I was driving down Dequinder Road south of 12 mile where I saw an older women, (with a walker yet!), standing in the street next to the curb. She was waiting for the bus. I turned my truck around and after talking to her for a moment found out she was shopping at the mall across the street. She had to cross the parking lot and five lanes of heavy traffic but could not climb the curb to stand on the grass and wait for a bus.
And they wonder why people don't ride the bus.
The bus system here in the the Detroit area is terrible. The sidewalks are plugged with ice and snow at cross streets and drives, sometimes the sidewalk just ends. Industrial parks have never had sidewalks, people have to share the road with cars and 80,000 pound trucks.
And they still wonder why people want to drive a car instead of ride the bus.
Several things must happen before we spend any more money on public transportation. First, make the road and sidewalks an integral unit. The various road commissions would be responsible for funding, designing, building and maintaining the road and sidewalk. The sidewalks would be built somewhat closer to the road with a curb and a soft green area to keep cars of the sidewalk. Signs and utility poles would be set back and cantilevered over the sidewalk so snow removal trucks with a plow projecting from the side could clear the snow. Ramps at all drives and cross streets to enable bikes, wheelchairs and walkers of all abilities access without having to climb a curb.
People will not ride a bus they can't get to!
