Yes, greater Detroit has an official regional transit plan, which TRU strongly supports. It provides a good balance of immediate improvements in bus service and coordination and a long term effort to develop rapid transit throughout the region. Within the next three years, it calls for the region’s first light rail line on Woodward Avenue, the first regional commuter train between Detroit, Metro Airport and Ann Arbor, and “Arterial Rapid-Transit” along most major corridors.
This page offers a very brief summary of the plan developed by TRU. The official plan summary is available for download in pdf from SEMCOG’s website.
Unanimous Regional Support
Critical to the success of Detroit-area transit is regional agreement on a plan for future transit investment. Through the hard work of John Hertel and John Swatosh, and with significant input from TRU, that plan has been created and unanimously approved in December 2008 by the RTCC board:
- (then-)Detroit Mayor Ken Cockrell,
- (then-)Macomb County Commission Chair Bill Crouchman,
- Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano, and
- Oakland County Executive Brooks Patterson.
Short-Term Improvements (by 2012)
It includes important transit improvements in the next few years, (see right) including:
- Improved and expanded bus service throughout the region;
- Better coordination between SMART and DDOT;
- New “Arterial-Rapid Transit” express hybrid-bus service (green);
- Detroit’s first light rail line on Woodward Ave. (in red); and
- Regional commuter train service connecting Detroit, Metro Airport, and Ann Arbor.
Long-Term Investment in True Regional Rapid Transit (by 2035)
