  Sg9018 Member Username: Sg9018 Post Number: 32 Registered: 10-2006 |
A group of architects and city planners will have many meetings for transit-oriented design on Woodward. Link here, http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20071010/NEW S05/710100362 | ||
Sg9018 Member Username: Sg9018 Post Number: 34 Registered: 10-2006 |
Here a article in Crains Detroit http://crainsdetroit.com/apps/ pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071010 /REG/71010008/1009/breaking/-/ -/mass-transit-meeting-is-frid ay | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 4276 Registered: 10-2004 |
bankeny@crain.com, aka Robert Ankeny, could learn his craft better: quote:I didn't know that any school administrators were involved... | ||
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua Post Number: 1344 Registered: 01-2004 |
It'd be nice if they can work with this group. http://www.dtogs.com/main.html | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 4277 Registered: 10-2004 |
quote:Is that group even operative? Somehow, their Web site isn't current: Early Scoping Meetings Thank you for attending the Public Open Houses held in March 2007. There will be additional public meetings taking place during the Summer of 2007. Summer 2007 Early Scoping Meetings Join us to discuss rapid transit options to improve access and mobility in the Detroit area. Early Scoping Meetings help define the options to be elevated during the study; identify the social, economic and environmental impacts to be evaluated; and give us your comments and suggestions. Four early scoping meetings will be held at varying times and locations. The early scoping meetings will begin with an hour-long open house providing you with an opportunity to discuss the issues with project staff and view displays to help you understand the proposed study options. Following the open house portion of the meeting, a brief presentation will be given that will focus on the scoping process, project purpose and alternatives currently under consideration. After the presentation, you will have an opportunity to comment on the purpose and need, alternatives to be evaluated, and environmental and community impact issues to be assessed. American Sign Language, Arabic and Spanish interpreters will be present at the early scoping meetings. You are invited to attend on of the Early Scoping Meetings. The same information will be presented at the following meetings: * Wednesday, July 25, 2007 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM The Guardian Building, Mezzanine Lobby 500 Griswold, Detroit, MI 48226 * Wednesday, July 25, 2007 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM Wayne State University, Welcome Center 42 W. Warren Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202 * Thursday, July 26, 2007 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM Wayne County Community College District, Cooper Community Center 5901 Conner, Detroit, MI 48213 * Saturday, July 28, 2007 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, Studio A 15801 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126 For a schedule of the early scoping meetings with a map showing locations, click link - schedule/map. Event | ||
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua Post Number: 1345 Registered: 01-2004 |
I just got an e-mail from them today quote: | ||
Kid_dynamite Member Username: Kid_dynamite Post Number: 301 Registered: 06-2007 |
Tetsua, is the "locally Preferred Alternative" codespeak for the identified corridor or path for the first implementation of a mass transit route? | ||
Trainman Member Username: Trainman Post Number: 540 Registered: 04-2006 |
A private company wants to do this without tax dollars. Let the private free market system prevail and pay for mass transit. Our state should pay for the handicapped and protect our existing transportation needs first. This was not the case in Livonia in 2006 as taxes were shifted away from the handicapped and existing needs to support pay raises and other luxuries. This is known as greed. You can't blame the Livonia voters for this when you have two choices and your choices are to vote out SMART OR, support the grossly incompetent, illegal DARTA agreement. We had no choice to keep SMART as as. Studies as documented shows that the vast majority of the voters would welcome back SMART to Livonia, if we can first acquire leadership in Lansing. Without industry support and leadership at all levels of government, there is nothing to gain but more job losses and more money in the pockets of the rich and more bus service reductions and tax increase for those who can least afford to pay more. See DETROIT LINKS | ||
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua Post Number: 1346 Registered: 01-2004 |
You got it Kid, this is a PDF of the three alternatives. http://www.dtogs.com/f/DTOGS_T hree_Alignments_Map.pdf | ||
