Quote Originally Posted by Dbest View Post
I found this piece about new tram development in the United States. The writer is from Toronto, he sets out to Cinci, Atl, Tampa, and Detroit to research each city's upcoming tram lines. I've got to like his take on Detroit's strategy compared to the other 3. He views the Detroit line as the only one with true promise for the future. It makes sense after he explains the way Portland positioned their initial line. Detroit seems to be mimicking this approach.
Detroit is, to a great extent, mimicking Portland's approach. We spent a bit of time out there several years ago checking out the service, riding the streetcar, asking passengers what they liked and didn't like, examining their storage and maintenance facility and so on, and also met with people responsible for its design and development. Naturally we observed the effect it had on its neighborhood. We were quite impressed and that had an effect on our plans. Streetcars are a tricky business; you have to do your homework and they only work in certain situations, but I think our team and everyone else involved, then and since, has done their homework and planned carefully and responsibly.

Certainly there were design choices and we could have done things differently, a hundred different ways, and this has [[and will continue to be) the source of endless debate here, and elsewhere. But I think the plan M1 is executing is a good plan and will work well.