More backlash at regional transit (Detroit, Charlotte: buy, schools, taxes)

[y2c313]

https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/...ut/4822042002/


I just don't know what to say about this region anymore. Sometimes I just want to give up on it.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

OK, bye!

[jakebarnes]

Originally Posted by y2c313

https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/...ut/4822042002/


I just don't know what to say about this region anymore. Sometimes I just want to give up on it.

You could always move to a place that has the geographical density and political will for transit. Detroit isn't there yet - things need to be more dense and traffic has to be bad. Also, without a centralized major job center, it's hard to get people commuting to work. If downtown Detroit continues on it's upward swing, transit to downtown Detroit from the suburbs will become more in demand.

[lynnc99]

Regional transit has not gained a bit of traction in metro Detroit over many decades and I'm not sure it will do so this time around. That's not to be pessimistic, but if anyone needs clarification take a look at the fact that we don't even have any shape or form of regional airport shuttle service.

I've always said the philosophy of regional transit in Detroit is this: Need a ride? Buy a car.

Timing is way off on this current proposal as well, IMO. At least where I am in Oakland County, we are looking at recent increases in police, fire, schools, etc. On the list of priorities for homeowners all of these outrank regional transit.

[DTWflyer]

There are several issues:

1) They always do a terrible job of "selling" the RTA; never give clear plans, clear costs, clear timing. Everyone is highly skeptical of another government bureaucracy sitting on top of other transit agencies that to this day fail to deliver at basic service levels

2) They don't even try to address any of the transit issues in some of these outer lying areas; just assume they will pay and get no ROI

3) There is millage and tax fatigue; as said above there have been so many other local level millages for police, fire, schools, local roads, etc. that people are tired of constantly voting in replacement or new taxes.

[usroute10]

Originally Posted by jakebarnes

You could always move to a place that has the geographical density and political will for transit. Detroit isn't there yet - things need to be more dense and traffic has to be bad. Also, without a centralized major job center, it's hard to get people commuting to work. If downtown Detroit continues on it's upward swing, transit to downtown Detroit from the suburbs will become more in demand.

I don't know about that. Over the past 30 years, they've built rapid transit lines in places like St. Louis, Charlotte, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Salt Lake City, Norfolk (VA). Is traffic all that bad in these places? Are their downtowns all that dense?

Wouldn't building rapid transit to downtown encourage more investment and movement of jobs to downtown?
The people of the Detroit area don't want that.

[MS313]

Originally Posted by jakebarnes

You could always move to a place that has the geographical density and political will for transit. Detroit isn't there yet - things need to be more dense and traffic has to be bad. Also, without a centralized major job center, it's hard to get people commuting to work. If downtown Detroit continues on it's upward swing, transit to downtown Detroit from the suburbs will become more in demand.

That is not true and me as well as many other posters have proved that again and again. Detroit doesn't need to be more dense nor does it need absolutely horrendous traffic. I sit in enough traffic everyday. And metro Detroit is far from being the least densely populated major metro area.

Explain why much smaller metros and less density populated metros can figure it out. Explain why Cleveland, STL, SLC, Phoenix, Portland, ect all deserve mass transit in their metro areas but Detroit doesn't.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by usroute10

I don't know about that. Over the past 30 years, they've built rapid transit lines in places like St. Louis, Charlotte, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Salt Lake City, Norfolk (VA). Is traffic all that bad in these places? Are their downtowns all that dense?

No. No.

Originally Posted by usroute10

Wouldn't building rapid transit to downtown encourage more investment and movement of jobs to downtown?

Yes.

Originally Posted by usroute10

The people of the Detroit area don't want that.

Bingo!

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by MS313

That is not true and me as well as many other posters have proved that again and again. Detroit doesn't need to be more dense nor does it need absolutely horrendous traffic. I sit in enough traffic everyday. And metro Detroit is far from being the least densely populated major metro area.

Preach!

Originally Posted by MS313

Explain why much smaller metros and less density populated metros can figure it out. Explain why Cleveland, STL, SLC, Phoenix, Portland, ect all deserve mass transit in their metro areas but Detroit doesn't.

Every time Detroit mass transit opponents and skeptics try to explain, they never make sense.

[Coldjensens]

Horrifying! They want to create regional transit in a rational manner. The nerve!