HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 1985.07.25 - 11196July 25th, 1985
Miscellaneous Resolution.,# 85229
By: James E. Lanni, County Commissioner, District #11
In re: House Concurrent Resolution #403 Calling for Immediate
Stoppage of Construction on the Detroit People Mover
and Directing the Proper Authorities to Commence the
Demolition of the People Mover (Support)
TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Mr. Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS virtually all aspects of the Detroit People Mover,
from its initial consideration to its financing and construction,
have been surrounded by controversy and major problems and the
entire issue of this elevated rail line has been plagued with
ineptitude; and
WHEREAS, already, the system has experienced tremendous
cost overruns, which have pushed the cost to at least $210 million
for a 2.9-mile automated rail_ line and at a cost of $13,746 per
foot, this project is an astounding misuse of badly needed trans-
portation funds; and
WHEREAS this escalation on a project originally to have
cost $89 million has also created great uncertainty as to what the
fare and ridership would be for its use. Original estimates of the
daily ridership for the People Mover have already been scaled down
dramatically from 70,000 riders to 50 ,000 , with the latest projections
of a federal audit estimating 40,000 riders; and
WHEREAS it also seems clear that the cost of operation
for this project would entail similar escalations in price. Given
the history of transportation services in the metropolitan area,
as well as the unforeseen factors presented by the completely new
technology of the People Mover, it would seem likely that the $7.3
million per year operating expense for the People Mover would
prove to be far short of actual operating costs; and
WHEREAS the funding for the People Mover has involved the
transfer of money from several sources, at the direct expense of
citizens and local units of government who have experienced decreased
overall transportation services as a result of the commuter rail
project. In effect, a considerable disproportion of the trans-
portation services for the SEMTA area have been concentrated in
the very limited downtown Detroit area of the People Mover; and
WHEREAS, most recently, it has become apparent that the
quality of construction may jeopardize the safety of the entire
venture. Even though construction is still underway, thirty-two
beams have been replaced, with another eighty-nine beams having
some type of flaw. Cracks in concrete, combined with sections of
the elevated rail which have actually fallen, have seriously
threatened the public's safety and are undoubtedly further eroding
potential ridership; and
WHEREAS, while each of these problems could be considered
enough to justify serious questioning of the wisdom of continuing
this project, the cumulative impact of the overruns in cost of
construction, poor quality of work, documented problems in safety,
and the projected cost of operation makes it abundantly clear that
the Detroit People Mover is a project which can no longer be
permitted to drain the resources of the people of Michigan.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County
Board of Commissioners shares the concerns about the Detroit People
Mover as described in the foregoing excerpts from House Concurrent
Resolution #403 and takes a position supporting HCR 403.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be
sent to the state legislators from Oakland County.
Mr. Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing
resolution.
#85229 July 25, 1985
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee.
There were no objections.