The threatened closure of Detroit’s Greyhound Station on Howard Street has been postponed. This may be a three-year hold until a new facility can be built, potentially on MDOT’s property that currently serves as a parking lot on Amsterdam between Woodward and Cass.
After an unspecified developer made an offer on the Greyhound station property, MDOT moved to terminate Greyhound’s lease. Greyhound was asked to relocate their intercity bus station that serves 1,000 passengers a day within a few months, a task that is no small undertaking.
MDOT suggested relocating Greyhound traffic to the Detroit Amtrak Station on Baltimore and Woodward. How this modestly sized station that currently serves three trains a day was going to service a drastically increased number of passengers was not clear. The Detroit Amtrak Station does its job, but its seating capacity can be measured in dozens and it sits on a small parcel. Where were those buses and their riders possibly going to go?
After elected officials and activists pressed for a delay and MDOT performed a much-needed site visit, MDOT determined that large Greyhound and Indian Trails buses would not safely be able to make turns around the Amtrak Station. So, they decided to keep interstate bus service at the current Greyhound station, with an eye towards building a new multimodal station in the future.
It is great news that MDOT ultimately made a choice that prioritizes thousands of interstate bus riders over the desires of one developer. Greyhound serves many lower income riders, and it goes to places that planes and rail simply don’t. It is an important service and an important part of our city. TRU looks forward to a future in which Detroit has the beautiful, highly functional, dignified multimodal station it deserves. Until then, this was the best choice.