As anyone who’s been in downtown or midtown Detroit recently has no doubt noted, Woodward Avenue is under construction. Not only is Woodward getting its first complete rebuild in decades:
Detroit’s first streetcar in sixty years is currently being built into Woodward Avenue.
The M-1 Rail streetcar project, once completed in 2016, will provide modern electric streetcar service every 8-12 minutes between downtown Detroit and the New Center area. While only 3.5 miles in length, it will link Campus Martius, the stadiums, Wayne State University, Detroit Medical Center, the DIA, Detroit’s Amtrak station, and much more. It will operate on rails built into the street, with a driver following all normal traffic laws. Residents and visitors alike can purchase tickets from attractive sidewalk stations, allowing for quick sidewalk-level entry and exit from the train and an easy convenient ride up and down Woodward.
This project is made possible by generous contributions from the Kresge Foundation, Quicken Loans, WSU and other institutional contributors funding much of the $100 million construction cost. Federal grants and tax credits make up the remaining $40 million or so it will take to get this unique project built and operating (for the first ten years).
TRU is pleased to serve on the Community Advisory Council for the M-1 Rail project, providing input on project details and communications. Several TRU leaders also joined the grand celebration September 15 with dozens of political, businesses and community leaders and signed a ceremonial piece of rail for posterity.
While the construction provides a bit of a headache to anyone traveling this stretch of Woodward, project staff and contractors are doing everything they can to speed construction and minimize road closures and other disruptions.
Learn lots more and sign up for construction updates at M-1Rail.com or their local office at 1426 Woodward.