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.