First, SMART buses officially cut some of their bus lines and limit bus routes in Detroit to "peak hours." This decision not only upsets our commutes to work but also threatens our enjoyment of happy hours in Detroit.
Second, news sources report that after four years of planning, the light rail system from downtown Detroit to 8 Mile has been scrapped!
And now we are hearing that U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing are advocating for rapid transit buses. Really? And how long will that take to be implemented?
This leads us to the grand question, "WHAT THE BLEEP IS GOING ON?"
In all seriousness, *WHEN* will we have a reliable public transportation system that gets us from point A to point B in Detroit and across the region? And how many people in the interim will lose their jobs because they can't get to work on time? Furthermore, how many people will just give up on public transportation altogether because of all of these cuts? Unfortunately, our leaders are not providing answers to these questions.
Bottom line - we need a public transportation system that works and until that is a reality, we need to make sure that our leaders see what we endure with the current system.
So... participate in our picture campaign! It's simple.
Take pictures of the following:
1. Crowded buses
2. Crowded bus stops
3. Full buses driving away, leaving you to await the next one
Along with your pictures, please also post the date/time and route (whether SMART or DDOT).
Send photos to:
2women4wheels@gmail.com
tag us on Twitter at: @2women4wheels
or post to Facebook tagging: 2 Women 4 Wheels
Totally need a good transit system! Light rail wasn't gonna be it though. Fund the buses and get these people to work and school on time then we can talk about rail again. But there is NO reason we don't deserve BOTH. Put a 1/2 cent sales tax on the tri county area and you can fund both easily.
ReplyDeleteWhat we are missing is political will. Well, as Al Gore said, Political Will is a renewable resource. (I never really understood that quotation either, but fuck ya, get this stuff done!)
I don't go to the burbs often anymore because of the number of times I've been left with my bike in my hand to wait an hour for the next bus because the racks were full. Ideally I could get where I need to go by bus without biking. Practically I have to ride through Canton to get to Ypsi. I have to ride through Livonia and the other opt out burbs. There should be no opting out of transit in the metro area. It causes too much harm.
ReplyDeleteI so agree with you on the opt-out stuff, Dy. And the bus infrastructure is already there - so it's frustrating when you see that buses can't even get funding, Craig. Both of you please be sure to send us pictures or stories of any problems that you may have w/ this system! Thanks for your comments.
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