Detroit Public Transportation: 2014 and beyond.

[Gpwrangler]

Hm. GP, I think you are reacting a little harshly, but we'll see. First of all, a weekend night in midtown so it has to be a DDOT bus, so my expectations are already going to be pretty low.

Now, was it what people in most cities would consider running a red light: the bus went into the intersection as, or just after, the light turned red? Or was it a Detroit running of the light: the light had been red long enough to listen to the entire song Stairway to Heaven and then the bus ran it?

We can't be too surprised, if the former. After all, this is the city where they feel compelled to post signs all over the place reminding motorists what the red light is supposed to mean. If the latter, any time you see that make a note of the bus number [[the actual four digit number painted on the side of the bus) and call it into DDOT. Nothing may come of that; DDOT has a frightfully sparse supervisory staff now, but at least you're doing your civic duty.

By the way, who is the "they" that just lost your support? The RTA? The RTA owns or controls exactly zero buses and zero drivers. DDOT you only support if you pay taxes in Detroit [[and good luck not paying taxes) or ride the bus; otherwise you already aren't supporting them and there's nothing for them to lose. SMART used to send drivers into Detroit who could then choose to run red lights, but now that's cut back to rush hour.

Another person killed by a Smart bus tonight. Mother of 3.

[dtowncitylover]

Well the RTA has something going for it...


http://www.metrotimes.com/Blogs/arch...-has-a-website

www.rtamichigan.org

[brizee]

http://www.rtamichigan.org/

Well they actually have a website now, instead of that junk on the SEMCOG site.

It only took 2 frickin years.

Also the state will be asked to tax themselves for road improvement....just 18 months before being asked to tax themselves for public transportation.

http://www.metrotimes.com/Blogs/arch...t-vote-in-2016

[ABetterDetroit]

http://www.rtamichigan.org/

Also the state will be asked to tax themselves for road improvement....just 18 months before being asked to tax themselves for public transportation.

http://www.metrotimes.com/Blogs/arch...t-vote-in-2016

Very good point, by kicking the road fix can all over the place the future of public transport funding in southeast MI just received the shaft from both parties in Lansing.

[professorscott]

Very good point, by kicking the road fix can all over the place the future of public transport funding in southeast MI just received the shaft from both parties in Lansing.

I don't know; the plan being debated includes $100M for transit. That's less than we need but I wouldn't call it getting the shaft. The shaft is what we've been getting for the last sixty years.

[ABetterDetroit]

I don't know; the plan being debated includes $100M for transit. That's less than we need but I wouldn't call it getting the shaft. The shaft is what we've been getting for the last sixty years.

I am with you on what has not been done in the past is a failure, where we disagree is on a proper fix. A $100M and change is not a game changer and they just sent the maid out with a message "this is all you will get" because they just yanked the rug out of any initiative to raise a tax for public transport anytime in the near future. We needed a game changer, not more baby steps. Not being willing to roll up the sleeves and properly fix problems is in my opinion what went wrong around here some time ago.

[Hypestyles]

things are going to go backwards with the next state legislature in January. More stalling and starving of the RTA will happen.

[brizee]

http://www.freep.com/story/news/poli...cars/22655363/

And this sorry ass state refused to fund the RTA in the beginning.

Why do people live here?

[nain rouge]

It's a lowest common denominator city. It's a city that picks price over quality almost every time. I could see how that appeals to some people, but it's not for everyone.

[dtowncitylover]

Per the Keep SMART Rolling Facebook page and in response to the petition to fix transit, John Hertel is asking the opt-out communities to join SMART. Just thought I'd put it out there...

[ABetterDetroit]

Today would be a good day to talk subways... Low tonight expected to be -16 Fahrenheit

[maverick1]

It's a lowest common denominator city. It's a city that picks price over quality almost every time. I could see how that appeals to some people, but it's not for everyone.

That's the mentality of the whole metropolitan area. We'd prefer to save a few cents to couple of dollars. They rather spend that money on fast food and snacks.

[dtowncitylover]

Ohhhhh one card, so shiny!

http://www.freep.com/story/news/loca...card/26486033/

[Detroitnerd]

The RTA has until next year to come up with a darn good plan that the public will be interested in funding.

Several plans have already been discussed.

The RTA has decided to implement a process by which is will come up with ... a plan ... by next year ... and hopefully in time to sway voters to vote for funding it.

Do any of you get the idea this is a sham RTA that's there simply to contain all the people of good intentions and keep them from doing anything real?

How many more plans do we need?

http://www.metrotimes.com/Blogs/arch...or-master-plan

[dtowncitylover]

Do any of you get the idea this is a sham RTA that's there simply to contain all the people of good intentions and keep them from doing anything real?

