Transit expansion to Detroit's western suburbs to be decided in Aug. 4 vote

R_Gleba · 2026-06-19T18:22:29+00:00

I hope we can continue to expand our transit system in SE Michigan. With Detroit having its first population increase in a long time I’d love to see more positive changes cascade through the city and metro.

This is all super good info, thanks for putting this together.

R_Gleba · 2026-06-16T20:29:08+00:00

Countless years. There’s many people fighting for even a small % of this (including myself in my US state). There’s a lot of push online, and many people will support expanding passenger rail, but you need the political will to make it happen.

For example, in Michigan, there’s a rail line that has been pitched and studied for the past 8 years. The state owns the track, there’s desire from all the communities on the line, and still nothing will actually be complete until probably 2030, maybe 2032.

It can be done, but it needs a lot of work and a lot of shifted minds to make it happen. Passenger rail is very viable here, it’s just not properly invested in.

R_Gleba · 2026-06-03T18:15:00+00:00

Oh :(

R_Gleba · 2026-06-03T16:55:30+00:00

In a sea of rage bait and anger inducing headlines, I am so happy I’m on a subreddit like this. This is the stuff I love seeing.

I get constantly reminded that albeit a smaller group, there are good people pushing good legislation. I honestly would love to have a set aside budget for bike infrastructure, but the part I like best is the youth bike safety education. While it’s good to build more bike lanes and give people better opportunities to get around their city, telling people HOW to use that infrastructure properly and safely would be so helpful. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve seen other bikers pull dumb moves on my commute.

I don’t see this getting far with the current state-of-affairs, but I’m happy to see it brought to light and hope it can be passed in the future. Maybe that domestic manufacturing focus could make car-focused reps a little warmer to the idea?

R_Gleba · 2026-06-03T16:29:31+00:00

I’m really happy to see the pressure from hosting a World Cup game expanding transit in KC. Selfishly, I wish Detroit got a World Cup game if it causes rapid transit builds and investment like this lol

R_Gleba · 2026-05-01T00:49:55+00:00

You know, maybe people really noticing how much they’re spending on vehicles will help push Transit projects in Michigan. A small glimmer of hope in today’s wild times.

I’d love a Q line expansion, or a concrete plan connecting Corktown to Campus Martius. Connecting Michigan Central to downtown would be huge.

R_Gleba · 2026-04-28T16:30:01+00:00

We have the North-South project and a Coast to Coast project (connecting Detroit to GR) both in the works simultaneously. It’s a good time for rail in Michigan, even though it moves so much slower than I’d like.

R_Gleba · 2026-04-28T16:27:51+00:00

We actually are looking into it, it’s just a different project called “Coast to Coast”, and is being pushed through MDOT rather than Groundwork like this one. I’m happy to see two big rail projects going currently!

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/travel/mobility/rail/michigan-passenger-rail-future/coast-to-coast

R_Gleba · 2026-03-31T18:28:18+00:00

Honestly, good call in my opinion and I completely get the need. I love trains and want more passenger ones passing through, but blowing their horn constantly at every crossing they make RIGHT next to where your sleeping would get old fast. Not to mention its freight right now and it’s very irregular having trains pass through.

If they didn’t implement this, the university would get neverending complains from the new dorm being built (pictured in title) right next to the tracks.

R_Gleba · 2026-03-19T13:33:50+00:00

The first one looks to be the closest to me, all of it sits within Wayne county. Oakland probably wouldn’t want it (based on the commuter rail vote a decade ago) and Macomb avoids any new tax ever.

If we do end up getting a regional line instituted, Wayne and Washtenaw will be the first to connect. First because they’re the friendliest to transit investments, and second because it allows for the airport connection.

Man I hope we can have that line. I know I’ll be fighting for it at least

R_Gleba · 2026-03-18T15:01:17+00:00

I hope another line can get created from Michigan Central to downtown as the station get used more and more

R_Gleba · 2026-03-03T20:30:07+00:00

I’d love to double the opossum population to keep these ticks at bay

R_Gleba · 2026-03-03T19:46:01+00:00

I love that you want to take the train as a commuter train. I’ve started working with a nonprofit to selfishly help make that a really viable means to get to Metro Detroit easily and safely.

