Streetcars have officially returned to Detroit after a 61 year absence! The M-1 Rail QLINE officially opened to the public on May 12 with great fanfare and immediate crowds enthusiastic to ride for the first time.
Speakers during the grand opening captured the sentiment well:
“Let’s celebrate this victory and let this be the first step towards going back to work toward more regional transit.” – Wayne County Exec Warren Evans
“This is a historic day for Detroit. This is not the end, this is the beginning. We recommit today to making regional transit a reality!” said Senator Gary Peters
“The next generation demands transit in the areas we live, work, and play!” Governor Snyder
“We don’t kid ourselves that the @QLINEdetroit can be all things to all people. But it can still be a great thing.” – M-1 Rail CEO Matt Cullen
“We are a region. Regional Transit is our future!” said Rep. Debbie Dingell
(An inadvertent honesty?): “Penske told me this is not about fast transit, it’s about economic development in the city’s core.” Mayor Mike Duggan
I was honored to join the very first ride (which attempted to capture on social media video – apologies for the poor quality!!) Also check out the video remarks I captured from Senator Gary Peters and Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence.
Like many of the speakers, I used the opportunity to highlight the importance of quick action towards regional transit funding progress with an op-ed in the Detroit Free Press.
Our friends at Transit Center (and Streetsblog) wanted to highlight impressive Detroit bus progress.
Join the discussion on Facebook (@DetroitTransit) to share your opinions and ideas!