn't open until late 2006/early 2007, years after the opening of the line.

[hudkina]

It sounds like it won't be grade separated. While I guess that it is good that this is becoming a sure thing, I would rather have grade-separated LRT in the center of the road. Woodward needs to be made more pedestrian friendly, and having 9 lanes of traffic doesn't help.

[LMich]

Yes, it's becoming more apparent that the private plan to connect central Detroit with downtown Detroit is more-or-less a glorified street car. I'm not sure that's a bad.

The public, center-lane system (which is still moving forward, BTW) sounds like it's going to be an honest-to-goodness light rail system. I don't see how these two couldn't coexist as long as they find an efficient way to tie the two, together. Though, I have to admit that it's not ideal, because it'd involve a transfer from one system to the other essentially.

The way I view it is that the LTR line will link the northern suburbs (eventually) with the central Detroit (New Center) intermodal station that is planned. From there, you can take M1-RAIL downtown, or get on the commuter line, or come at it from the other direction of coming into Detroit on the commuter line and either jumping on the light rail to get to the northern suburbs, or the M1-RAIL to downtown. Either way, it seems that the New Center intermodal station that's been in the works for some time will become the distributor/hub of the system.

That's kind of where the confusion lies, but nothing seems to be pointing to downtown being the main hub (or at least the only main hub) of any regional system. That'd require the construction of new rail infrastructure, wouldn't it?

[jyax82]

Anything new on this? I haven't heard anything.

[subterranean]

Deal with city gives Detroit’s light-rail backers green light

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090521/FREE/905219973&Show=0&template=printart

By Bill Shea

Backers of a privately-funded $125 million light-rail line on Detroit’s Woodward Avenue have reached an accord with the city’s transportation department to move ahead with their version of the project.

The Detroit Department of Transportation’s proposed $371 million “Detroit Transit Options for Growth” included different types of trains and a center-of-street layout for Woodward, putting the two projects initially at loggerheads.

Now, the private plan, known as the M1 Rail, is likely to develop its 3.4 mile curb-side system as planned, and have it connect into the DTOG system north of the New Center Area — or whatever public train system that comes to fruition.

“This is in no way competition,” said M1 Rail CEO Matt Cullen said, adding that he’s been in talks with Norman White, the city’s CFO who was previously the MDOT director, a position that remains vacant.

Messages were left for White and for DDOT assistant director Lovevett Williams.

North of the M1 Rail’s terminus at the New Center area, the line is expected to converge into a higher speed center-of-street system that moves at a faster commuter rate with fewer stops, Cullen said.

That would match DDOT’s original plan, which proposes a line extending to the State Fairgrounds at Eight Mile Road.

Since the closely guarded M1 Rail project first came to light in Crain’s last year, it was obvious the two projects would have to reconcile because the DTOG plan included the same portion of Woodward.

However, the city’s plan relies on federal funding that hasn’t been applied for because Detroit doesn’t have the required matching money — leading to speculation about the project’s viability.

The nonprofit M1-Rail, which got needed legislative approvals and state operational funding mechanisms put in place in January, includes money from private backers, foundations and corporations, and will run a 12-stop route from Hart Plaza to Grand Boulevard in New Center, running past major business, cultural, medical, educational and sporting destinations.
THE MONEY
These are funding and cost projections for the M1 Rail project:

Funding
• Private donations/station sponsorships: $30 million
• Downtown Development Authority: $9 million
• Kresge Foundation: $35 million
• Utility/in kind: $4 million
• Vehicle lease/financing: $32 million
• New markets tax credits: $15 million
Total: $125 million

Costs
• Engineering: $6 million
• Construction: $65 million
• Vehicles: $32 million
• Contingency: $6 million
• Management/reserves: $12 million
• Net interest during construction: $12 million
Total: $125 million

Source: M1 Rail
Its financial and organizational backers include Penske Corp. founder Roger Penske Peter, who is chairman of the M1 Rail project; Peter Karmanos Jr., founder of Detroit-based software maker Compuware Corp.; Mike Ilitch, owner of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings and co-founder of Little Caesar Enterprises Inc.; and Quicken Loans/Rock Financial founder Dan Gilbert, who’s the project’s co-chairman.

Cullen is also president and COO of Gilbert’s Rock Enterprises holding company.

The project is under the supervision of the nonprofit Downtown Detroit Partnership, a private-public partnership of corporate and civic leaders, led by chairman Roger Penske. It’s a key element, but separate, from a $10 billion three-county regional transit plan being developed by transit czar John Hertel for the elected executives of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb counties and Detroit.

The M1 Rail will eventually be turned over to the authority that runs the three-county system. Hertel orchestrated the secret meetings of the private backers for nearly two years before turning the project over the downtown partnership.

The M1 Rail project was discussed Thursday morning with reporters at the Detroit Athletic Club.

Here are some of the other highlights:

• The goal is to begin construction by the end of the year and have the line running no later than 18 months later. “It’s an aggressive timeline,” Cullen said. Survey crews are already at work.

• The project’s executives are in discussions with “two or three” financiers to assemble the money aspect of the rail system, Cullen said. He declined to reveal names, but said they would be banks that have an extensive local presence. Because the project’s funding is coming in over time, money will need to be financed up front.