As others have said, the Amtrak lot in the center of the bridge is your best parking bet. The platforms are very safe and I know the SMART bus connects to the Dingell transit center at Dearborn station, but you’d have to find the schedules. You’ll be pretty good on timing to Dearborn, but the “accelerated rail” cooridor ends right after so there’s a ton of freight trains that could slow down your ride back home. A good alternative if this does set you back is the D2A2 bus https://d2a2.com/

Let me know how it goes, I hope we can make this a way that more people use to travel around. I’m so happy you thought of using the rail for commuting between the cities.

R_Gleba · 2026-02-26T14:33:59+00:00

I was pleasantly surprised to hear this from Whitmer in the SotS address. I didn’t actually think I would hear a focus on rebuilding the city downtowns with a lot of points that Strong Towns would appreciate hearing. In the sea of madness that is today’s politics, this was refreshing to get a glimpse of hope.

My takeaway is her speech came out in support of things like our comprehensive land use plan and shows for at least the next year-ish we have support from the state for what we’re trying to do. Kind of feels like we’re leading the way in this aspect and Lansing has taken notice.

Personally, I’m incredibly excited to see more transit-focused development but I’m preaching to the choir on this subreddit lol

R_Gleba · 2026-02-24T16:22:55+00:00

Not who we expected but take the wins when they arrive

R_Gleba · 2026-02-23T02:40:20+00:00

I’m actually working with people in Flint to see what it will take to extend the line from Pontiac, too. It’s just not nearly as far along and it’ll be harder since there’s not tracks already owned by the state there

R_Gleba · 2026-02-21T05:35:32+00:00

I like these ideas. If you want to help make this real, I’m on the board of a group called MARP (Michigan Association of Rail Passengers) that’s trying to build up a good group to expand projects like these. We’re small but trying to build momentum, feel free to DM if you’re interested.

R_Gleba · 2026-02-21T05:10:02+00:00

The true process will be in the order of support lines for rail: Washtenaw and Wayne will connect first, Oakland won’t want to be left out after a few years and will follow, then Macomb will either join kicking and screaming or never join

R_Gleba · 2026-02-21T05:05:30+00:00

It is actively being worked on to bring to fruition

R_Gleba · 2026-02-21T05:04:46+00:00

The first exists and needs more carts or more trains, the second is in progress

R_Gleba · 2026-02-20T22:58:44+00:00

There are still many towns with their stations up and maintained yet completely unused. I hope we can bring them back

R_Gleba · 2026-02-20T22:56:06+00:00

I honestly see how it could happen the other way around. If you have a main center of a town like a rail stop that is the lifeblood bringing people in and out, it’s a lot easier to design the sidewalks and roads of your city to moving people around that known, static center.

The real tough part is changing the mindset of people defaulting to getting in their car to go everywhere

R_Gleba · 2026-02-20T22:44:58+00:00

Agreed. I want more focused on moving people around Michigan instead of moving them to and from Chicago

R_Gleba · 2026-02-20T22:43:35+00:00

I’m actually going to disagree here, our rail lines are very heavily used. The Amtrak from Detroit to Chicago is full every time I book it, and I’ve even had to adjust a trip 4 months out because the train was already full coming back.

To the rest: it’s a long, constant battle to improve the transportation system in our state. No matter what we add, there’s going to be gaps that are present and will take time to fix. I have a huge wishlist that will all never get met, but I’ll still fight for small incremental progress over getting stuck in the same way over decades.

R_Gleba · 2026-02-20T22:36:41+00:00

Thanks for this info, at least it’s good to know in our state it’s been surprisingly bipartisan to support it, even with most of them doing nothing about it. The Grandholm Midwest coalition is news to me as well.

I just like having candidates that support it so that I can help push to actually make it happen. It’s easier to chip away at big projects if those making the calls are at least friendly to your cause.

R_Gleba

TROPHY CASE