A Rail Line From Detroit To Ann Arbor Is Right In Front Of Our Faces

[Hypestyles]

so what's john hertel supposed to be doing about this, if anything?

[professorscott]

so what's john hertel supposed to be doing about this, if anything?

Convincing the public to vote for funding for improvements. Before that happens, he hasn't the money to do anything whatever.

[ghettopalmetto]

Convincing the public to vote for funding for improvements. Before that happens, he hasn't the money to do anything whatever.

Correction: Vote for vague, ill-defined "improvements" that amount to a blank check for a non-existent plan. Any chance that's going to pass the smell test?

The logic here is circular.

[professorscott]

Correction: Vote for vague, ill-defined "improvements" that amount to a blank check for a non-existent plan. Any chance that's going to pass the smell test?

The logic here is circular.

Admittedly the current state of the plan is at a high level and there are a lot of operational details not yet worked out, but to call it nonexistent is inane. There are two plans, the one approved by the RTCC in December 2008 that is buried somewhere in SEMCOG's website, and the AATA plan which, I assume, can be found somewhere on their website.

As I said, Mr. Hertel's job is to make the public aware of what kind of improvements can be made for a particular sum of money, and then convince the public to vote to approve that sum in order to make those improvements.

Your cynicism is somewhat misplaced, I think. Mr. Hertel has run SMART for a few years, and I think it is a well run system given its budgetary constraints, which are troublesome and got much worse in the housing market collapse. If he was given a system to run and a reasonable amount of money with which to run it, I think people would be pleased with the results.

His job is to basically sell that message, and initially one of the tasks will be to paint a more complete picture - I agree with you here - on what transit could look like in the region with some more reasonable amount of funding. The 2008 RTCC plan focuses only on the major arteries, and was based on the assumption [[valid then) that local service would continue to be provided by the existing operators.

[Detroitnerd]

After a lifetime of experience with metro Detroit, I'd say that any amount of cynicism about rapid transit in Detroit is well-placed.

Year after year, we have studies, discussions, plans, more damn studies, more damn discussions, department-shuffling, renamings, motions, legislation, and more studies, of course.

And, year after year, the quality and amount of public transportation decreases.

I'm and older person who owns a house now, so I'm tied to this region. But since I have a lifetime of experience with all this BS, I know what to expect in the future, and I can give some actual non-BS advice:

Younger people and non-homeowners: Run away. Run as fast as your legs will carry you. Go somewhere that's serious about providing rapid transit and meeting your needs. Michigan's powers that be have been clear on this for a generation: We do not need you. Go away.

[wolverine]

After a lifetime of experience with metro Detroit, I'd say that any amount of cynicism about rapid transit in Detroit is well-placed.

Year after year, we have studies, discussions, plans, more damn studies, more damn discussions, department-shuffling, renamings, motions, legislation, and more studies, of course.

And, year after year, the quality and amount of public transportation decreases.

I'm and older person who owns a house now, so I'm tied to this region. But since I have a lifetime of experience with all this BS, I know what to expect in the future, and I can give some actual non-BS advice:

Younger people and non-homeowners: Run away. Run as fast as your legs will carry you. Go somewhere that's serious about providing rapid transit and meeting your needs. Michigan's powers that be have been clear on this for a generation: We do not need you. Go away.

This is pretty much the reason why I left. I really love Michigan, but in my career we require a political climate that's open to all sort of development and expanded transit. I just couldn't wait around for it. I figured one day I'll settle down, be much more experienced in my career and willing to come back someday when things are further along and we'll be talking about expanding transit, adding stations and constructing 25+ story buildings in downtown Detroit. I just had to experience a real post-recession development boom to keep me excited about the work I do.

What's frustrating is seeing a place in Michigan that has so much pent-up demand and amazing potential held back by a group of skeptics that refuse to acknowledge a changing future in America that will ultimately be better for Detroit. It's worth throwing alot of money at such a risk. Because NOTHING has been working for Detroit.

Ultimately I think Detroit will get some decent rail transit and probably a well built commercial / residential corridor. But you need to get the snowball rolling down the hill now rather than later. If it's not Chicago that's the urban juggernaut with an endless tap on Michigan's graduates, it's other midwest cities such as Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Columbus or Cincinnati that will become increasingly influential places for grads to move.

I worry Michigan has got a bit of a narrow opportunity window now to make all the right moves