• Ten individuals, foundations or corporations have donated at least $3 million each, Cullen said. (See related box, on the project’s funding and cost estimates.)

• The line will be in the second lane from the curb, preserving parking along Woodward and co-mingled with traffic. Stations will protrude by the curbside and will include advertising and branding. “This is very much a pedestrian-friendly system,” Cullen said. The cars, which will be a hybrid between modern street cars and traditional light rail, will typically carry 100-125 people, and more than 200 during major events such as ballgames.

• The service will be available from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. with an estimated 75-cent toll that will be honor-based, meaning tickets are bought prior to boarding and are randomly checked during trips. There will be discounted tickets for students, seniors and frequent riders. Revenue fare is expected to account for just a small amount of the line’s operating funding, with the rest coming from state subsidy’s and taxes captured from development along the route, as authorized by the legislation signed into law in January.

• The project will require some level of approval from the city, and cooperation, but Cullen said it’s not completely certain yet that the city council would have to sign off the rail line. Woodward is a state highway, so the Michigan Department of Transportation has primary oversight, but the city has a role, too. He also said Mayor Dave Bing is aware of the project, and will be getting more in-depth briefing soon.

• There are no plans to seek federal stimulus money for the M1 Rail, but Cullen said it’s cost could be used as the local match portion of any publicly funded extension of the line and as part of the larger regional transit project.

• The rail company will attempt to broker a deal to piggyback another city’s production run of train cars, Cullen said. There are just a handful of light rail vehicle manufacturers, and car orders often are for dozens or hundreds, so Cullen said a manufacturer might be willing to add Detroit’s dozen or so units onto a pre-existing order. Notable manufacturers include Germany’s Siemens Transportations Systems, Bombardier Transportation in Montreal and Oregon Iron Works Inc. in Clackamas, Ore.

• The line’s route is still being studied. Because of the physical restrictions involved in a light-rail vehicle’s turning radius, it’s possible the line may switch at Campus Martius to Washington Avenue to form a loop that extends to Jefferson Avenue and back to Woodward, Cullen said. Another option is a train stopping, the driver walking to the other end of the vehicle and simply driving from the other end from a Y-shaped terminus. “We’re looking to understand what makes sense,” Cullen said.

• Henry Ford Hospital has expressed interest in a spur line connecting to the New Center Area stop.

Cullen also briefly addressed speculation that the private backers getting any direct financial gain from the project: No, they won’t. “It’s pure philanthropy by the private funders,” he said.

• The M1 Rail was originally called The Regional Area Initial Link, or TRAIL, but possibilities for new names are being studied.

[hudkina]

North of the M1 Rail’s terminus at the New Center area, the line is expected to converge into a higher speed center-of-street system that moves at a faster commuter rate with fewer stops, Cullen said.

That's actually not a bad idea. While you get the slower, more pedestrian-friendly portion in the Greater Downtown area, you get the faster, more commuter-friendly portion north of that. I really like that idea. My only fear is that by having a lane of parking right next to the tracks will pose a safety concern. Someone might not see that the train is coming and open their door at the most inopportune time...

• The goal is to begin construction by the end of the year and have the line running no later than 18 months later. “It’s an aggressive timeline,” Cullen said. Survey crews are already at work.

I really hope this does begin construction by the end of the year. Once the shovels are in the ground there's no turning back.;)

• There are no plans to seek federal stimulus money for the M1 Rail, but Cullen said it’s cost could be used as the local match portion of any publicly funded extension of the line and as part of the larger regional transit project.

That's an interesting idea. I wonder how that would work out. The biggest problem facing the DDOT proposal is the local funding, so if this can be used to get the federal funding needed to extend the line to 8 Mile, then the DDOT line is looking a lot brighter. In fact, I think it would be a waste if they don't get matching federal money, even if it means using that money to extend the line along Jefferson Ave to Indian Village or up to the Boston-Edison area.

• The line’s route is still being studied. Because of the physical restrictions involved in a light-rail vehicle’s turning radius, it’s possible the line may switch at Campus Martius to Washington Avenue to form a loop that extends to Jefferson Avenue and back to Woodward, Cullen said. Another option is a train stopping, the driver walking to the other end of the vehicle and simply driving from the other end from a Y-shaped terminus. “We’re looking to understand what makes sense,” Cullen said.

It would make the most sense to have a stop near the Rosa Parks terminal so people can easily transfer between the bus system and the streetcar system. I think the line should turn on to Washington Blvd with a stop near Rosa Parks, continue down Washington with a stop at Cobo and then turn onto Jefferson with the line terminating at the Renaissance Center.

• The M1 Rail was originally called The Regional Area Initial Link, or TRAIL, but possibilities for new names are being studied.

I like the name DART. (Detroit Area Rapid Transit)

[detmsp]

That's actually not a bad idea. While you get the slower, more pedestrian-friendly portion in the Greater Downtown area, you get the faster, more commuter-friendly portion north of that. I really like that idea. My only fear is that by having a lane of parking right next to the tracks will pose a safety concern. Someone might not see that the train is coming and open their door at the most inopportune time...you know most cities have a set up like this where there is a high speed commuter friendly train outside downtown and a slower more pedestrian friendly train in downtown. the difference is, in most cities it's the same damn train! it just slows down.

