More backlash at regional transit (Detroit, Ann Arbor: real estate, how much, house)

[craig11152]

The AAATA and RTA are starting an hourly bus between Ann Arbor and Detroit. The hourly part is M-F from around 6am to around 10pm. Weekends I think they are running 4 or 5 buses from late morning to midnight.
Tickets are $8 at the bus or $6 in advance. A 10 trip weekly is $50 if I remember.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by craig11152

The AAATA and RTA are starting an hourly bus between Ann Arbor and Detroit. The hourly part is M-F from around 6am to around 10pm. Weekends I think they are running 4 or 5 buses from late morning to midnight.
Tickets are $8 at the bus or $6 in advance. A 10 trip weekly is $50 if I remember.

So are you saying the Det-A2 commuter rail plan is dead, on hold ... what exactly?

[TheProf]

Here's a Bisnow article talking about the challenges cities are facing building or expanding mass transit in 2020... The disturbing thing is that Detroit isn't even mentioned. I guess the writer feels Detroit is too far gone transit-wise to even discuss and that's sad.

https://www.bisnow.com/national/news...waiting-102468

[craig11152]

Originally Posted by TheProf

So are you saying the Det-A2 commuter rail plan is dead, on hold ... what exactly?

I'm just saying what I said. I have no knowledge about any commuter train.
The buses are available, they don't need to schedule I-94 usage. Seems like a step toward regional transit.
Do you see this as a negative?

[NOLA101]

What would be the point of a commuter train between AA and Detroit? Is there some commuting demographic that works in the New Center and, for some odd reason, lives in downtown AA?

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by craig11152

I'm just saying what I said. I have no knowledge about any commuter train.
The buses are available, they don't need to schedule I-94 usage. Seems like a step toward regional transit.
Do you see this as a negative?

No need to be belligerent, I was only asking a question not making an attack... Commuter buses as a step toward a new service is certainly a positive. But if the buses are a means to replace the plan for the commuter train then, yes, I see it as a negative. This is a long, busy and densely populated corridor with a lot of commuter rail possibilities -- for UM and EMU students/faculty, for Detroit-Metro passengers (where there's zero public transit to downtown Detroit), for Dearborn, Romulus and other commuters into Detroit, for Greenfield Village visitors, etc., etc.

While I haven't been following the plans closely, I do recall that SMART, I believe, had acquired, or was acquiring, used bi-level rail coaches from Chicago's commuter rail network (Metra). It had sounded like construction on this service was imminent as of a few years ago.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by NOLA101

What would be the point of a commuter train between AA and Detroit? Is there some commuting demographic that works in the New Center and, for some odd reason, lives in downtown AA?

Please see my last post.

[usroute10]

Originally Posted by TheProf

No need to be belligerent, I was only asking a question not making an attack... Commuter buses as a step toward a new service is certainly a positive. But if the buses are a means to replace the plan for the commuter train then, yes, I see it as a negative. This is a long, busy and densely populated corridor with a lot of commuter rail possibilities -- for UM and EMU students/faculty, for Detroit-Metro passengers (where there's zero public transit to downtown Detroit), for Dearborn, Romulus and other commuters into Detroit, for Greenfield Village visitors, etc., etc.

While I haven't been following the plans closely, I do recall that SMART, I believe, had acquired, or was acquiring, used bi-level rail coaches from Chicago's commuter rail network (Metra). It had sounded like construction on this service was imminent as of a few years ago.

MDOT is still leasing train cars, going on 10 years now, and they actually own the train tracks from Kalamazoo to Detroit.

The current Regional Transit Authority plans call for a Ann Arbor-Detroit Commuter Rail train with some kind of service to the Detroit-Wayne County Airport. However, the RTA Millage proposal might not even get on the 2020 ballot. If that is the case, then there is no chance of commuter rail service.

NOLA101 brought up a good point in that the commuter rail line stop in Detroit is in the New Center area 2.5-3 miles north of downtown. (Little known fact, There is a parking garage across the street from the Joe Louis Arena PeopleMover station that was built to accommodate a train terminal.)

Also, this bus service, while nice, is inferior to the original commuter rail service that ran from 1932 to 1984 in several respects. The original service picked up in Ann Arbor & YPSILANTI (home of Eastern Michigan University) and dropped off in Dearborn (Ford Motor Company) and Michigan Central Station, all in 45 minutes. While this bus service, which will get stuck in traffic with all the cars, is just going from Ann Arbor to downtown Detroit in an hour, no Ypsi or no Dearborn. One advantage is that it will go all the way downtown.

If this bus service gets good ridership, I guess it can be an impetus to get this commuter rail service started.

[usroute10]

Originally Posted by NOLA101

What would be the point of a commuter train between AA and Detroit? Is there some commuting demographic that works in the New Center and, for some odd reason, lives in downtown AA?

Why are you so antagonistic and disingenuous...all the time? You know commuter rail doesn't work like that. Commuter rail stops are 3-10 miles apart. It is expected that you DRIVE to the commuter rail stop, it just wouldn't be for people who live in downtown Ann Arbor. People who live in ALL of Ann Arbor who have a job in the core of Detroit could be potential riders for a service. They would park at the station (that is not even in downtown AA), and take the train to Detroit.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by usroute10

MDOT is still leasing train cars, going on 10 years now, and they actually own the train tracks from Kalamazoo to Detroit.

The current Regional Transit Authority plans call for a Ann Arbor-Detroit Commuter Rail train with some kind of service to the Detroit-Wayne County Airport. However, the RTA Millage proposal might not even get on the 2020 ballot. If that is the case, then there is no chance of commuter rail service.

NOLA101 brought up a good point in that the commuter rail line stop in Detroit is in the New Center area 2.5-3 miles north of downtown. (Little known fact, There is a parking garage across the street from the Joe Louis Arena PeopleMover station that was built to accommodate a train terminal.)

Also, this bus service, while nice, is inferior to the original commuter rail service that ran from 1932 to 1984 in several respects. The original service picked up in Ann Arbor & YPSILANTI (home of Eastern Michigan University) and dropped off in Dearborn (Ford Motor Company) and Michigan Central Station, all in 45 minutes. While this bus service, which will get stuck in traffic with all the cars, is just going from Ann Arbor to downtown Detroit in an hour, no Ypsi or no Dearborn. One advantage is that it will go all the way downtown.

If this bus service gets good ridership, I guess it can be an impetus to get this commuter rail service started.

Yes, the New Center Amtrak station is poorly located for commuters. I'm not sure, though, if Michigan Central would be better or worse. At least at New Center, it is a neighborhood with a lot of commerce at the old GM HQ and hotel and directly on Woodward with the Q-Line and a ton of bus traffic to nearby Midtown and downtown.... I was hopeful the new commuter line, plus some BRT would get rolling... I realize some people are frustrated with the increased millage proposal coupled with the seeming disorganization from local pols -- there seems to be a new/different regional transit scheme every few years.

... good information and update, though... Thanks!