Comments on: Federal Grants to Fund New Dearborn Train Station

By: Paul Mastrogiacomo

Paul Mastrogiacomo — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:24:49 +0000

Diogenes, you could also say roads are a continuous drain on the public but they do their part in job growth that makes it worth it. A good mass transit system is no different. Implemented correctly within a larger overall plan it will be an important component in job growth.

My worry is that it will not be implemented correctly in Dearborn. I have no faith in this mayor or leadership to know what to do to make it a success, especially after hearing the mayor make so many mistakes and now being certain just how far ahead of us Birmingham and Troy are with their plans.

John, the station is being relocated to what was/is Elm St., just east of Brady.

By: John Higgins

John Higgins — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:39:01 +0000

There are references above to the ‘new’ location. Isn’t the improved station going to be at the same place as the current one?

By: Diogenes

Diogenes — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:48:12 +0000

Everyone who supports this should know there is a Cato Research paper in which it is pointed out that not one of the “light rail” systems including the People Mover in Detoit make an operating profit. This means that there must be continuous tax payer support. In other words, it will be a continuous drain on the public to support the train.

By: nssd70m2

nssd70m2 — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:11:16 +0000

This is going to be soo cool! Now I have a new place to railfan and take pictures of the trains that go through dearborn!

By: WESTBORN

WESTBORN — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:50:54 +0000

This train station could be a bad idea. All you need to do is drive past the bus stop at Fairlane on a Saturday night to see what im talking about. I fear this train will be just another way the trash of Detroit will invade our great city.

By: Donna Hay

Donna Hay — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:31:26 +0000

Thanks for you comments Paul and from what I have been seeing and reading you are right on track!

By: Devon

Devon — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:48:36 +0000

I live in Ann Arbor and have worked in Dearborn for the past five years. I am so happy to see this transit plan showing signs of moving forward. My biggest concern is whether or not there will be feeder transit leading to/departing from the stations. Also, does this new station have ample parking nearby? Or, will one have to drive to the older Dearborn station if one needs to park a car? Keep the details coming.

By: Paul Mastrogiacomo

Paul Mastrogiacomo — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:37:05 +0000

After hearing the mayor speak tonight I really have no hope about this project. It will be built because the money is there but I think it will do nothing for the city because the city will fail to act on it. He seems to see it as a magical cure-all, apparently with no work needed. Build it and they will come.

Unfortunately the city has to properly plan in order for development to come. In Birmingham and Troy they have an entire development plan around their new station. Here he couldn’t even begin to answer a simple question of what the city will do to ensure that the station is a catalyst for development.

I also couldn’t believe how little understanding he has of the transportation projects going on around metro Detroit. An elevated rail up Woodward? He didn’t seem to understand the difference between heavy rail (the commuter project) and light rail (what they’re trying to get on Woodward and even down Michigan Ave into Dearborn at one point).

And then he spread some strange myth that the reason no rail transit exists in downtown is because of steam pipes. I’m not old enough to have ever seen the trams that Detroit once had but even I know they ran through downtown. Light rail today would be no different.

He’s an intelligent man when it comes to detailing legal cases and talking about the intricacies of budgetary issues but he really finally proved to me tonight that he knows absolutely nothing about urban planning.

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:46:07 +0000

I heard the NEW CIAO is going to open inside the new traini station.

By: pauly

pauly — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:29:41 +0000

“If they build it, they will come!” That’s what was said about the Renaissance Center!! We have looked forward to progress in Dearborn for a long time. We have been waiting for “the gateway project” to be completed for how many years? For years we saw a Caliente Grill Coming Soon banner flying high. Now it is the same for Fatburger! It was a nice area with the Shoemaker, Barber and Bridal Salon with the Merc across the street. How long are we going to blame the economy for Dearborn’s problems? Do we really want student housing in downtown West Dearborn? People throw out ideas and our city council just eats it up. Pipe dreams! I travel with my family frequently on Amtrak. I would love nothing more to see a working intermodal station in West Dearborn. But we have heard it all before. President Bush the first was in Dearborn before he left office in 1992 promising funds for new train station (connecting to GFV) and high speed rail service. We have heard the promises before. Small businesses cannot afford the high rents that these new developments require. Businesses are in and out before we can even stop in to eat or shop. No one likes to be a naysayer, but sadly in Dearborn we have to be realists.