Hud, I don't know if your idea about the line going by the transit center and the rencen is really possible... Can these things negotiate a 90 degree turn? and what about a left turn? do these things have the acceleration needed to quickly take advantage in a short break in oncoming traffic to make the turn?

this is one of those "well hey, it's better than nothing" situations... what we're going to end up with is going to look like we redneck engineered a train system out of someone else's discarded parts

[hudkina]

I got the impression that it would be the same line using the same trains, just at different speeds and in different lanes. Maybe I just read it wrong.

[LMich]

... what we're going to end up with is going to look like we redneck engineered a train system out of someone else's discarded parts

That's been my worry with the privately-funded plan, in particular. That, and the secretiveness and lack of public input. I just hope the business community gets it right, and without any kind of public input that's all anyone can do. They said in Crain's that this project is 'purely philanthropic". I have my doubts about that, but even if I didn't good intentions does not a transit system make.

But, like you said, at this point, anything is preferrable over nothing.

Anyway...Crain's take on this:



Deal with city gives Detroit’s light-rail backers green light (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090521/FREE/905219973)

By Bill Shea / Crain's Detroit Business

May. 21, 2009

Backers of a privately-funded $125 million light-rail line on Detroit’s Woodward Avenue have reached an accord with the city’s transportation department to move ahead with their version of the project.

The Detroit Department of Transportation’s proposed $371 million “Detroit Transit Options for Growth” included different types of trains and a center-of-street layout for Woodward, putting the two projects initially at loggerheads.

Now, the private plan, known as the M1 Rail, is likely to develop its 3.4 mile curb-side system as planned, and have it connect into the DTOG system north of the New Center Area — or whatever public train system that comes to fruition.

“This is in no way competition,” said M1 Rail CEO Matt Cullen said, adding that he’s been in talks with Norman White, the city’s CFO who was previously the MDOT director, a position that remains vacant.

Messages were left for White and for DDOT assistant director Lovevett Williams.

North of the M1 Rail’s terminus at the New Center area, the line is expected to converge into a higher speed center-of-street system that moves at a faster commuter rate with fewer stops, Cullen said.

That would match DDOT’s original plan, which proposes a line extending to the State Fairgrounds at Eight Mile Road.

Since the closely guarded M1 Rail project first came to light in Crain’s last year, it was obvious the two projects would have to reconcile because the DTOG plan included the same portion of Woodward.

However, the city’s plan relies on federal funding that hasn’t been applied for because Detroit doesn’t have the required matching money — leading to speculation about the project’s viability.

The nonprofit M1-Rail, which got needed legislative approvals and state operational funding mechanisms put in place in January, includes money from private backers, foundations and corporations, and will run a 12-stop route from Hart Plaza to Grand Boulevard in New Center, running past major business, cultural, medical, educational and sporting destinations.Its financial and organizational backers include Penske Corp. founder Roger Penske Peter, who is chairman of the M1 Rail project; Peter Karmanos Jr., founder of Detroit-based software maker Compuware Corp.; Mike Ilitch, owner of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings and co-founder of Little Caesar Enterprises Inc.; and Quicken Loans/Rock Financial founder Dan Gilbert, who’s the project’s co-chairman.

Cullen is also president and COO of Gilbert’s Rock Enterprises holding company.

The project is under the supervision of the nonprofit Downtown Detroit Partnership, a private-public partnership of corporate and civic leaders, led by chairman Roger Penske. It’s a key element, but separate, from a $10 billion three-county regional transit plan being developed by transit czar John Hertel for the elected executives of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb counties and Detroit.

The M1 Rail will eventually be turned over to the authority that runs the three-county system. Hertel orchestrated the secret meetings of the private backers for nearly two years before turning the project over the downtown partnership.

The M1 Rail project was discussed Thursday morning with reporters at the Detroit Athletic Club.

Here are some of the other highlights:

• The goal is to begin construction by the end of the year and have the line running no later than 18 months later. “It’s an aggressive timeline,” Cullen said. Survey crews are already at work.

• The project’s executives are in discussions with “two or three” financiers to assemble the money aspect of the rail system, Cullen said. He declined to reveal names, but said they would be banks that have an extensive local presence. Because the project’s funding is coming in over time, money will need to be financed up front.

• Ten individuals, foundations or corporations have donated at least $3 million each, Cullen said. (See related box, on the project’s funding and cost estimates.)

• The line will be in the second lane from the curb, preserving parking along Woodward and co-mingled with traffic. Stations will protrude by the curbside and will include advertising and branding. “This is very much a pedestrian-friendly system,” Cullen said. The cars, which will be a hybrid between modern street cars and traditional light rail, will typically carry 100-125 people, and more than 200 during major events such as ballgames.

