Detroit & Michigan: Go-Town Transportation Lowdown

[Velvet_Highground]

There’s a study to explore a possible future expansion using a city department that has had very little responsibility for a long time to do a transit station development is a very early testing I think for maybe being serious about an expansion. The hardware will probably needed to be upgraded in the next decade or two if federal and state money are available to back Detroit up it’s a viable option but not a large long term solution.

If the goal of an expansion is to try and make something more out of the little monorail circle especially with more conventions and sports being is a viable goal. Like connecting the confusing dense downtown core with the densest neighborhoods Midown, Eastern Market and Corktown. That the Target store development not happening sucks but it’s a direct reflection of the bad financial times we are all in not that the project is unworkable in another form.

Not saying it’s going to happen just saying hey let’s see where this goes just that this is the direction they may be looking.

[ardecila]

I dunno, I think a People Mover expansion to Michigan Central/Corktown makes a ton of sense. If you tie in at Water Square, you only need a 1/2 mile of new elevated structure along Jefferson, then you can descend to ground level and run it in the SW Greenway trench with a stop at Ralph Wilson Park. Should be fairly affordable / less than $1B if they plan it carefully.

This way you can move Amtrak service to MCS, which is a much better gateway than New Center. And the People Mover would tie MCS into downtown much better than the Q-Line does... since it's fully automated, it can run frequently enough to be useful even to tourists.

[Velvet_Highground]

I 100% agree a People mover expansion down Michigan Ave would make a lot of sense especially with the Canadian HSR coming. South Mack Ave was sort of the envisioned northern boundary with the DMC and Cultural Center in easy access. The Eastern Market/Lafayette Park & East Riverfront were the neighborhoods being studied along with Corktown.

There’s a lot of different options and combinations but Corktown would be easiest. There’s even a model to build off when a light rail extension was proposed in 2017 a Q-Line style of local stake holders offered to help the project financially. It didn’t go anywhere because it was drawn up for the Amazon HQ bs. Though fortunately like with Michigan Central there’s a potential transit coalition, I highly doubt the Morouns will help with anything now.

Anyways yea it’s a logical next step connect MCS transit center to downtown’s Rosa Park’s and the Time Sq People mover main station in a manner of speaking, it’s maintenance center.

[airforceguy]

Detroit city airport unveils first new hangar and terminal in 60 years

The city of Detroit unveiled the new Avflight fixed base operator complex on Wednesday as part of an $8 million, 30-year lease with Coleman A. Young International Airport.

The east side airport primarily services business executives and has a large cohort of general aviation aircraft for sports teams and others interested in renting the facilities. The new complex features a 5,000-square-foot terminal, a 20,000-square-foot heated hangar and an attached, heated indoor parking garage for four passenger vehicles.

The new hangar and terminal represent an investment and long-term commitment to the city, said Avflight Senior Vice President of Operations Joe Meszaros.

“So many Detroiters understand just how important this airport is to our city, and while this airport has experienced years of disinvestment, under the leadership of Director Jason Watt, and through strong public-private partnerships like the one today with Avflight, City Airport is rising higher in so many different ways over the last several years,” Mayor Mary Sheffield said.

Watt told Crain’s that the airport sees 45,000 to 55,000 takeoffs and landings each year. He said the airport saw 60 planes land in a single day over the recent Grand Prix weekend, which was the busiest day he’s seen since he became director of the airport 15 years ago.

Fixed-base operator Avflight and the city of Detroit broke ground on the project last summer in what was the first major rejuvenation effort at the 97-year-old airport in more than half a century. Ann Arbor-based Avflight operates a network of full-service fixed-base operators across North America and Europe. Fixed-base operators are businesses granted the ability by an airport authority to run an airport and provide fuel, parking and hangar space, among other services.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/transportation/cdb-coleman-young-airport-new-terminal-20260603/

[airforceguy]

I'm this lawsuit was tossed. If the vote passes in August, all three of Metro Detroit's biggest counties will be all in on SMART and no more opt out communities.


Wayne County Public Transportation millage on ballot after lawsuit dismissed

A judge dismissed a lawsuit to keep a more than $500 million Wayne County Public Transportation millage from appearing on the Aug. 4 ballot.

That means 43 Wayne County communities will vote on the proposed tax, including 17 that have opted out of it until now.

Plymouth residents could be among those paying the Wayne County Public Transportation millage for the first time if voters approve it in August. We asked some of them if it's worth the cost to bring SMART buses to their community.

One resident told us he's not in favor of the new millage because he doesn't think Wayne County will follow through on bringing SMART buses to Plymouth.

"If you look at Oakland County's 2022 millage, they had a big map of what the proposed routes could be. When you look at what they've actually provided over the last four years, it's just a tiny fraction of what they promised," said Plymouth resident Ron Picard.

The 10-year, $570 million proposal promises to spend the money on funding current routes, expanding new fixed routes, particularly to former opt-out communities, and expanding services for seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.

https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/way...ion-millage-on-ballot-lawsuit-dismissed/