MDOT's Five Year Plan

MDOT has released its 2007-2011 five year plan. As an initial note, many, although officially titled the "Michigan Department of Transportation," MDOT should more accurately be referred to as MDORB, or "Michigan Department of Road Building." Although former Director Gloria Jeff, now the head of transportation in Los Angeles, took some steps to broaden MDOT's focus to include other modes of transportation, in the opinion of some, she was forced out of her position at MDOT at the behest of the Michigan road builders lobby.

The focus of MDOT remains firmly entrenched in road building. Of the approximately 8.9 billion (with a "b") budgeted by MDOT for the 2007-2001 period, a whopping $100 million, or 1.1% is budgeted for rail transportation. Even worse, that $100 million is mainly focused on freight transportation, and not passenger transportation.

I will endeavor to link or upload the .pdf of the 5 year plan on the companion website to this blog, Michigan Transportation, in the near future. Obviously, the website remains a work in process.

Troy Future Vision Includes Better Public Transportation

A citizens task force in Troy spent almost a year discussing the vision for the future of the city. The result of the task force's work is incorporated in Troy Futures - Vision 2020. One of the main findings of the task force was the need for better and more widely available public transportation, including a new transit center. Further evidence that public transportation is desired by the masses, and not just regional planners.

Website For Detroit-Ann Arbor Transit Study

SEMCOG has a website that contains more information on the Ann Arbor to Detroit Transit study, a study that some believe did not contain enough "hard" numbers to justify its conclusions, and therefore was based upon "perceptions" and not reality.

Univ. of Detroit, WSU, and Grand Valley Part of University Tranportation Center

The United States Department of Transportation, together with the Michigan Department of Tranportation, the member universities, and corporate donors are funding a Michigan-Ohio University Transportation Center, which will have funding of approximately $1,000,000 per year. The goal of the Center is to address the transportation capabilities and competitive position of the region and the nation.

The member universities are: University of Detroit, Wayne State University, Grand Valley State University, University of Toledo, and Bowling Green State University.

The focus of research at the Center will be in eight areas:

1. Ethanol from Peat
2. New Transportation/Supply Chain Graduate Program
3. Hydraulic Hybrid Education
4. Traffic Congestion Relief
5. Biodiesel Stability
6. Congestion Avoidance for Supply Chain Improvement
7. Evaluation of Intelligent Transportation System in Oakland County
8. Alternative Fuel Education for High School Students

A Word About Regional Cooperation

My last post may have left the impression that I hold L. Brooks Patterson, or the lack of a Macomb County chief executive, responsible for the lack of regional transportation in the Detroit metropolitan area.

That impression is only partly accurate. While I do think that Patterson, for example, has been an impediment, I do not particularly think he has done anything "wrong." His view, for what it is worth, is that what is good for Oakland County is good for Oakland County, and what is good for the Detroit area is not necessarily good for Oakland County.

Put another way, it is "Oakland County First and Only." And that mindset, deeply ingrained in this metropolitan area has been the greatest impediment to developing a coherent regional transportation system, or regional cooperation itself, on a broader scale. This is not a zero sum game. If something is "good" for Detroit, it does not, by definition, make it "bad" for Oakland County. But that is the mindset of many politicians and residents in the Detroit area. ..

So, given the mindset, I perfectly understand the viewpoints of the Oakland County Executive, and the Macomb County political leaders. I just disagree with the mindset.

Lack of Macomb County Executive Delaying Regional Transit?

A recent Free Press editorial opines that the lack of a Macomb county executive is slowing the pace of regional decision-making, including cooperation on regional transportation issues. Macomb county is currently governed by its Commissioners, the leader of which is the chair of the Commission, who serves as the de facto voice for Macomb County in regional discussions.

Is the lack of a Macomb county executive a greater impediment to regional cooperation than the vocal opposition of L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County executive, to any plans that don't benefit Oakland County, and ONLY Oakland County?

Just asking. . .

Commuter Train From Ann Arbor to Detroit By Summer 2007?

A possible demonstration project to establish firm ridership numbers for future light rail transit between Detroit and Ann Arbor is under discussion between SEMCOG, Amtrak, the state of Michigan, and Norfolk Southern Railroad.

SEMCOG is an intergovernmental entity which is the advocate for increased mass transit in southeast Michigan.

Amtrak would be the operator of the rail line, proposed between Ann Arbor and Detroit, with stops, cost, and schedule still to be determined.

The state of Michigan would be the likely funding source to subsidize the demonstration project to establish ridership numbers which could provide the basis for a permanent light rail or existing rail commuter line between Detroit and Ann Arbor. A recent study allegedly demonstrated that ridership numbers would be too low. This project would either confirm or repudiate the findings of the study.