• The service will be available from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. with an estimated 75-cent toll that will be honor-based, meaning tickets are bought prior to boarding and are randomly checked during trips. There will be discounted tickets for students, seniors and frequent riders. Revenue fare is expected to account for just a small amount of the line’s operating funding, with the rest coming from state subsidy’s and taxes captured from development along the route, as authorized by the legislation signed into law in January.

• The project will require some level of approval from the city, and cooperation, but Cullen said it’s not completely certain yet that the city council would have to sign off the rail line. Woodward is a state highway, so the Michigan Department of Transportation has primary oversight, but the city has a role, too. He also said Mayor Dave Bing is aware of the project, and will be getting more in-depth briefing soon.

• There are no plans to seek federal stimulus money for the M1 Rail, but Cullen said it’s cost could be used as the local match portion of any publicly funded extension of the line and as part of the larger regional transit project.

• The rail company will attempt to broker a deal to piggyback another city’s production run of train cars, Cullen said. There are just a handful of light rail vehicle manufacturers, and car orders often are for dozens or hundreds, so Cullen said a manufacturer might be willing to add Detroit’s dozen or so units onto a pre-existing order. Notable manufacturers include Germany’s Siemens Transportations Systems, Bombardier Transportation in Montreal and Oregon Iron Works Inc. in Clackamas, Ore.

• The line’s route is still being studied. Because of the physical restrictions involved in a light-rail vehicle’s turning radius, it’s possible the line may switch at Campus Martius to Washington Avenue to form a loop that extends to Jefferson Avenue and back to Woodward, Cullen said. Another option is a train stopping, the driver walking to the other end of the vehicle and simply driving from the other end from a Y-shaped terminus. “We’re looking to understand what makes sense,” Cullen said.

• Henry Ford Hospital has expressed interest in a spur line connecting to the New Center Area stop.

Cullen also briefly addressed speculation that the private backers getting any direct financial gain from the project: No, they won’t. “It’s pure philanthropy by the private funders,” he said.

• The M1 Rail was originally called The Regional Area Initial Link, or TRAIL, but possibilities for new names are being studied.



WHO’S WORKING ON WHAT

The following companies have deals to provide professionals services for the M1 Rail project:

Architecture

• Kansas City-based HOK Group Inc. (lead architect)
• Detroit-based Hamilton Anderson Associates, ConstrucTWO LLC and BEI Associates Inc.

Pre-construction

• Detroit-based Walbridge Aldinger

Mainline engineering

• San Francisco-based URS Corp., which has an office in Detroit
• LTK Engineering Services (Ambler, Pa.)
• Three Detroit-based subcontractors: Tucker, Young, Jackson, Tull Inc.; Metco Services Inc. and NTH Consultants Ltd.

Vehicle procurement

• LTK Engineering Services
Public relations, marketing and branding
• Eisbrenner Public Relations (Troy), The Bingman Group (Lansing) and Gyro Creative (Detroit).

Source: M1 Rail

[detmsp]

I got the impression that it would be the same line using the same trains, just at different speeds and in different lanes. Maybe I just read it wrong.

after re-reading, i don't think the article makes it quite clear whether they have merged the systems or not... i made the assumption that they hadn't based on the following:

"have reached an accord with the city’s transportation department to move ahead with their version of the project."
Doesn't mention actually merging the projects

"and have it connect into the DTOG system north of the New Center Area — or whatever public train system that comes to fruition."
whatever public train system? if it was going to be the same system as m1 rail, we'd know what the system would be, it wouldn't just be "whatever system"

"North of the M1 Rail’s terminus at the New Center area, the line is expected to converge into a higher speed center-of-street system."
Terminus just sounds like the wrong word if the same system was actually to continue to 8 mile. Also, I can't think of a way for the train to move from the outside lane of the street into the median without cutting diagonally through traffic.

"The cars, which will be a hybrid between modern street cars and traditional light rail"
The fact that M1 rail isn't using real light rail cars makes me think it isn't going all the way to 8-mile



I know i said it's better than nothing, but i wonder if that's true... if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. Even if that means it takes a few more years.

[LMich]

I think it's simply poor writing and the author not really having any solid idea about rail transit, either that or M1 is purposefully be obfuscatory for whatever reason. I mean, in the line you've quoted about the terimus, the very next part of the sentence uses the verb "converge," which would imply a seamless system.

BTW, M1 isn't going to 8 Mile. That was never the plan. M1 was always supposed to end in New Center.

If I'm being honest, what it sounds like to me is that M1 outmanuevered DTOGS/DDOT, and that DTOGS/DDOT is bowing to whatever they come up with.

[detmsp]

I think it's simply poor writing and the author not really having any solid idea about rail transit, either that or M1 is purposefully be obfuscatory for whatever reason. I mean, in the line you've quoted about the terimus, the very next part of the sentence uses the verb "converge," which would imply a seamless system.

BTW, M1 isn't going to 8 Mile. That was never the plan. M1 was always supposed to end in New Center.

If I'm being honest, what it sounds like to me is that M1 outmanuevered DTOGS/DDOT, and that DTOGS/DDOT is bowing to whatever they come up with.yeah i noticed the use of converge too. however that was really the only part of the article that made me think the two plans were actually combined. i guess we might have to wait for a better written article to know for sure!

