The QLINE M-1 light rail line is scheduled to finally open in Detroit this weekend, with a full weekend of festivities to celebrate. The line will permanently connect several major destinations in greater downtown Detroit, and improve access to jobs and services for thousands of residents along the corridor.
The project has already catalyzed more than $1 billion in real estate investment along the corridor. All told, the economic impact of transit-oriented development is expected to top $3.5 billion within a decade and include a mix of 10,000 new residential units, offices and commercial projects clustered near Woodward.
Project planners understood the transformative potential of the investment from early on, and worked to get ahead of it. In 2011 they created a greater downtown Detroit TOD strategy to encourage “increased transit ridership and sustainable, equitable development for the Woodward Corridor community over the long term.” While not all the plans worked out exactly as the project team expected, that document includes lots of ideas to consider for any community expecting development near new transit.
Recent TOD news
Here’s what has been happening this week at TOD projects across the country.
- Detroit Q Line Streetcar Celebrates Opening — Detroit Free Press
- Parking Abounds Near Charlotte’s New LRT Line – Charlotte Observer
- Sketching a Smarter City Plan for Atlanta — Atlanta Magazine
- Older, Denser Neighborhoods Offer Better Access to Everyday Destinations — Phys.org
- Redesigning around GO in Buffalo — Niagara Falls Review
- Are Parking Rules Stifling Menlo Park Growth? — San Jose Mercury News
- Proximity to Transit Mitigates Investment Risk — Globe and Mail