Detroit People Mover System Plan and Downtown Mobility Study

The Detroit People Mover (DPM) System Plan and Downtown Mobility Study is an opportunity to shape the future
of how people move around Downtown Detroit and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Downtown Detroit is changing, with new investment transforming the area into a vibrant neighborhood where people live, work, and visit for its parks, restaurants, shopping, entertainment, and special events. This shift has led to increased ridership on the Detroit People Mover.

Through this study, DPM is reimagining its role in helping people travel to and around Greater Downtown Detroit, aiming to enhance Downtown access for all.
The study will result in actionable strategies to improve DPM and other transit services in the short- and long-term. These will include strategies that improve the existing system, rethink its current configuration, and explore opportunities for expansion.

Study Highlights

The study results identified ways in which the Detroit People Mover will be:

RECOGNIZED as a vital asset for residents, workers, visitors, and investors in the downtown.

CONNECTED to key places and spaces within the Greater Downtown.

INTEGRATED seamlessly into the transit and mobility network serving Detroit and the region.

SUSTAINED with the public support and funding needed to maintain an accessible, reliable, safe, and efficient service for the long term.

Improvement Concept Categories

Improvement Concepts were explored through the planning process and grouped into four categories:

Project Updates

The study included three phases of engagement, shown in the graphic below. This engagement approach is designed to provide regular opportunities for updates and feedback, allowing the project team to incorporate feedback throughout the planning process.

Shaping the Future of the DPM

Meetings covered key improvement plans and sustainable funding pathways. The feedback provided was essential to guiding the upcoming recommendations and defining what comes next for downtown mobility. Thank you for sharing your voices and your vision!

Meeting Recaps

Phase 1: Conditions and Vision

Overview: Presented existing conditions and gathered input to shape a shared set of goals for the Detroit People Mover’s future.

Stats: 3 Technical Working Group (TWG) Meetings / 1 Stakeholder Meeting / 1 In-Person Public Meeting / Public Survey

Highlights

Perception that the DPM is/can be a critical element of downtown mobility.
Strong interest in updates and expansion.
Sentiment that the system is underutilized.
Strong support of the four goals, emphasizing the importance of reliability, safety, accessibility, and improved connections.

Phase 2: Improvement Concepts

Overview: Introduced and workshopped draft improvement concepts for the future of the system, gathering feedback to help prioritize concepts.

Stats: 3 TWG Meetings / 1 Stakeholder Meeting / 1 In-Person Public Open House / 1 Virtual Public Meeting

Highlights

Highly ranked improvement concepts:
Multimodal hubs.
Station area placemaking & redesign.
Station consolidation.
Improved reliability.
New trains or vehicle types.
Connections to Corktown and Michigan Central.
Improved downtown transit, bicycle, and pedestrian connections.

Phase 3: Scenarios

Overview: Presented how improvement concepts were prioritized and sorted into the three scenarios: (1) Baseline Improvements, (2) System Refresh, (3) Expansion. Collected input on each of the three scenarios.

Stats: 3 TWG Meetings / 1 Stakeholder Meeting / 1 In-Person Public Meeting / 1 Virtual Public Meeting / 7 Community Events

Highlights

Scenario 1: Baseline Improvements

Support for lower-cost improvements that will improve accessibility and system visibility
Improving connections to surrounding mobility options.

Scenario 2: System Refresh

Upgrading priority stations.
Connecting to Rosa Parks Transit Center.

Scenario 3: System Expansion

Ensuring basic reliability and infrastructure needs are met first.
Improving east-west mobility.

Existing Conditions Assessment

The Existing Conditions Assessment for the Detroit People Mover provides a detailed analysis of the current system, its performance, and the opportunities and challenges it faces within the broader transportation network. The full report can be accessed in the Project Documents section below. The Existing Conditions Assessment looks beyond Detroit’s traditional Central Business District (CBD) to explore patterns in a broader swath of the city, and to consider the role that the People Mover plays in improving mobility across this area. For the purposes of data aggregation, the study area includes all census tracts that fall within a 1-mile radius of a People Mover station This study area includes two zones: (1) The Downtown Core, which includes the census tracts in which the People Mover currently operates, and (2) the Greater Downtown, which includes all census tracts that are fully or partially within a 1-mile radius of existing People Mover stations, excluding those in the Downtown Core.