Detroit light rail moves closer to reality

After all these years of talk and speculation, Detroit might finally be headed toward mass transit beyond just the mysterious bus system. The Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments approved a Detroit Department of Transportation plan to build and operate a light rail service from Downtown to 8 Mile.

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According to SEMCOG, the proposed line is expected to be the first in a regional plan that includes rapid transit in three counties and would "serve as a distributor and feeder" to an Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail line the council is studying.

"I am pleased that DDOT is moving in the right direction on the Woodward Avenue Light Rail Transit (LRT) initiative by putting the customer first, as gas prices continue to soar," said Lovevett Williams, interim director of DDOT, in a statement.

The Woodward line would follow an eight-mile stretch from the Michigan State Fairgrounds near Eight Mile to downtown Detroit, feature stops at 13 to 15 stations and carry about 22,200 daily riders, SEMCOG said.

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