Rosa Parks Transit Center Getting Her Canopy

**stasu1213** · May-16-09, 11:37 PM

I think that cheap politicians in Detroit had ordered that cheap canopy so that it will fall apart. By prolonging the opening of the center could keep monies in their pockets

**hudkina** · May-16-09, 11:43 PM

Now I know why the founding fathers thought that the public was too stupid to know how to govern themselves.

MIRepublic · May-16-09, 11:46 PM

No need to wink.

So, how many times has Chene Park blown over?

**jcole** · May-17-09, 08:27 AM

Okay, here's a photo of Denver International, which is a similar construction, except it covers the interior of the terminal. The airport is to the east of the city on a flat plain and it's very windy, gets hit with tons of snow every winter and is, in fact, in an area where tornados are more likely to hit. They get the down drafts from the Rockies out there, and it's been holding up now for 15 years and still looks pretty good. The fabric did tear once in a very large blizzard in 2003. They closed the holes around the mast that supports the roofing with some sort of clear window-y looking substance so no one gets hit with the wicked wind-driven sun.
Attachment 1226

Attachment 1227

**Pcm** · May-20-09, 06:41 AM

Geez KingRex.

You really killed the thread.

Why do you have to go and throw in a perfectly acceptable comparison?

**kraig** · May-20-09, 07:46 PM

Well damn. Why didn't any of you tell me that the canopy alone cost 5.5 million dollars? That's a lot of money just to relocate all of the bus riders away from Campus Martias.

**Pcm** · May-20-09, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

Well damn. Why didn't any of you tell me that the canopy alone cost 5.5 million dollars? That's a lot of money just to relocate all of the bus riders away from Campus Martias.

I believe you intended to say Capitol Park, not Campus Martius, yes?

**hudkina** · May-21-09, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by Pcm

Geez KingRex.

You really killed the thread.

Why do you have to go and throw in a perfectly acceptable comparison?

The article even pointed out the fact that the canopy was damaged BECAUSE IT WASN'T COMPLETELY INSTALLED. This has nothing to do with the quality or durability of the material or construction method.

**kraig** · May-21-09, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Pcm

I believe you intended to say Capitol Park, not Campus Martius, yes?

No, I meant Campus Martius. Having the bus riders that close to Campus Martius was going to seriously hamper the City's plan to re-invent the center of Downtown Detroit as a more upscale area.

**DetroitPlanner** · May-21-09, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by kraig

No, I meant Campus Martius. Having the bus riders that close to Campus Martius was going to seriously hamper the City's plan to re-invent the center of Downtown Detroit as a more upscale area.

And hence why the elite will never ride transit in Detroit, no matter what form it will take. Really to equate bus riders as undesirables is not a fair comparison, nor does in most most societies carry the stigma that it does here. How about cordoning off the streets of downtown so we can only let those in who are deemed desirable by you as well?

**kraig** · May-21-09, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

And hence why the elite will never ride transit in Detroit, no matter what form it will take. Really to equate bus riders as undesirables is not a fair comparison, nor does in most most societies carry the stigma that it does here. How about cordoning off the streets of downtown so we can only let those in who are deemed desirable by you as well?

Don't get it twisted, this isn't how I feel. I'm just giving you the mindset of the people planning this. But hey, going by the name DetroitPlanner, you tell me why the bus terminal was moved. With your experience, I'm sure you have a more plausible explanation than the fact that bus riders in this city have always been treated bad.

**rjk** · May-21-09, 08:19 AM

Why not just buy everyone who rides a bus one of these things.

http://img.alibaba.com/photo/11626871/Umbrella_Hat.jpg

They're cheaper and plus it would be tough to throw a Mc D's bag or a dead body on top of them.

**professorscott** · May-21-09, 10:51 AM

I agree that it's not pleasant for bus passengers that the main bus terminal keeps getting farther and farther from the heart of downtown. If we take the corner of Woodward and Jefferson to be the "heart of downtown", then we went from Cadillac Square [[about 3/10 of a mile away) to Capitol Park [[a half-mile) to Rosa Parks [[7/10 of a mile). Meanwhile, the Greyhound terminal, which used to be right downtown, is now way the hell over to the far side of the Lodge.

It's hard not to reach the conclusion that planners think of us transit riders as undesirable, given the facts.

