Detroit & Michigan: Go-Town Transportation Lowdown - Page 21

animatedmartian · #**401** Posted **May 29, 2014, 4:42 PM**

We're not quite to the groundbreaking of the rails yet, but we are confirmed for the storage yard.

Quote:

Weigh in on how new M-1 Rail streetcar line will look at meeting today
By Marlon A. Walker. May 29, 2014.

As plans for the M-1 Rail’s hub and administration offices begin to take shape, residents in the north end Detroit neighborhood where the project is being built will get a chance to have input as to how the final product will look.

From landscaping to lighting, M-1 Rail officials are seeking input on the vehicle storage and maintenance facility, to be built along Woodward between Custer and E. Bethune avenues. The process will begin today at a meeting from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Triumph Church East Campus, 2760 E. Grand Blvd. Several other meetings are planned.

...

Construction of the $6.9-million hub and office facility is expected to start in August after officials seek choose a company to design the facility. It is expected to be between 17,000 and 20,000 square feet, including a second floor for storage.

...

In the RFP, there's two samples for possible site configurations.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...ech-center.php

LMich · #**402** Posted **May 30, 2014, 8:10 AM**

I like the second configuration. Bring the maintenance facility to the street. Of course, they'd also push an open yard out front on Woodward with the facility parking lot. So Detroit.

animatedmartian · #**403** Posted **Jun 2, 2014, 9:12 PM**

A little bit of history in this post, came across what were proposed subway routes through Detroit. As I recall, the trend back then was to put the subway lines either within or parallel to the freeways (like a few of the freeways in Chicago).

In more up to date news, BRT from Detroit to Pontiac will go to vote for public funding in 2016.

Quote:

Rapid bus project for Woodward advances
LEONARD N. FLEMING THE DETROIT NEWS June 1, 2014.

A planned rapid bus system along Woodward Avenue, from downtown Detroit to Pontiac, has taken a step forward with development of a proposed 27-mile route that has loops off Woodward in Pontiac, Royal Oak and Detroit’s Midtown-New Center and downtown.

Regional transit officials hope to work out details for the system, which is in its preliminary stage, for a public funding vote as early as 2016.

They envision specialized and faster-than-normal buses traveling along curb lanes for 5½ miles of the route, and in or near the median for 21½ miles. According to an initial plan, there would be as many as 26 stations, typically one mile apart.

The Woodward Avenue Rapid Transit Alternative Analysis study was approved recently by the steering committee of transit, city and township officials along the route. The proposal now heads to the Regional Transit Authority for feedback and approval. If the RTA approves the route, an environmental impact study will commence that could take up to a year to complete.

....

LMich · #**404** Posted **Jun 3, 2014, 8:14 AM**

I've been forever thankful that the routing of the Jeffries up Grand River never happened.

BTW, they call the rapid transit lines "subways", but it's my understanding that they would have simply been grade-seperated lines along the surface. The only plan ever formally proposed for subways was in the 10's or 20's, and it would have taken the transit lines below grade only in the downtown area.

animatedmartian · #**405** Posted **Jun 3, 2014, 1:55 PM**

I think the growth of Rosedale Park is what kept Jeffries from going through that area. Although that curve up to Davison seems unnecessary even if the Davison Freeway went all the way through. Ugh, freeway planning.

animatedmartian · #**406** Posted **Jun 3, 2014, 7:05 PM**

According to Matt Cullen, construction on the M1-Rail is expected to start by the end of this month. Also, Wayne County approved $3 million dollars for road improvements related to the project.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...-OK-3M-M1-Rail

LMich · #**407** Posted **Jun 4, 2014, 8:02 AM**

Funny, because all the media I read, yesterday, pushed construction off for 60 days (August). Well, we'll see shovels in the ground one of these days; I have no doubt about that as they have aquired money they simply can't give back. But, I wished M-1 would have been far more open about the snags its hit over the past year or two instead of dealing so secretly.

animatedmartian · #**408** Posted **Jun 4, 2014, 1:30 PM**

Well, with this political climate, they seem to want to avoid bad PR. Or rather, confirm the suspicions of those who are against the whole project. People are looking for any validity that this project isn't worth the effort.

LMich · #**409** Posted **Jun 5, 2014, 8:00 AM**

The irony is that every day that the start of construction is pushed off confirms the suspicions of the detractors of this project. You have to do little more than read the comments section on media sites when this project comes up to see. It's why organizations should never play the game of their detractors...because they are going to complain regardless.

Anyway, I guess something else I'm glad to see from M-1 Rail is that they never miss the opportunity to wish for this to be the first step of a much larger system of rail. It must be a talking point they've created, and I'm glad they have.

LMich · #**410** Posted **Jun 6, 2014, 7:57 AM**

A really good stealth amendment was put into this year's transportation bill that fixes a major flaw in the original legislation that created the Detroit Regional Transit Authority. Ann Arbor Democrat Adam Zemke slipped in a successful amendment that treats the future development of rail the same as BRT. No longer does the board have to unanimously agree to developing or aquiring rail, it has to be a super-majority. There is no longer any discrimination between these two modes.

From Detroit Transit Riders United facebook page:

Quote:

We just passed HB 5168 out of the house. This bill, which originally was meant to allow the M-1 Rail project to be managed by the RTA, was amended to allow the RTA to manage the Ann Arbor to Detroit Commuter Rail project if 7/9 of the RTA board members approve. This change removes the requirement for unanimity on any action of the RTA to support rail and replaces that requirement with a supermajority. This change moves us closer to a workable Regional Transit Authority. Congratulations to Adam F Zemke for offering the successful amendment.

