A Bold Vision For Transit Future

Planners hope that Detroit's Airport City will take off, lifting the fate of Detroit, and even Michigan, with it.

1 minute read

March 16, 2006, 9:00 AM PST

By David Gest


"March 1, 2026...

Airport City, a landscape of modernity and prosperity, has helped Detroit become the nation's fastest-growing big city and pushed southeast Michigan back to the top of America's best economic performers, a place it has not held in 70 years. The quality of life in southeast Michigan -- which at the start of the century embarrassed bright young adults and drove them away -- is now a point of pride keeping them around.

One reason is that Airport City's neighborhood streets, colorful boulevards and smooth highways are surprisingly free of traffic. Workers and residents in this high-wage and healthy young city like to walk. Recreational trails tie together neighborhoods and offices, schools and stores, parks and shopping and recreation, all of which are planned and built in close proximity. And new lines of fast commuter rail, convenient light rail and easy-to-use rapid bus transit make longer trips and commuting more convenient and much less expensive than driving a car."

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 in Detroit Metro Times

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