Airport Transit from DTW to Downtown Detroit

[mwilbert]

It is absurd not to have a reasonable transit option from the airport to downtown. The lack of accommodation in Metro Detroit for people who can't or don't want to drive is simply incredible to people who haven't grown up with it, and to some of them [[like me) who have.

[j to the jeremy]

You'd think we could figure it out after 50 years....I guess not. Racism and classism die hard in this state.

sarcasm on
After all, anyone worth bringing to our fair sprawl wasteland must be wealthy enough to both afford a car and choose to ALWAYS use it, if they're from another country they should STAY OUT AND STOP STEALING OUR JOBS GRRRRRR

end sarcasm

[ghettopalmetto]

Do I think investing billions in airport rail to downtown makes sense for Metro Detroit. Heck, no, and for a multitude of reasons.

But I certainly support frequent and reliable public transit to the airport.

Where do you get this outrageous "billions" number? Commuter rail costs about $2 million/mile to construct when the tracks are already in place. Check out the Ann Arbor-to-Detroit passenger rail website.

As always, you're just guessing, without a shred of fact to support your statements. Misinformation is the first step toward the status quo.

[SteveJ]

A shuttle bus would be better and a lot cheaper. You don't even have rail up to the airport. That is going to cost huge money just to build that.

[casscorridor]

A shuttle bus would be better and a lot cheaper. You don't even have rail up to the airport. That is going to cost huge money just to build that.

There is a rail line right along I-75, leading directly into the city [[MSC or New Center are both basically a straight shot).

Why isn't this also a commuter rail line along this route? It would be the fastest way to the airport.

[Detroitnerd]

There is a rail line right along I-75, leading directly into the city [[MSC or New Center are both basically a straight shot).

Why isn't this also a commuter rail line along this route? It would be the fastest way to the airport.

The way I heard it, the freight-haulers have trackage priority, which limits the amount of passenger traffic it can reasonably bear. You don't want to get hung up behind a long freight train on long runs or get sided while they pass.

[SteveJ]

Yup. For anyone that has done the train to Chicago from RO, the trip through Detroit is very slow. Using old rail isn't the solution for mass transit IMO. I can't think of any city that uses old freight rail for regional mass transit.

[Lowell]

You raise an interesting point. If the Wayne County Airport Authority can raise billions and billions of dollars for new airport terminals and parking garages...

...what's stopping them from funding [[and operating) a semi-regional transit system?

Hey they built a train inside McNamara Airport. LOL Amazingly one has to go down the back up to use it, then back down to your departure bay.

[Bham1982]

Where do you get this outrageous "billions" number? Commuter rail costs about $2 million/mile to construct when the tracks are already in place. Check out the Ann Arbor-to-Detroit passenger rail website.

That isn't rail from the airport to downtown. You're talking about something completely different.

There's no rail at the airport, and there's no rail downtown, and I thought we're talking about a dedicated rail line between the two.

IMO, your scenario would be far inferior than reliable bus service between the terminals and downtown. A regular bus between the two would be much better than a shuttle to some far-off rail station, followed by a drop-off nowhere near downtown.

[Detroitnerd]

IMO, your scenario would be far inferior than reliable bus service between the terminals and downtown. A regular bus between the two would be much better than a shuttle to some far-off rail station, followed by a drop-off nowhere near downtown.

Yeah, I'm sure we'll all give your opinion the consideration it deserves.

[Hypestyles]

Ideally, where would the stop[[s) be downtown, if a rail line were to be built from the airport?

[Brian1979]

Chicago has CTA trains going to both Midway and O'Hare, if Chicago can do it then why can't Detroit? Why can't Detroit ever pull their heads out of their asses and do something positive for the region for a change? Believe me the orange line going to Midway and the blue line going to O'Hare do very well with business travelers btw BHam. Who is going to want to sit in traffic on the Kennedy Expressway when you can be downtown via the blue line in 45 minutes? Detroit is so far behind on being a functional major city, this is the 12th largest metro area in the United States and even metro areas smaller than Detroit have a clue on what mass transit is.

[Brian1979]

Ideally, where would the stop[[s) be downtown, if a rail line were to be built from the airport?

Cass and Michigan for one, then probably Cadillac Square.

[Displaced]

Maybe someone here can show some goodwill, and offer this man a ride?


Back to the debate...

[mwilbert]

I can't think of any city that uses old freight rail for regional mass transit.

It isn't unusual to use lines shared with freight trains for commuter rail [[which is what was being discussed here). Certainly it is done in Boston.

Given the lack of rail infrastructure at the airport and downtown, I do think a shuttle makes sense. I used to use the old Greyhound bus from the airport to the RenCen/Ponchartrain/Bus terminal all the time. If they ever get their act together with a commuter rail link from Midtown to Ann Arbor, a shuttle from the airport to the presumed Dearborn stop might be sensible, if they coordinated the schedules. Arguably it would make as much sense to have a connection to Midtown as to Downtown. It is the idea that there is no reasonable non-automotive way to get into town from the airport at all that is ridiculous.