People Mover elimination

**Ltdave** · January-02-12, 06:03 PM

a friend of mine whos USUALLY up on things was surprised when i told him that NYE i rode the PM to the Joe for a hockey game. he swore UP and DOWN that he read in the paper that it was being shut down...

i did 4 searches with different keyword combinations and the best i got was that the PM was shut down for a day or two for some maintenance or for a component failure...

i told him that i frequent this site and if it was going to be shut down [[for good) or eliminated, i would have read about it here...

IS THERE or WAS THERE, talk of killing the PM? i know its running in the opposite direction than it was but i cant see that as being a 'NEWSWORTHY' story to run in regards to shutting it down...

Occurrence · January-02-12, 06:13 PM

It loses money and really doesn't do anything, so it probably should be shut down.

Bing has threatened shutting it down, but it's unlikly to happen.

**Russix** · January-02-12, 06:18 PM

I found a few articles from October stating a potential shutdown in December if funding issues weren't resolved. They have since started using money being held in escrow for maintenance costs to run operations.

**Bham1982** · January-02-12, 06:25 PM

The odd thing is that you could hypothetically shut it down, but you probably can't realistically remove it.

If you were to remove it, the feds would almost certainly come after you to repay their initial contribution, with interest.

**401don** · January-02-12, 07:00 PM

Maybe they could just put in handcars. Great exercise, great view, low cost and energy efficient!

**Kathleen** · January-02-12, 07:03 PM

And following the discussion of a potential shutdown....

People Mover in Detroit will keep moving through June 2013
http://www.michiganradio.org/post/pe...ough-june-2013

**ThisIsForTheHeart** · January-02-12, 07:18 PM

The people mover is a very useful item when I'm downtown. It moves me as well others [[People) around. Isnt that name of it? "People Mover"

It comes in handy right around this season as its too cold with the wind hitting your face to walk all across downtown.

Its up to the metro area to fill in the downtown buildings with residential,retail and other commerce businesses to make it more efficient.

**Enduro** · January-02-12, 07:23 PM

Too bad it's so expensive to expand on and a shame we didn't do it right when we had the chance like Miami's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metromover). Per Wiki: "Today, the Metromover serves as a vital part of Downtown life, and with the rapid population growth in Downtown, has grown quickly in usage and popularity. It has nearly doubled in ridership in the last decade, growing from 14,952 passengers per day in 1999 to 31,100 by October 2011."

**CLAUDE G** · January-02-12, 11:49 PM

I think they get federal funding from the goverment to run it. I read somewhere if they shut it down, then they have to repay the feds.

It makes more sense for them to run it as they are right now.

The really need to expand it, and have it serve all 3 Casinos and Comerica Park and Ford Field.

Right now the only thing it seems to be good for is going to Joe Louis, Cobo, and Greek Town Casino.

**Hypestyles** · January-02-12, 11:56 PM

who knows.. if a regional transit authority were created, with a dedicated funding source, perhaps the people mover could be expanded to more locations. hopefully that will happen in the [[near) future, but of course, right now most transit projects here are basically dead..

**Scottathew** · January-03-12, 12:06 AM

I use the People Mover a lot. At work we often use it to go from a station near our building to take us over to food at the Millender Center or the RenCen. It's good to connect people from distant parking to events at the Joe and Cobo.

My wife is a special education teacher and once or twice a year I'll give her class a tour of downtown. We always take the People Mover over to the RenCen. One of her students, a boy with Down Syndrome gets so excited and signs to us "Train in the Sky" over and over again. The kids always get such a kick out of it.

However, I do admit while I get a lot of use out of it, it's basically just a very little circle that mainly serves visitors and workers in the city, and not so much the residents.

While I would miss the People Mover, I can't justify it's operation at a loss if police calls are going unresponded to.

Names my friends have come up with for the People Mover:

People Mugger
Mugger Mover
Fecal Mover
Train
Trolley
Bus
Monorail

**Gistok** · January-03-12, 01:21 AM

Everyone I've ever taken on the People Mover.... bar none... has enjoyed it a lot. Only complaint is the squeeky wheels [[annoying).

For those who don't already know... the People Mover Maintenance Center/Garage from the Times Square Station on southward for 2 blocks... that large building was built to house up to 100 PM cars. No one knew what the future would hold back then, so they made the building BIG!

So part of the infrastructure for any possible expansion... is already built.

