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For Immediate Release:  July 13, 2009

DDOT Opens Michigan’s Largest Transit Center
Rosa Parks Center Provides Multiple Options for Riders

DETROIT – Mayor Dave Bing and other dignitaries will dedicate the Rosa Parks Transit Center, the state’s largest international intermodal transit center, on Monday, July 13, 2009, at 10 a.m.

The three-story, 25,700 square-foot facility located on the corner of Cass Ave. and Michigan Ave. will serve passengers riding DDOT, SMART, Transit Windsor buses and the Detroit People Mover.  The $22.5 million project was funded with federal and state grants. 

 “I am proud that the first intermodal transit center in Michigan is opening right here in Detroit. This transit hub is an essential element for sustaining downtown business in this changing economy,” said Bing.  “I am also excited that we are dedicating this transit center in honor of Rosa Parks, one of Detroit’s most honored citizens."

Mayor Bing will join other dignitaries in the unveiling of a custom-designed bronze plaque honoring Rosa Parks to be mounted in the lobby of the center.
Ms. Parks is known as the “mother of the civil rights movement” because of her arrest in December 1955 for refusing to relinquish her seat on a bus to a white passenger which sparked the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott, one of the landmark moments in the fight for equal rights.  She moved to Detroit in 1957 and lived here until her death in October 2005.

“This new indoor, customer-focused transit facility will change how we serve our customers. By providing a single transfer point for downtown commuters, we are adding value to the service we provide,” said DDOT interim director Lovevett Williams. 

From the transit center DDOT bus riders will be able to make connections to 21 DDOT routes at a single downtown transfer center. Transit center riders will be able to access routes for Cadillac-Harper, Chene, Dexter, Fenkell, Fort, Grand River, Gratiot, Hamilton, Hayes, Jefferson, Joy, Linwood, Mack, Michigan, Oakland, Plymouth, Russell, Tireman, Van Dyke, Vernor and Woodward.

“The transit center will provide access to bus services like never before”, said Williams.  “They will be able to easily transfer to DDOT, SMART, Transit Windsor tunnel buses and Detroit People Mover.” 

In commemoration of the dedication, there will be a special showing of an exhibit on loan from the Detroit Public Library entitled: "A Visual Tribute to Rosa Parks." The dynamic photos and memorabilia chronicle the “mother of the modern-day civil rights movement.” The display is a collection of works from both the DPL’s Burton Historical Collection and the Rosa & Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development. 

The exhibit room will also feature historic DDOT artifacts and photos showing the department’s progress through the years. The exhibit will be available for viewing 10 a.m.-2 p.m. July 14 through August 14.

The new center offers a well-lit and secure transfer location. The 24-hour intermodal center provides a covered outdoor facility with 15 bus bays, and a two-bay taxi stand. The three-story building will house a climate-controlled waiting area, restrooms, transit services, retail space and transit police offices. 

DDOT anticipates the majority of its traffic will come during the week as commuters flow into the downtown business district.  However, the center will operate for 24 hours, seven days a week to accommodate riders that require non-peak or nighttime travel.

The state-of-the-art center is also equipped to interface with DDOT’s Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system, which will allow passengers to view route performance information, in real time, on display monitors.  This technology estimates and displays the arrival time of buses similar to the monitors at airport terminals that show flight arrival times. The center has wireless Internet access as well.

Already a recognizable fixture on the downtown Detroit skyline, the transit center’s most distinctive feature is a tensile fabric roof that covers the concourse and busway. The sail-like canopy design, most recently used along the Detroit riverfront, will provide riders cover from inclement weather, while letting in natural light.  
Parsons Brinckeroff Michigan, Inc. (PB) was responsible for conceptual and final design and DeMaria Construction Co. served as general contractor for the project. 

The Detroit Department of Transportation is the first city-owned public transit system in the country. It has 480 coaches that provide 37.8 million passenger trips annually and is the state’s largest transit carrier.

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