What i came away with from the article wasn't that the two plans had been combined, rather i got that DTOG previously had been saying "don't build m1, it conflicts with our plan!" and now they're saying "ok, fine, go ahead and build it and we'll start our line where M1 ends in new center"

and i know M1 isn't going to 8 mile. when I wrote that something made me think m1 wasn't going to 8 mile, i meant it made me think that the DTOG plan hadn't been combined to expand the M1 system to 8 mile eventually.

[detmsp]

here's an article from the news: http://detnews.com/article/20090522/METRO/905220401/Detroit-light-rail-moves-forward


The privately funded M-1 Rail, an approximately 3.4 mile, 12-stop route from Hart Plaza to Grand Boulevard, would be the "first phase" of a Detroit Department of Transportation's proposed $371 million project. That plan, the Detroit Transit Options for Growth, calls for a light rail to extend from Grand to Eight Mile, said Matthew Cullen, M-1 project president and CEO.
sounds like the two plans aren't merging if the light rail starts at grand

[Jasoncw]

It looks like the quote says that the private line will go from Hart Plaza to Grand Boulevard, and that the city's line will go from Grand Boulevard to 8 Mile.

[hudkina]

In that case, that's what I thought would originally happen. My original thought on "reconciliation" was that passengers coming in from the neighborhoods north of Grand Blvd would then have to transfer at the intermodal station planned for Woodward and Amsterdam and then take the streetcar downtown...

It would be nice to have that uninterrupted service though with the higher speeds north of Grand Blvd and the slower speeds south of Grand Blvd. the article specifically states "The cars...will be a hybrid between modern street cars and traditional light rail". That means that if it is a "hybrid" of the two, it seems like it would be able to function similarly to either type. But as you said, the train would have to cross traffic lanes to get from the curb to the center. Granted, if that happened in the middle of an intersection (such as Woodward and Grand Blvd) the train could do it while both directions are fully stopped. The Woodward/Grand Blvd intersection would be perfect in that it is nearly 150 ft from the south end of the intersection to the north end of the intersection, giving it more than enough clearance. But then if the train has to go with the traffic, it would have a problem if there was a car in front of it at the intersection. I don't know!

[LMich]

What i came away with from the article wasn't that the two plans had been combined, rather i got that DTOG previously had been saying "don't build m1, it conflicts with our plan!" and now they're saying "ok, fine, go ahead and build it and we'll start our line where M1 ends in new center"

That's exactly what I thought to when this was announced, yesterday. There doesn't seem to be any reconcilliation, rather it seems that DTOGS knew that they couldn't stop M1 from taking control of the Woodward to Grand section of what they'd planned.

It seems that all of this is a bunch of wrangling and posturing given that there is no regional authority, yet, and each organization and department is trying to get to the top of the heap. I'm just a bit disappointed that a public entity like DDOT in conjuction with DTOGS was pushed so easily out of the way. I don't think it needs to be said, but the best systems are those that are mandated to have input from the general public; it's not called 'mass' transit, for nothing.

That said, I do realize that DDOT has neither the wherewithal nor the talent to go as fast on this as the region needs them to. I mean, if they were, their wouldn't be a need for something supplemental like DTOGS to guid the whole thing.

I just hope this all turns out halfway decent.

[hudkina]

The problem though is where the "local" money would come from for DTOGS. Detroit certainly can't afford $150+ million to build a light rail line. I would rather have this basically "for sure" line than the possibility of a future line built by DDOT. And really, as this article points out, if this project is able to act as the local money that DDOT needs to get the federal money, then that makes it all the better.

[LMich]

Hud,

I made reference to the DDOT's inability to be the senior player, here:

That said, I do realize that DDOT has neither the wherewithal

That said, the question that concerns some is whether anything is better than nothing in all cases, or at least in this case? I think it's a fair question.

[hudkina]

This is certainly better than nothing at all. If I'm a visitor staying in the Ren Cen and I want to go check out the DIA I would rather have a streetcar than nothing at all. If I'm arriving to Detroit via Amtrak to attend a show at Cobo I would rather have a streetcar than nothing at all. If I live in the Warren-Prentis district of Midtown and want to get to my job in the Penobscot Building I would rather have a streetcar than nothing at all. If I live in the Washington Square Apartments and I want to get to classes at Wayne State I would rather have a streetcar than nothing at all.;)

Even though this doesn't seem like a significant line it really is.

[detmsp]

by itself m1 rail doesn't look so bad.... what bothers me about it is that it prevents a future light rail where someone could hop on in Troy and cruise to downtown rather quickly.

[hudkina]

I don't think that a journey from Troy to Downtown would be a "quick" one. Also, someone in Troy would have better luck taking a commuter train from the Troy station to the New Center station and then transfer to the streetcar system once they're in the greater downtown area. In that sense there would probably be only one stop (Royal Oak) between the two, instead of 20 or so. Light rail probably shouldn't go too far beyond the zoo and downtown Royal Oak, especially considering the railroad runs parallel to Woodward and would likely meet the light rail line in Downtown Royal Oak.

