The Detroit
People Mover (DPM) is a 2.94-mile automated people
mover system that operates on a single track encircling Downtown Detroit, Michigan. The People Mover uses Urban Transportation
Development Corporation Intermediate Capacity Transit System Mark I technology
and the cars are driverless. A siding allows the system to be used in a two-way
bypass manner when part of the circular track is closed.
The Detroit People
Mover has its origins in 1966, with Congressional creation of the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA)
to develop new types of transit. In 1975, following the failure to produce any
large-scale results and increased pressure to show results, UMTA created the
Downtown People Mover Program (DPM) and sponsored a nationwide competition that
offered federal funds to cover much of the cost of planning and construction of
such a system. UMTA reviewed thirty-five full proposals. From these, they
selected proposals from Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, and St. Paul. In
addition, UMTA decided they would approve proposals from Baltimore, Detroit,
and Miami to develop People Mover systems if they could do so with existing
grant commitments. Of the seven cities with UMTA approval for their People
Mover proposals, only Detroit and Miami persevered to build and operate systems.
The Ford Motor
Company was involved in one of the designs of the People Mover and had hired
AlScott Service Company to design and build a room size working model of the
system. This model was used for Ford's proposals in their attempt to build the
system.
The People Mover was
intended to be the downtown distributor for a proposed city and metro-wide
light rail transit system for Detroit in the early 1980s; however, funding was
scaled back. President Gerald Ford had promised 600 million in federal funds.
Plans included a subway line along Woodward Avenue that would turn into a
street level train at McNichols and eventually go all the way to Pontiac, with
additional rail lines running along Gratiot and a commuter line between Detroit
and Port Huron. Inability of local leaders to come to an agreement led to the
600 million commitment being withdrawn by the Reagan Administration. Yet the
People Mover still moved forward. At the time of planning, the system was
projected to have a ridership of 67,700 daily.
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