**royce** · January-03-12, 04:13 AM

It would make sense to shut the People Mover[[PM) down if it costs so much to maintain. However, it is convenient to ride when you have major sporting events, the auto show, and the jazz festival. I really don't see a need to expand it, even if there was money to do it. Where would you expand it to? Someone mentioned Comerica Park, however, currently the Broadway station is only two to three short blocks from Comerica Park and if the David Whitney reopens its PM stop, you might be slightly closer to CP. However, who wouldn't enjoy a nice summer stroll to CP via the Broadway PM stop. The street bustles with people on the way to and from Tigers' games. Why expand the PM so that it can drop fans right in front of CM? It would just be a waste of time and money. Now, an expansion to MGM Grand Casino might make sense, but where else does the People Mover need to be expanded to?

**ghettopalmetto** · January-03-12, 08:16 AM

Most. Expensive. Parking shuttle. Ever.

**Planner3357** · January-03-12, 09:35 AM

Royce, the GCP stop at the David Whitney is open.

**Gistok** · January-03-12, 11:18 AM

That's right... it was rebuilt so that you can get on without going into the Whitney Bulding, but enter from the outside. Now there will likely be 2 entry options... similar to such stations as JLA [[ground and riverfront apartments entrance)..

**JBMcB** · January-03-12, 11:32 AM

I read somewhere that the cost of building elevated train systems has shot up several hundred percent in the last couple of decades, outpacing inflation by a large margin. I don't think a major elevated train system has been installed or expanded in the US since the 80's. There are elevated portions of some new light rail, but they are relatively short [[Seattle's system at SeaTac.)

Disney wanted to build out their monorail system to service their new hotels, but the cost per mile went from $1 million in the early 80's to $15 million in the 90's, and it's even more now.

**Parkguy** · January-03-12, 11:40 AM

I-94 is such a rip-off drain on the taxpayers of this state. It does nothing but cost, cost, cost, and it does not bring in one red cent in return. This summer they are going to start another boondoggle spending spree on "The Edsel" [[which says it all!)-- hundreds of millions of dollars thrown away-- again! [I hope everyone can see my tongue planted firmly in my cheek.]

Actually, I read somewhere [[maybe the city website) that the PM was going to be closed on New Year's Day or Eve, so LtDave's friend wasn't totally imagining things. But it was only for a furlough day or something.

**mtburb** · January-03-12, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by Planner3357

Royce, the GCP stop at the David Whitney is open.

When did they put in the second entrance?

**Gistok** · January-03-12, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by mtburb

When did they put in the second entrance?

Soon after the David Whitney Building closed. For at least a year [[maybe longer) there was no way to access the David Whitney PM station, until they built access. I haven't gotten on/off at that station, so I don't know the specifics. Is it just an elevator & stairs? I can't imagine there being too much room for stairs at that location...

**Gistok** · January-03-12, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by Parkguy

I-94 is such a rip-off drain on the taxpayers of this state. It does nothing but cost, cost, cost, and it does not bring in one red cent in return. This summer they are going to start another boondoggle spending spree on "The Edsel" [[which says it all!)-- hundreds of millions of dollars thrown away-- again! [I hope everyone can see my tongue planted firmly in my cheek.]

Are you talking about the on-again-off-again expansion of I-94 from 3 lanes to 4 lanes [[with Lodge interchange rebuild) from Conner to I-96??

I thought that was off again. The bridges between those 2 spots have not [[for the most part) been rebuilt, in case the expansion goes thru [[why rebuild twice). But I do know that some of those bridges had some significant maintenance work done anyway, and that may continue this summer due to deferred maintenance. Most I-94 bridges east and west of those points have already been rebuilt.

**mtburb** · January-03-12, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Soon after the David Whitney Building closed. For at least a year [[maybe longer) there was no way to access the David Whitney PM station, until they built access. I haven't gotten on/off at that station, so I don't know the specifics. Is it just an elevator & stairs? I can't imagine there being too much room for stairs at that location...

When did the David Whitney close? I have boarded at that station, so I know there is stairs, but I haven't seen an elevator there.

**Detroitnerd** · January-03-12, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Are you talking about the on-again-off-again expansion of I-94 from 3 lanes to 4 lanes [[with Lodge interchange rebuild) from Conner to I-96??

I thought it was a tongue-in-cheek response to this thread's post No. 2.

**mikeg19** · January-03-12, 05:14 PM

Take the trains off and use it like the old elevated railcar line in NYC's meatpacking district. It would be like the Dequindre Cut, only above ground. Boom. Problem solved.

**Gistok** · January-03-12, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Take the trains off and use it like the old elevated railcar line in NYC's meatpacking district. It would be like the Dequindre Cut, only above ground. Boom. Problem solved.

Ummm... except they're going to need 5.8 miles of railings, as well as the removal of 2.9 mile of track and electrical, and add lighting in Cobo... and who's going to shovel the snow in winter? Problem not solved...