[LMich]

Rendering of M1-Rail Streetcar:

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20090522&Category=BUSINESS04&ArtNo=905220377&Ref=AR&Profile=1017&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
Freep.com (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?template=zoom&Site=C4&Date=20090522&Category=BUSINESS04&ArtNo=905220377&Ref=AR&Profile=1017)

This is looking south along Woodward near Mack.

Yeah, Birmingham/Troy is already gearing itself up to be a commuter center with the plan for the intermodal station to be built across the tracks from the current Amtrak stop where Maple crosses the tracks just east of downtown B-ham.

Hud, do you think that the light rail line, it it terminates in Royal Oak, will terminate along Woodward, or do you think they'll spur into downtown along Washington where it splits with Woodward in Pleasant Ridge? I can't imagine them doing anything but the later when we get to that point.

[hudkina]

I've always "imagined" that after a stop at the Zoo, it would cut up along Washigton and end where the current Royal Oak Amtrak station is located. That way it could connect to the commuter rail line in Royal Oak. If they ever did decide to extend it further along Woodward, they chould possibly run it along Sherman Dr, which I believe used to be a railroad ROW, when the tracks were closer to Woodward.

[subterranean]

Rendering of M1-Rail Streetcar:

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20090522&Category=BUSINESS04&ArtNo=905220377&Ref=AR&Profile=1017&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
Freep.com (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?template=zoom&Site=C4&Date=20090522&Category=BUSINESS04&ArtNo=905220377&Ref=AR&Profile=1017)

This is looking south along Woodward near Mack.

Yeah, Birmingham/Troy is already gearing itself up to be a commuter center with the plan for the intermodal station to be built across the tracks from the current Amtrak stop where Maple crosses the tracks just east of downtown B-ham.

Hud, do you think that the light rail line, it it terminates in Royal Oak, will terminate along Woodward, or do you think they'll spur into downtown along Washington where it splits with Woodward in Pleasant Ridge? I can't imagine them doing anything but the later when we get to that point.

Do you have the article for which this rendering was included?

[DetroitMan]

Detroit’s M1 Rail project could jeopardize future federal funding, city warns
CrainsDetroit Business
May 26, 2009
By Bill Shea

Detroit wants to put the brakes on a privately funded $125 million light rail plan for Woodward Avenue.

Mayor Dave Bing’s office issued a statement warning that the project’s goal of starting construction by the end of this year could jeopardize future federal funding for a wider transit system.

During a media briefing about the private M1 Rail plan on Thursday, project CEO Matt Cullen said his group and the city were cooperating to rectify differences between the private plan and a $371 million Detroit Department of Transportation project that would extend light rail from downtown to the State Fairgrounds at Eight Mile.

The private funding could account for the required local matching funds for federal money needed to finish the city’s “Detroit Transit Options for Growth” rail project, Cullen said.

That won’t happen if the environmental studies aren’t complete, and such work won’t be done this year, the city warned.

“If M1 begins construction of its project later this year, before the environmental review is complete, the federal government will not recognize funds raised for the abbreviated M1 project as local matching funds for federal funds for the route to Eight Mile,” the city statement said.

M1 Rail issued a statement today on the situation through its Troy-based outside public relations firm, Eisbrenner Public Relations: “The accelerated timeline that M1 Rail has followed is not consistent with that of a federal project. M1 Rail is committed to continuing to work with DDOT and our congressional delegation to create a solution that will allow the funds raised for Phase 1 to serve as the eligible local match for the federal grant the city is seeking.”

The statement from Bing’s office also included a warning from Susan Borinsky, associate administrator of planning and environment for the Federal Transit Administration.

“If Phase I is constructed without the completion of an environmental impact analysis as required by the National Environmental Protection Act, then the $125 million raised to leverage Phase I cannot be used as matching funds for Phase II,” Borinsky was quoted as saying.

Phase I is the 3.4 mile section (a 12-stop route from Hart Plaza to Grand Boulevard in New Center) of Woodward targeted by the private backers during two years of planning.

The environmental impact analysis in question is part of the DDOT project, not the private effort.

M1 Rail’s backers include Penske Corp. founder Roger Penske Peter, who is chairman of the project; Peter Karmanos Jr., founder of Detroit-based software maker Compuware Corp.; Mike Ilitch, owner of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings and co-founder of Little Caesar Enterprises Inc.; and Quicken Loans/Rock Financial founder Dan Gilbert, who’s the project’s co-chairman.

Cullen is also president and COO of Gilbert’s Rock Enterprises holding company.

Approximately $180 million has been raised towards the estimated $220 million needed to match a federal grant of the same amount, including the $125 million raised by M1 Rail and $55 million programmed by DDOT, the city said.

“While there is overwhelming support for bringing rail to Woodward Avenue, key issues remain before funds from the privately funded M1 Rail project can be used as local match to secure federal funds for an expanded system,” Detroit CFO Norm White, who has taken the lead on city efforts to develop a comprehensive light rail system, was quoted as saying in the statement.

“These include compliance with federal environmental law that requires a thorough review of environmental impacts before federal funds can be associated with a project.

White said he is continuing his discussions with both the FTA and M1 Rail to find a solution, according to the statement.