Huge win, and a big thanks to Adam Zemke for this. While this still has to get to the governor, it's looking good that this might become law. This makes future expansion of the streetcar system or aquiring more rail for different commuter services much, much easier and gives the power back to the region to do as it sees fit instead of placing some arbitrary discrimination on certain modes by the state.

Wizened Variations · #**411** Posted **Jun 6, 2014, 6:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMich

A really good stealth amendment was put into this year's transportation bill that fixes a major flaw in the original legislation that created the Detroit Regional Transit Authority. Ann Arbor Democrat Adam Zemke slipped in a successful amendment that treats the future development of rail the same as BRT. No longer does the board have to unanimously agree to developing or aquiring rail, it has to be a super-majority. There is no longer any discrimination between these two modes.

From Detroit Transit Riders United facebook page:

Huge win, and a big thanks to Adam Zemke for this. While this still has to get to the governor, it's looking good that this might become law. This makes future expansion of the streetcar system or aquiring more rail for different commuter services much, much easier and gives the power back to the region to do as it sees fit instead of placing some arbitrary discrimination on certain modes by the state.

Nice. Adam Zenke needs to be remembered and supported for this.

animatedmartian · #**412** Posted **Jun 8, 2014, 2:58 PM**

Planners have released 6 possible outcomes for the 375 project.

Outcome 1: The freeway is rebuilt as it is with improvement to bridges and pedestrian crossings.

Cost: $60-70 million

Outcome 2: The freeway is rebuilt but with landscaped slopes, bike paths on the service drive, and a greenway to the RiverWalk.

Cost: $70-80 million

Outcome 3: The freeway comes up at Larned and Jefferson is straightened out with a road leading to the RiverWalk.

Cost: $55-65 million

Outcome 4: The freeway comes up just past Gratiot and becomes a surface street boulevard and is shifted to the east.

Cost: $40-50 million

Outcome 5: Much like option 4, but instead shifted west. The service drive becomes a two way road.

Cost: $45-55 million

Outcome 6: The boulevard is widened to where the service drives currently are.

Cost: $40-50 million

Source and poll: http://www.freep.com/article/2014060...SS06/140606001

After more public input, the possible configuration will be determined this fall.

ardecila · #**413** Posted **Jun 8, 2014, 11:00 PM**

I think Outcome 5 is the best... I like the idea of a linear park there, it has a vaguely Beaux-Arts feel to it that seems to fit Detroit. Maintenance is a challenge but possibly there could be sponsorship by the adjacent landowners.

Any land that gets sold into private hands will probably just end up as more surface parking for the casinos and stadiums.

Outcome 6 is just weird, why would you want another below grade bike path that parallels the Dequindre Cut, and then put development over it so it turns into a dank tunnel?

animatedmartian · #**414** Posted **Jun 9, 2014, 12:13 AM**

Actually, if you kind of squint, you can see that it'd be underground parking if there was potential development there. I sort of assumed that it would have been filled in either way if they were going to build something there. It's sort of a meshing of different ideas overlaid in a single rendering.

And true, that initially most of the freed up space would be parking lots for the time being, but just like every other parking lot downtown, if the demand is there for new construction, then it's prime real estate.

LMich · #**415** Posted **Jun 9, 2014, 8:37 AM**

Any freed up land I'm certain would be up for an RFP and would remain open space unless something was to actually be built there. These would not be parking lots as I'm sure either the city or state would end up with this land. One of the huge reasons for bringing the street to grade in the first place - maybe the primary reason - is to create additional land for development to bridge this area of downtown with Lafayette Park. It's why I think Alternative #4 is the best one. You get a shared-use path, at-grade street, and developable land. That's basically why people are advocating for untrenching the thing in the first place.

Alternative #5 would be all right were it not for the creation of another street. Were they to turn it into a non-motorized path of some sort, maybe, but I honestly don't get why they'd keep the east service drive as a road. It doesn't have to be and it doesn't need to be.

All the others are complete no-gos, for me.

robk1982 · #**416** Posted **Jun 11, 2014, 3:37 AM**

This isn't about mass transit, but it's the first-of-its-kind in Michigan and will be at a major intersection.

http://www.oakland.edu/view_news.aspx?nid=11341

Quote:

MDOT plans upgrade to the I-75, University Drive interchange

With assistance from traffic consulting agencies, Michigan Department of Transportation administrators now have plans in place to upgrade the I-75, University Drive interchange.

This past January, MDOT closed the University Drive overpass in order to install temporary bridge supports that are reinforcing deteriorating structural beams.

A permanent solution identified by MDOT and consultants is to construct a relatively new and innovative interchange design called the diverging diamond. In fact, this project will represent the first interchange of this design in Michigan.

In a diverging diamond, vehicles traveling on the freeway overpass cross from the right side lanes over to the left side lanes. Moving in either direction over the bridge, this will allow more fluent progress through the interchange or on to I-75 entrance ramps. The design eliminates the need for sharp turns and long waits for oncoming traffic to clear before making turns onto the ramps.

The lane crossover process is regulated by a single, timed traffic signal at either end of the bridge.

Another advantage the interchange upgrade will provide is designated bicycle lanes safely isolated from motor vehicle lanes.......

atlantaguy · #**417** Posted **Jun 11, 2014, 4:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by robk1982

This isn't about mass transit, but it's the first-of-its-kind in Michigan and will be at a major intersection.

http://www.oakland.edu/view_news.aspx?nid=11341

They did this here at Ashford-Dunwoody & I-285, the major interchange for the metro's largest office district.

It's been a huge success, and is now being replicated at several other major interchanges in the region. It takes a little getting used to when driving through them, but they definitely work.