DETROIT – A new campaign called “Bring Back the Tracks” aims to boost Detroit’s transit system.
The Metro Detroit chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America leads it.
They’re raising concerns about the Michigan Department of Transportation’s lack of attention to public transit in the plans to reconstruct Michigan Avenue, which is set to start next year.
This group is pushing for more public transit options, especially reviving the city’s rail transit network along Michigan Avenue.
According to the Detroit Historical Society, in 1862, the city council decided to build streetcar lines along main roads like Woodward, Gratiot, and Michigan avenues.
But when the auto industry took off, the focus shifted to buses. By the late 1950s, the streetcars were history.
Now, the Detroit DSA is urging decision-makers to think about bringing back an integrated rail system.
“We don’t need to put up with just whatever they say,” said Jack Dalton of Metro Detroit DSA. “We want public transit. We’re going to organize for it, and we want to demand it in our communities now. Most of the people in this campaign are residents or work here. I work right here. So I have a huge interest in what happens to this street.”
In addition to restoring a rail system, the Detroit DSA is also advocating for more funding for the Detroit Department of Transportation.
This would mean better driver pay and a more reliable service for everyone.