Since the private plan was first made public by Crain’s in February 2008, it was evident there were enough differences in the projects to put them at loggerheads, including different types of trains and a DTOG center-of-street layout versus curbside for M1 Rail.

Both rail plans are designed to feed into other transit modes, such as buses, commuter trains and the People Mover, and are intended be to part of a $10.5 billion regional transit plan for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090526/FREE/905269971

[LMich]

Sounds like M1 may be cooperative and slow down. At least, that's what I hope.

[hudkina]

I know. We've waited this long, a few extra months shouldn't hurt. Granted, the city better not waste any time with the environmental studies. They need to complete them as fast as possible.

[Jasoncw]

That's a really nice looking rendering.

[Hayward]

^ Isn't it? I keep looking back at it. Definitely the money shot.

[LMich]

Ok, I wrote an email contact at DDOT asking about the impact study and was told it was begun in September of last year, and will be completed with a Record of Decision being completed in the Spring of next year. The study is being conducted by internationally-known Parsons Brinckerhoff.

[LMich]

http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20090707&Category=METRO05&ArtNo=907070401&Ref=AR&Profile=1409
The new Rosa Parks Transit Center in downtown Detroit. (Photo: Nathan Hurst)

DDOT: Rosa Parks Transit Center to open Tuesday (http://www.detnews.com/article/20090707/METRO05/907070401/1409/METRO)

Tom Greenwood / The Detroit News

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Detroit -- The Detroit Department of Transportation will open the Rosa Parks Transit Center in downtown Detroit on Tuesday.

The $22.5 million center -- at Michigan and Cass -- will serve passengers riding DDOT, SMART, Transit Windsor and Detroit People Mover.

From the new transit center, patrons can connect to 20 DDOT routes from a single location, with routes including: Cadillac-Harper, Chene, Dexter, Fort, Hamilton, Hayes, Grand River, Jefferson, Joy, Linwood, Michigan and Mack.

More are: Oakland, Plymouth, Russell, Tireman, Vernor, Van Dyke, Vernor and Woodward.

Open 24 hours a day, the three-story facility will offer 15 bus bays, two taxi bays, restrooms, transfer services, retail areas, transit police offices and a Detroit Police Department mini-station.

The project was funded through federal and state grants.

tgreenwood@detnews.com (313) 222-2023

[UglymanCometh]

If I live in the Warren-Prentis district of Midtown and want to get to my job in the Penobscot Building I would rather have a streetcar than nothing at all.

I live in Warren-Prentis... I walk or take the bus... ;)

[hudkina]

But buses are for poor people!!!

[UglymanCometh]

But buses are for poor people!!!

Damn straight. Now where's my buss pass? lol

Seriously though, It feels good living in Detroit and NOT having to drive everywhere.... unless I need to go shopping, then I have to gas up the old Buick...

[DetroitMan]

Looks as if the plans for the Woodward light rail line have cleared a major roadblock.

Amendment to clear hurdle for funding for light rail line

By TODD SPANGLER
FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF

WASHINGTON – An amendment inserted into the final version of the federal transportation budget for this year will allow $125 million in private investment to count toward the funding Detroit must raise to get federal backing for a Woodward Avenue light rail line.

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, a Detroit Democrat who is Michigan’s sole member of the House Appropriations Committee, said today she was successful in getting the amendment on the bill. Kilpatrick was among the House members who have been meeting to hammer out a final version of the bill with senators.


As the Free Press editorialized last month, Detroit’s plans for a $350-million light rail extension along Woodward ran into an obstacle when U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, the Minnesota Democrat who chairs the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, raised concerns that the private funding for the M1-RAIL project from Hart Plaza to New Center was for work which could circumvent federal requirements regarding labor costs, disadvantaged businesses and environmental impacts.


The city needs to count that private funding as its match for federal funds or it would throw into doubt its ability to raise cash to extend the line to 8 Mile. The amendment takes care of the problem, however.


Kilpatrick said it required “months of intense negotiations” to get the amendment attached to the legislation and is confident investors should be able to “break ground on the project by this summer” as planned. Meanwhile, she said the project will still comply with federal rules.


“I have always been, and will remain, a strong and strident supporter of light rail in Michigan,” Kilpatrick said.
http://freep.com/article/20091210/NEWS05/91210046/1318/Amendment-to-clear-hurdle-for-funding-for-light-rail-line

[hudkina]

OMMFG. WTF. LOL.

This is going to be interesting. Are you really going to see a streetcar system under construction this summer?

[subterranean]

Thank the Lord for our fearless representation. :rolleyes: Why am I picturing Carolyn rolling up to committee in a Hummer?

[fishrose]

OMMFG. WTF. LOL.

This is going to be interesting. Are you really going to see a streetcar system under construction this summer?

God I hope so.

[LMich]

Closer still...



Detroit light rail plan gets boost (http://www.detnews.com/article/20091214/METRO05/912140347/1409/METRO/Detroit-light-rail-plan-gets-boost)

Tom Greenwood / The Detroit News

Detroit is taking a giant step forward in its quest for a light rail system on Woodward with Sunday's U.S. Senate's approval of President Barack Obama's $1 trillion omnibus spending bill.