Kid_dynamite Member Username: Kid_dynamite Post Number: 302 Registered: 06-2007 |
Gratiot and Michigan Ave are obviously very important routes for mass transit, but it has to start with Woodward. It is glaringly obvious. | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 4278 Registered: 10-2004 |
It's going to be a tough sell to get the taxpayers to pay for such a limited line up Woodward when that already is the best covered bus line. Hell, the damn city cannot even pick up the bulk trash in my neighborhood, although we have to pay more for it. They missed the past two quarterly pickups, BTW--just last week, AGAIN. DDOT cannot even keep their lousy Web site current, and they're expected to design, fund, and operate a boondoggle rapid transit system that'll run into the $ billions, if we let them. Fat chance! | ||
Perfectgentleman Member Username: Perfectgentleman Post Number: 3645 Registered: 03-2006 |
Why the hell build a line up Woodward if there are buses servicing it now? | ||
Kid_dynamite Member Username: Kid_dynamite Post Number: 303 Registered: 06-2007 |
Because it it the main artery of Detroit and the suburbs. It passes by Wayne State, the DIA, downtown, and would have the long term plan of extending it to other areas like Ferndale, Royal Oak, Birmingham, and Pontiac. It is by far the most attractive route. Screw the busses. I know most people in the burbs wouldn't be caught dead on a bus in this city. Something like a light rail is very appealing in the minds of most people who would utilize mass transit if the right choices were there. | ||
Perfectgentleman Member Username: Perfectgentleman Post Number: 3656 Registered: 03-2006 |
Maybe a "Cool Cities" grant would help? | ||
Andylinn Member Username: Andylinn Post Number: 588 Registered: 04-2006 |
the need for mass transit was very apparent today at MOCAD. An out of town visitor came in (I believe she was British, due to her having POUNDS in her wallet when she pulled it out to pay for stuff) ... She was at metro with a lay over... Not knowing much about Detroit, she paid $50 for a taxi just to come down and see MOCAD... when she got there she asked... is ther a bus that I could take to get back to the Airport? She added that she didn't have much more money and couldn't afford to get a taxi back... we looked at schedules, and found that she could take a bus down woodward, and then wait for the OCCASIONAL bus from the CBD to the airport... but she only had about 2 hours to get back to the airport... FAT chance THAT would work... We were forced to say that we were sorry, but detroit's transit just could not be depended upon for a reliable quick ride to the airport... GREAT... so an out of town tourist has a shitty trip in detroit, not because of lack of stuff to do, she loved mocad... but because she had to deal with our "bus system" | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1360 Registered: 02-2006 |
quote:Haha, seriously? | ||
Professorscott Member Username: Professorscott Post Number: 865 Registered: 12-2006 |
Andy, be fair. The system is not awful as you describe it. There is a bus from MOCAD to downtown every five to ten minutes, just about all day long, and it's a short trip. Then the SMART 125 bus goes out to the airport every half hour, and it is unfair to call that "occasional". That is very reliable and not bad frequency. The only problem is the trip from downtown to the airport takes 90 minutes - but then you're right at the terminal (Smith or McNamara, they alternate), and you don't have to deal with the parking lots, so it's not much more time than if you had to drive, park and shuttle. As minimal as our regional transit is, downtown to the airport is actually a very easy trip. Total cost of above: $1.75. Availability: 18 hours a day on weekdays (no service between 10:30 p.m. and 4:30 a.m.). | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 1179 Registered: 11-2003 |
Sucks that the British chick didn't check schedules or ask around BEFORE she left the airport. I don't know many people these days to leave the airport during a layover and deal with security etc... all over again and risk being late. | ||
Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 419 Registered: 01-2004 |
I agree that a rail line up Woodward is the 1st and best option and feel it will take off in contrast to what the naysayers think, much like the Haiawatha line in Minneapolis (sp?). Now, I know the Minneapolis line goes to the airport, but that leads to my second point. I feel that a second line, which is arguably as important, is one to the airport. The best scenario is following a Chicago model and have it parallel to I-94, with stops and park and rides all along the rout. This then could service both the city and the suburbs and provide people who do not want to deal with airport-parking another option. The idea situation is in the median of I-94 like the Red and Blue lines, but I doubt that is possible. Alternatively, I have always though that it would be nice if the airport rout was simply an extension of the people mover. This could then tie into the proposed monorail that would link the airport to the rental car places they would like to relocate across 1-94. This of course is most likely a dream, due to costs…. However, how nice would that be to have a line to the airport that would just feed into the loop around downtown. | ||
