M-1 RAIL: A New Foundation for Growth in Detroit Built Upon Unprecedented Partnerships

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M-1 RAIL: A New Foundation for Growth in Detroit Built Upon Unprecedented Partnerships

Laura J Trudeau

M-1 RAIL is a 3.3 mile, fixed-rail streetcar project that will connect Detroit's Downtown, Midtown, and New Center areas along Woodward Avenue -- the economic, civic, and cultural core of the region. The M-1 RAIL non-profit organization was established in 2007 to lead the design, construction and future operation of the streetcar. Construction began in July 2014, and the project is scheduled to enter revenue service by late 2016. The Kresge Foundation's mission is to expand opportunity for low income individuals in America's cities. Transit has always been aligned with this mission, because it is about connecting individuals to opportunity. But they believe that today investing in transit is as much about creating economic opportunity as it is about connecting people to opportunity. As the City of Detroit emerges from bankruptcy, its future depends on improving opportunities for its citizens and attracting the new investment, population growth, and tax base needed to grow back to stability and prosperity. The M-1 RAIL project is central to this effort.