A provision in the bill allows a $125 million private investment in the rail system to be used as matching funds by the city when it eventually builds its portion of the $425 million project.

...

Under the current plan, private investors would build the first segment, a 3.4-mile stretch with 12 stops.

Eventually, the city would build a second leg, which would run from Grand Boulevard to Eight Mile.

The federal government would pay for 60 percent of the project, with Detroit funding the remainder.

tgreenwood@detnews.com (313) 222-2023

[DetroitMan]

http://www.detnews.com/graphics/gn/oakland-transit-center.jpg
An artist rendering of the Multi-Model Transit Center, which will be located on the southwest corner of Coolidge and Maple.

Troy prepares for transit center groundbreaking
Shawn D. Lewis / The Detroit News


Troy -- Groundbreaking for a regional transportation center is expected to take place in the spring or summer of 2010.

Mayors from the cities of Troy, where the transit center will be located, and Birmingham gathered Monday morning at Troy City Hall to express gratitude and present artist renderings of the center following Sunday's final congressional vote to approve $1.3 million to construct the facility.

"This has been a collaboration between cities, to respond to a need for transportation in the region," said Troy Mayor Louise Schilling. "This shows by working together we work better for our citizens than if we work separately."

Both Schilling and Birmingham Mayor Rackeline Hoff thanked Congressman Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, for shepherding the funding for the Multi-modal Transit Center, which will be located on the southwest corner of Coolidge and Maple.

"This has been a major team effort getting it through the House, and it would have been impossible to get it through the Senate without the help of senators (Carl) Levin and (Debbie) Stabenow," said Peters. "This represents a lot of people coming together."

He added that those working on the project were able to ignore jurisdictional lines for the good of the region.

"But we have a ways to go, and this is only one piece because we need to get more funding," he said.

Mayor Schilling said both Birmingham and Troy also contributed $1.3 million each. "It will take at least $7 million to complete the project," she said. "The tunneling is among the most expensive part." She said she expects ground to be broken in the spring or summer of 2010.

Chamber presidents from Troy and Birmingham also expressed gratitude to Congressman Peters and others who helped bring the transportation center to fruition.

The Troy/Birmingham Multi-modal Transit Center will serve as a hub for regional public transportation, using existing Amtrak rail infrastructure while providing a transfer point to SMART bus services, and taxi and sedan connections consistent with the Detroit Regional Mass Transit Plan. It will also create more transportation opportunities for patrons of the Oakland/Troy Airport.

slewis@detnews.com (734) 462-2190
http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/michigans-low-paid-high-skill-workforce-may-entice-toyota/

[hudkina]

This will also act as the Birmingham/Troy station of an extended commuter rail line.

[LMich]

This is along the line SEMTA (The Detroit-to-Pontiac GTW line) used, right? I sure hope they can come up with the $7 million to finish it.

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/image/getimage-idx?viewid=5555;cc=vmc;entryid=x-5555;quality=1;view=image
WSU Virtual Motor City Collection (http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?c=vmc;chaperone=S-VMC-X-5555%205555;evl=full-image;chaperone=S-VMC-X-5555%205555;quality=1;view=entry;subview=detail;cc=vmc;entryid=x-5555;viewid=5555;start=;resnum=1)

Wait, doesn't the Wolverine basically run through here, that is, before turning off at the Milwaukee Junction?

[iheartthed]

It will also create more transportation opportunities for patrons of the Oakland/Troy Airport.

There is an airport in Troy?

[hudkina]

There's several airports in Oakland County. Two of the larger ones are in Troy and Waterford. They're both primarily for smaller private/charter flights.

[iheartthed]

There's several airports in Oakland County. Two of the larger ones are in Troy and Waterford. They're both primarily for smaller private/charter flights.

I know about Oakland County International, but I had no idea there was an airport in Troy.

[LMich]

Yeah, Troy-Oakland or Oakland/Troy is in the far southwest side of the city. The website says that it's the "executive" airport of Oakland County. It serves a lot of the business community in Oakland County.

[DetroitMan]

Detroit light rail project gets push from $25M federal grant

Nathan Hurst and David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau

Washington -- A light rail plan along Woodward to connect downtown Detroit with the New Center area will get a $25 million infusion of federal money, officials briefed on the matter told The Detroit News.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100217/METRO01/2170363/Detroit-light-rail-project-gets-push-from-$25M-federal-grant

[twomutts]

Bing: Construction on Woodward light rail could start by year's end

BY MATT HELMS
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said today he believes groundbreaking on the first segment of light rail along Woodward Avenue could start by year’s end and signaled confidence that metro Detroit leaders will win support from the federal government for millions in aid.
http://www.freep.com/article/20100304/NEWS05/100304047

[UglymanCometh]

Wait, doesn't the Wolverine basically run through here, that is, before turning off at the Milwaukee Junction?

It used to terminate there, I believe... between St. Antoine (west), Orleans (on the east), Atwater (south) and Woodbridge (to the north) There hasn't been any rail activity of any kind down there since SEMTA left. It's been all parking lots, or some variant of them.