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How will mass transit be incorporated into the Aerotropolis project?
Mass transit will play a critical role in the development of the Aerotropolis. For the Aerotropolis to truly benefit all of Southeast Michigan, we must find ways to connect workers to jobs within the Aerotropolis district, and to connect visitors of the region to our established central business districts including downtown Detroit, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Oakland County. Beyond the Metro Detroit region, we will explore ways to transform the Aerotropolis into a hub serving the State of Michigan, the Midwest and the Great Lakes region. Given that Detroit Metropolitan Airport already attracts passengers from throughout Michigan, parts of northern Ohio, and southwest Ontario, the Aerotropolis stakeholders see an opportunity to build upon these connections and drive economic activity.
The proposed Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail is the first step to establishing improved transit service to the airport. Transit service will help influence transit-oriented development, walkable areas, and attractive business environments. The Aerotropolis partners will also explore ways in which mobility can be improved within the immediate Aerotropolis district.
What lessons have you been able to learn from aerotropolis developments around the world that will help the Detroit Aerotropolis get off the ground?
We know we must work together as a region for this project to succeed. Development around Amsterdam Schiphol airport involved over 100 different entities including local governments, citizens groups, and businesses.
We must have sustained support from the private sector. We are grateful to those who have supported us thus far, and we look forward to working more closely with local businesses once we have initiated the Development Corporation. Private development has been crucial to economic activity around Dallas-Fort Worth airport and Chicago’s O’hare airport.
Mass transit will be critical to realizing the regional value of the Aerotropolis. We need to connect citizens to jobs at the airport and in the Aerotropolis, and we want to connect visitors to our central business districts, especially our cultural and entertainment facilities in Detroit and Ann Arbor. Mass transit is a key component of many Aerotropolis developments including Amsterdam, Dallas, Chicago, Shanghai, Washington D.C., and in Atlanta.
Anchor tenants will be critical to driving economic activity around the airports. While we may not be able to lure UPS and FedEx away from Louisville and Memphis, we will need to attract firms that utilize the airports on an everyday basis.
We will need the support of the State of Michigan to make this work, and we must make the Aerotropolis project a “win-win” for all Michigan residents.
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