Quote Originally Posted by BankruptcyGuy View Post
Yes, of course, if you accomplish all of those policy changes, you'll have development that is transit-oriented.

Two questions: a) is transit-oriented development normatively or positively superior? b) is there buy-in, from the local government and business community, for such changes?

There are arguments for and against, but it's tough to believe that [[b) is supported presently.
As to [[a), that's easy: no, it's just a different way of developing, and attracts a different kind of customer. Detroit will always be a wonderful place to live if you are the type of person who wants to live in a cul-de-sac suburb and drive to everything, and nothing we do is likely to ever change that. Detroit [[I mean, here, the region) is not currently a good choice for the type of person who likes to live in an urban setting and go car-light or car-free. Transit-oriented development and improved transit make the region a better option for such people.

As for [[b), that is exactly the point of my last sentence from my earlier post. Communities like Ferndale and Royal Oak are, IMVHO, likely to buy into this and embrace it, and such communities will reap all possible benefits. Whereas if you look at communities like Troy or Livonia, even if they do have a transit line running to or through them, are less likely [[based on my limited knowledge of the politics) to be embracing of it, and will remain car-focused communities that incidentally have a little better transit.

By the way, I'm not picking on cities; I'm just taking examples based on what I know. I'm hoping Livoniaphiles don't start flaming me here.

It will be very interesting to see how the City of Detroit handles this opportunity, if it comes. The revitalization of Woodward along the QLine is encouraging, and I hope that kind of thing follows improved transit to some extent wherever it goes. But we'll see.