How many more plans do we need?

http://www.metrotimes.com/Blogs/arch...or-master-plan

What plans do we have? The one SEMCOG put out 5 years ago? RTA, since its inception, has never had an official plan. Only plans put out from other agencies, some of which didn't include Ann Arbor. Now a plan has to. Tuesday they're doing an event downtown to get people to give their input on the plan and transit in SE Michigan. According to some we had little input on M-1 Rail now there's bitching about having the opportunity to give input. Give me a break...

https://www.facebook.com/events/892084474183036/

[RO_Resident]

How many more plans do we need?

http://www.metrotimes.com/Blogs/arch...or-master-plan

Has the Metro Times actually talked to anyone at the RTA in the past several months?

Ford, who signed a three-year contract last fall, said he can hire five full-time staffers, two-part time interns, and approve several contracts for the RTA in 2015 with available funds.

The RTA has moved on from budgeted FTEs to real-live employees [[yes, more than one) since Ford signed his contract.

[MSUguy]

Some new details about future regional transit were revealed in media materials distributed to reporters at the event: Woodward, Michigan and Gratiot avenues each will be studied by the RTA over the next year to create a single master plan, termed the Building Equitable Sustainable Transit [[BEST).
The master plan pieces are:

• Examine the state of the current transit system
• Determine the appropriate mix of transit service to meet the needs of Southeast Michigan
• Recommend future transit service, including new rapid transit and better coordination between the existing providers
• Lay out a realistic funding strategy and the steps needed to make this vision a reality

The goal is to have the individual route plans completed by spring 2015, and that plan will be the backbone of an effort to convince the public to approve a regional transit tax in November 2016.

The Woodward route is from downtown Detroit to Pontiac; the Michigan Avenue route extends to Ann Arbor; and the Gratiot line is to Mount Clemens and Clinton Township.

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments regional planning agency, which deals with federal funding for transit projects, handled a Woodward Avenue study for the RTA as the organization ramped up. That initial study was published last year, and was built around a BRT line.
Woodward would be the initial line, as recommended in a report commissioned by SEMCOG and released last fall.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...with-pep-rally

[Hypestyles]

who will be coming to the U. of M-Dearborn outreach event? DetroitYes members can show up in full force to voice their opinions at these events.

[dtowncitylover]

http://www.freep.com/story/news/loca...ings/27555523/

Has anyone been to one yet? I plan on going to the one in Royal Oak tomorrow.

[brizee]

More talking about thinking about discussing in 2035 plans for a Detroit <--> Grand Rapids train line that's never gonna fucking happen.

Talk.

Talk.

Talk.

Talk.

Talk.

Talk.

I wish this was China.

Every elected official and department head in this horrible state would be shot in the back of the head and ground into dog food to be shipped to America.

[dtowncitylover]

More talking about thinking about discussing in 2035 plans for a Detroit <--> Grand Rapids train line that's never gonna fucking happen.

Talk.

Talk.

Talk.

Talk.

Talk.

Talk.

I wish this was China.

Every elected official and department head in this horrible state would be shot in the back of the head and ground into dog food to be shipped to America.

LOL

MDOT saying, "Guys, we're like super serious this time. Like, really. It's gonna happen."

What's sad is that I do think this would work. It would service eastern Michigan legislators and their staff, the tens of thousands of State and Grand Valley students, and of course all of us who like to venture to each other's cities for whatever reason. I also think more people are more receptive to this than with M-1 Rail.

[mtburb]

Well, I believe this year will be the year in which the face of our local bus scene changed dramatically from the past.

Here are a couple factors into this:

• DDOT now has all 70 of it's new 40-foot New Flyer Xcelsiors on the road and will soon be getting 10 articulated versions to help ease the current overcrowding problems some of it's routes are experiencing. All of these are in a brand new livery, one we will have to adjust to.
• SMART also just placed ten more Gillig hybrids on the road this month and is right now acquiring even more. These ten new buses are now enough to have some of it's own routes become almost exclusively served by hybrids. This means, for example, Wayne now has three green-and-yellow buses, two green-and-white buses and one maize-and-blue bus.

What are your thoughts?

[brizee]

M1 gets delayed half a year.

Construction problems.

Because the people in charge didn't foresee winter.

In Michigan

Better service to the airport ain't happening either.

That's the Detroit public transit I know.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Winter, in Michigan. Long winter. Causes construction delay!

Say it ain't so!!

[MSUguy]

M1 gets delayed half a year.

Construction problems.

Because the people in charge didn't foresee winter.

In Michigan

Better service to the airport ain't happening either.

That's the Detroit public transit I know.

The people in charge more likely didn't foresee this winter being this harsh. The opening of the Dequindre Cut was push back in part due to construction delays due to the rough winter. If you bothered reading the article construction isn't the only issue delaying the project, but then you couldn't put out some snarky comment