**DetroitPlanner** · May-21-09, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by professorscott

I agree that it's not pleasant for bus passengers that the main bus terminal keeps getting farther and farther from the heart of downtown. If we take the corner of Woodward and Jefferson to be the "heart of downtown", then we went from Cadillac Square [[about 3/10 of a mile away) to Capitol Park [[a half-mile) to Rosa Parks [[7/10 of a mile). Meanwhile, the Greyhound terminal, which used to be right downtown, is now way the hell over to the far side of the Lodge.

It's hard not to reach the conclusion that planners think of us transit riders as undesirable, given the facts.

Planners don't control the purse strings. Those with the gold make the rules. My original idea for the transit station was underneath Campus Martius, a couple of nicely placed ramps and a turntable and you could get the buses in and out in a hurry. In addition, you would have been able to link it directly by underground passageways to the surrounding buildings so on bad weather days, there would be no need to go outside. Did not go anywhere unfortunately after I pitched it.

The location where it is now will fit in very nicely with the people mover. Several of the Woodward LRT proposals also link to it.

**izzyindetroit** · May-21-09, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

The location where it is now will fit in very nicely with the people mover.

Will we be able to get a DDOT transfer to the PM?

**kraig** · May-21-09, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Planners don't control the purse strings. Those with the gold make the rules. My original idea for the transit station was underneath Campus Martius, a couple of nicely placed ramps and a turntable and you could get the buses in and out in a hurry. In addition, you would have been able to link it directly by underground passageways to the surrounding buildings so on bad weather days, there would be no need to go outside. Did not go anywhere unfortunately after I pitched it.

The location where it is now will fit in very nicely with the people mover. Several of the Woodward LRT proposals also link to it.

Too bad they didn't go for your idea. I don't think it would have been as expensive as people might think. I believe that area had already been dug out many decades ago when the city was looking at building a subway system. Of course, this being the car capital of the world, the auot companies got the city to scrap those plans, but, you would be amazed at how well the infrastucture that was being put in place back then has held up.

**DetroitPlanner** · May-21-09, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by izzyindetroit

Will we be able to get a DDOT transfer to the PM?

Not seemlessly yet, they have different systems in terms of cards. I do know that many planners are talking that way, but DDOT and DTC operate as wholy independent entities and change is slow unless someone shakes em up.

**kraig** · May-21-09, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Not seemlessly yet, they have different systems in terms of cards. I do know that many planners are talking that way, but DDOT and DTC operate as wholy independent entities and change is slow unless someone shakes em up.

Let's hope so, there both subsidized by the City's general fund, so there shouldn't be too many impediments.

DetroitDad · June-11-09, 09:27 AM

Canopy #4 is up!

http://jagodzinski.wordpress.com/200...fourth-canopy/

DetroitDad · June-11-09, 09:41 AM

One question, will the transit authorities be taking a stand against disorderly conduct and excessive panhandling at the new transit center, similar to how things are handled at Campus Martius Park?

**bailey** · June-11-09, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitDad

One question, will the transit authorities be taking a stand against disorderly conduct and excessive panhandling at the new transit center, similar to how things are handled at Campus Martius Park?

Doubtful...are they doing that now in Capitol Park? The extra security at CMP is a private function of the conservancy and not a city service.

**kraig** · June-11-09, 12:43 PM

I drove past there last week. Do the canopies get dirty real fast? Or is dingy as hell an actual color?

**bailey** · June-11-09, 12:48 PM

Dingy as hell is the actual color. Just wait, two years of diesel soot and tags [[they'll figure a way to climb up there) will really brighten it up.

**professorscott** · June-11-09, 02:08 PM

Oh, make lemonade already. Let's try to convince the gang-bangers to paint the route numbers in tag format; that way they get what they want and we get a benefit as well.

I'm surprised their isn't a gang-tag font available from Microsoft or something. Or is there and I'm just not finding it?

**kraig** · June-11-09, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by professorscott

Oh, make lemonade already. Let's try to convince the gang-bangers to paint the route numbers in tag format; that way they get what they want and we get a benefit as well.

I'm surprised their isn't a gang-tag font available from Microsoft or something. Or is there and I'm just not finding it?

What's wrong Prof? I know you're not frustrated that we don't like fact that 5.5 million of our tax dollars was spent on building a canopy that is made of a fabric that is collecting dirt at an extremely fast rate? Or are you angry that the same fabric is going to be in very close proximity to the worst thing for it, diesel fumes? Whatcha mad about, huh?