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Funding approved for Detroit streetcar project
Glad to hear this project is finally underway. If the completion date is close to the date that the commuter rail line is expected to be completed, that would be even better. Regardless, once both are completed, it will provide a seamless connection between the people mover, light rail, commuter rail, and Amtrak stations. Hopefully this will help a struggling city.
The line will also serve several key locations such as Comerica Park and Ford Field (Detroit Tigers and Lions, respectively) and also Wayne State University, which will benefit college students. The commuter rail (which will serve the same station as Amtrak) will enable connections from the M-1 to the airport as well. It will also serve downtown and key business districts. A huge win for Detroit!
Having walked the entire route a couple of years ago, I think this is a great project that will tie the entire area together. There are several retail areas, museums, stadiums, and academic institutions along the way. Woodward is wide, straight and flat.
Too bad the old Woodward Ave. streetcar going all the way to 8 Mile Road was abandoned. Wouldn’t need to rebuild.
This is just a big waste of money. Just another target for the local vandals and it will be vacated by the few people in Detroit who actually work once the novelty wears off. Don’t believe me? Just look at the people mover. Detroit is dead and won’t be back any time soon. And if it does come back a streetcar won’t have anything to do with it. Getting rid of corupt city officials will be much more helpful.
This project is a huge waste of money! Having lived in the Detroit area for years I can speak with some assurance. From 8Mile Road to the heart of the downtown area is like a war zone. Just give the locals a chance and they will pull it apart and sell it for scrap to buy drugs.
Robert, people like you who object to spending on transportation projects need to go after the high-dollar stuff like the new bridge down river, and the megamillion dollar jackpots at the caSINos. This project is pennies compared to millions being wasted daily in prizes at the CaSINos, or the new bridge to Canada that will likely benefit the toll road hogs in Indiana and Ohio.