Umcs Member Username: Umcs Post Number: 145 Registered: 06-2007 |
A rail line on Woodward is the start. Everything starts somewhere and this is a good spot. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 1845 Registered: 04-2006 |
Personally, I think the airport is too far away from the city to be serviced by a subway line. It should be a commuter rail line like they are planning to do with the AA-Detroit line. | ||
Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 420 Registered: 01-2004 |
The airport is not too far away from the city for a city based line like light rail or a people mover extension. It is almost the same distance as O'Hare is from downtown Chicago. I believe DTW is 40 Miles and O'Hare is 38 or something like that. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 1846 Registered: 04-2006 |
So O'Hare is served by the subway line or a commuter rail? How long is the commute into downtown Chicago on it? | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 4286 Registered: 10-2004 |
It's best not to emit figures like DTW being 40 miles from downtown. Otherwise, one who knows a bit more about Detroit's geography might consider such emitter as being clueless and his writings not being trustworthy. You should use mapquest or something so that you don't continually make a fool out of yourself... Driving directions from DTW to downtown Detroit (Message edited by LivernoisYard on October 11, 2007) | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 3011 Registered: 10-2003 |
If one drove 40 miles from DTW to Downtown, one might find themselves in the middle of Lake St. Claire. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 1848 Registered: 04-2006 |
It's best not to emit figures like DTW being 40 miles from downtown. Otherwise, one who knows a bit more about Detroit's geography might consider such emitter as being clueless and his writings not being trustworthy. You know what's really funny? If you drive I-94 towards Detroit from DTW, somewhere between the Southfield Fwy and the city limits, there is a highway sign that says you're 14 miles from Detroit and about 3 minutes later driving at normal speed you cross into the city. | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 4287 Registered: 10-2004 |
Those road-sign distances from city to city or from a spot to a city were considered from the sign's spot or the core of one city to the core of the other city. It's been that way ever since there were cars--nearly a century ago... It's a pity that so much that formerly was taken for granted a few decades ago now has to be spelled out in great detail to today's middle or high school grads. | ||
Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 421 Registered: 01-2004 |
Well, 21 miles is much better. As I noted I was not sure about the mileage and this was simply from a previous conversation. There is no need to be a condescending ass about it though, a polite correction would have been more appropriate. Also, I live in England, so it is not often I am able to return to Detroit and calculate it myself……However, you are missing the point, which was that Chicago’s situation is similar and it is light rail (subway) not commuter rail. (Message edited by tkelly1986 on October 11, 2007) | ||
Professorscott Member Username: Professorscott Post Number: 869 Registered: 12-2006 |
The Ann Arbor to Detroit line explicitly includes, and was always meant to include, a stop just north of the Airport which would connect to the airport via a shuttle or elevated People Mover type of thing. Light rail people I know agree that Detroit to Metro Airport is pretty far for a light rail line. Commuter rail is a better choice given the parameters (population density, distance and so on). Just my, and some colleagues, opinion. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 1849 Registered: 04-2006 |
Those road-sign distances from city to city or from a spot to a city were considered from the sign's spot or the core of one city to the core of the other city. It's been that way ever since there were cars--nearly a century ago... Well most of us weren't around in 1901, LY. Your explanation might have made sense, except the entire drive from DTW to downtown Detroit is only 20 miles. So 14 miles from a marker just outside the city limits would put the center of Detroit somewhere on top of Harper Woods, you say? |