Norfolk Southern Railroad is the owner of the rails upon which the line would operate.

Sprawl And Transit

One of the often overlooked aspects of suburban and exurban sprawl is the impact such sprawl has on mass transit.

A recent study concluded that Michigan's economic development tools have contributed to inefficient land use and sprawl.

But overlooked in the study (and often overlooked) is the impact of sprawl on mass transit. Mass transit requires a critical densely populated area to be maximally efficient. One impact of sprawl is the detrimental effect on efficient mass transit.

Just another reason why sprawl is inefficient and counter-productve for a society.

Low Projected Ridership Dooms Detroit-A2 Link

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? According to the conclusions of a recent analysis, potential riders must come before transit links will be developed. A light rail link between Detroit and Ann Arbor was doomed before it even began, because projected riders were less than one-third of the number of riders necessary to make the project financially feasible. (There were not even enough projected riders to make a rapid transit/express bus system feasible.) The possibility of a "premium" bus system rather than light rail across existing freight rail lines was met with displeasure by the Michigan Daily, the daily student newspaper for the University of Michigan.

So, would riders have increased if the link were completed? We may never know, as the chicken and egg syndrome continues to plague Detroit mass transit.

Livonia Terminates SMART

On Monday, November 27, 2006, Livonia will officially terminate its relationship with SMART, the suburban Detroit bus transit system. The city claims it will save $2,800,000 per year, and claims that only 500-1000 residents used SMART each year.

It will be interesting to watch what happens to the retailers in Livonia who rely upon workers for their low-paying jobs that use regional transit systems. Livonia is replacing SMART with a reservation based system that will pick up riders at the city's borders and drop them off at nine locations within the city. The system will run only during rush hour, and requires 30 days advance reservations from riders.

Some (okay, many) claim that Livonia's termination of SMART is another indication of the continuing racial politics that have plagued the Detroit region. A vast majority of the riders on the regional transit system were minorities, many from Detroit. Livonia continues to be one of the most homogeneous cities in Wayne county.

In any event, Livonia's termination of SMART is yet another blow for the already fragmented regional transit system in the metropolitan Detroit region. The only positive news is that SMART's ridership has increased 25% since 2002.

Toronto, Part 2

Continuing the discussion of transportation in Toronto, I want to compare Toronto to Detroit by focusing on cabs.

I've lived in the Metro Detroit area for over 35 years. And I've ridden in a cab twice. T-W-I-C-E. . .

In one weekend in Toronto, I rode in a cab at least 7 times.

Why?

First Toronto is a dense downtown, and there are retail and cultural attractions that one would ride to in a cab.

Second, there are actually cabs available. I recognize this is a chicken and egg situation for Detroit.

Third, frankly, is the fact that Canada has both local mass-transit (subways and streetcars and bus options all available in downtown Toronto), and regional and provincial transportation. So, it was convenient to take a train to Toronto, because of provincial transportation, and easy to justify taking a train to Toronto, because I was comfortable that there would be viable local mass transit.

So, what does that mean for Detroit's transportation scheme? I'm not sure yet, but I'd welcome comments, and I will continue thinking and posting about it.

Toronto, Part 1

What better topic for a blog about Michigan and the Detroit area than Toronto?

I know, it's silly, but other than Chicago, Toronto is the other nearby city that demonstrates how dysfunctional the Detroit area can be.

First, let's talk about transportation.

Toronto is a metropolitan area with a population far greater than the Detroit area, and a downtown residential and working population exponentially greater than Detroit's, and yet the traffic in downtown Toronto is quite manageable. Why? Public transportation. I won't get in to why Detroit has virtually no public transportation (the Big 3/2). But Toronto's public transit works seamlessly. A subway and streetcar system, and an integrated light rail system make the city very manageable without (god forbid) a car.

I'm sure (in fact I know) the Toronto transit system has warts. But Detroit's has no warts, because IT DOESN'T EXIST.

Imagine a Detroit with operating streetcars, with a People Mover that is serving its designed use, as the terminal loop for a light rail system down Woodward, and with light rail or other rapid transit serving the northwest (Farmington Hills terminus), northeast (Mt. Clemens terminus) and west (Ann Arbor connectng to Chicago).

Anyways, trips to other cities always depress me. Not because of what Detroit is not, but of what it could be.

Is it too late?

Welcome

This is my thoughts on Michigan transportation topics, with an emphasis on the Metro Detroit area. I am going to discuss transportation issues that interest me, and hopefully others will also be interested.