The Detroit People Mover Looking To Expand Around The City
The People Mover! (Photo by J.D. Pooley/Getty Images)
The Detroit People Mover is also looking at potential expansion. According to Axios Reporter Sam Robinson who interviewed Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan: “We are going to look at modifying the People Mover. A potential reconfiguration to make a downtown neighborhood where you can live, work and play is something we’ll take a look at.” pic.twitter.com/YfMpcSHepR
— Sam Robinson (@samueljrob) January 11, 2024?s=46&t=zdzxUFTq3A9EsAouSPm5QQ">Mayor Mike Duggan at the Detroit Policy Conference. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan: “We are going to look at modifying the People Mover. A potential reconfiguration to make a downtown neighborhood where you can live, work, and play is something we’ll take a look at.”
The new DPM route could include, West Riverfront Park, Belle Isle, the future U of M Center of Innovation, Michigan Central, Eastern Market, and even Henry Ford Hospital were all thrown out as potential sites for the transit system to expand. Read the full Axios interview here.
Brief History Of The People Mover
According to Wikipedia, The Detroit People Mover (DPM) is a 2.94-mile elevated rail loop people mover system in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The system operates in a one-way loop on a single track around downtown Detroit. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 364,300, or about 1,900 per weekday as of 2023.
The Downtown People Mover opened on July 31, 1987, and currently is running free of charge to riders.
Do You Remember When The People Mover Was Shut Down?
Detroit’s People Mover only had a few times that they had to shut down, some due to regular maintenance issues. Another time was in 1998 after the J.L. Hudson Department Store building implosion damaged part of the nearby track and forced the system to shut down. The system ran limited service until the track was completely repaired in late 1999, per Wikipedia.
The People Mover shut down on March 30, 2020, due to reduced ridership amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The system resumed limited service on May 20, 2022
Memories On The People Mover
Up until April 2017, it was a great way for Detroit Red Wings fans to get to and from the games. The ride made it so convenient from the Downtown area to grab dinner in Greektown jump on the DPM and make the game. After a Red Wings victory was always fun as crowds of happy Wings fans made their way home.
The Detroit People Mover is the perfect way to get around Detroit attractions. Huntington Place, Greektown, and the Renaissance Center all have their own People Mover stations. There is also a People Mover station in Grand Circus Park, which you can use to quickly get to a QLine station. Don’t forget how great this will be for visitors when Detroit hosts,” the 2024 NFL Draft,” will take place in Detroit on April 25-27, 2024.
Nice also you can ride along to see all the improvements coming to Downtown Detroit from the city center.
Detroit Rock Videos That Rules The 70s And 80s
In 1981 MTV Music Television hit the airwaves with the words, “Ladies and Gentlemen, rock and roll.” I wondered what it would do for the bands in Michigan. Local Detroit Rock bands didn’t take long to start making music videos on their own. In the beginning, Detroit Rock videos were cheaply made with Mom and Dad’s video camera. A band that had a record contract had the record label fork over some money to have a music video professionally made.
Harpo’s Concert Theater
I WANT MY MTV Detroit Rock Videos
Before MTV Bands in the 60s were making what they called promotional videos of live performances or would lip sync to their hit song to get into venues and promoters, in the 80s Local Detroit bands got in the game as bands from England already got a big head start on all the bands in America.
Detroit history, The Look was the first Local Detroit band on MTV with its “We’re Gonna Rock” clip in 1981. MTV rotated the band’s 1982 follow-up video of the single, “You Can’t Sit Down,” a Dovells R&B cover. The song made American Bandstand’s “rate-a-record” with a respectable score of 94. The Look has lots of Detroit radio airplay. Dave Edwards continues to write and record currently.
Some of these bands played at some great local venues around town. Harpo’s, The I-Rock, The Ritz in Roseville, The Hayloft East & West, Blondies, Jaggers, and others. We grew up in a great time for music in the motor city. Even some fans made road trips to Grand Rapids, Flint, and parts of Ohio. Don’t Forget even road trips to Canada to follow Detroit Bands.
Local Detroit Concert Ad
Are You Ready For More?
By popular demand and request friends and fans have asked me to dig even deeper for even more Detroit gems and Motor city classics.
Friends have suggested these videos and songs on my social media and people I have run into from time to time this year.
Enjoy!
~screamin
Born in Mt Clemens, Screamin’ Scott has been a part of the Detroit airwaves for 30-plus years. With 40 years of experience in radio. When he’s not out on the streets for WCSX, you can find him devoting time to local charities with his, “Screamin Angels”; and for 16 years with Rock 4 Tots charity. And last 10 years with his local band, "Chit!." Screamin Scott likes to write about nostalgic Detroit area memories, classic rock, and local metro Detroit topics.