The Q-LINE light rail will remain free.

[Zacha341]

^ I've thought about much of this as I've driven by. And the issue of walking to light rails is still a problem for some who don't live near them.

[stasu1213]

Transit should have a justification based in reality, supported by data. Many cities around the world offer excellent transit services that a bus or cars alone could never provide. But as others have pointed out, the Q-Line [[like most streetcars across the country) has missed its ridership targets by a large margin. But why?

Q-Line style streetcars have been failures nearly everywhere they've been built [[although it's important to make a distinction between "light rail" which is typically used to describe a commuter system that is less heavy than conventional rail). The original Woodward Light rail project would have likely been much more successful, because it would have had to justified itself to the federal government to win funding. Thus, it would have been faster, more frequent and actually served riders with enhanced service over existing buses. Q-Line is the exact opposite, it's slower and less frequent than existing buses. So what the f*** is the point of it besides to make people feel good about themselves that streetcars are finally back on Woodward????

Have any of you actually used it besides as pure novelty? Like to get to work? To get to the doctor? To do anything besides ride it like an amusement park ride?

The Qline was hijacked by stipulations, rules that caused it to debate from the original plan, and DDOTs complaints that it would take customers from it's Woodward line. Detroit doesn't want a reliable alternative form of transportation especially in the Southeastern Michigan area.