It was announced yesterday there will be a series of changes to Detroit’s city bus service provided by the DDOT (Detroit Department of Transportation), and in the list of changes was an especially interesting development.
Under a pilot program starting April 23, city bus service is going to return to Belle Isle.
26% of Detroit households, according to a recent University of Michigan study, do not have a car, so a bus may help open access to the island to residents.
The service will be provided as an extension of the Conant line on “most trips” according to the Detroit Department of Transportation. The bus stop will be by the Aquarium and Conservatory. The new schedule is not available online as this writing. There will be revised trip times on weekdays, Saturday and Sunday to improve schedule reliability and accommodate the Belle Isle routing.
There had been bus service for nearly a century until the city discontinued it in 2007 during the Kwame Kilpatrick administration. Service had started in 1909.
Editor’s Note: You can find more details on the schedule and details of the service by clicking this link as they have become available.
Complete service changes happening across the city effective April 23, 2016 include:
Cadillac/Harper
- Revised times on Weekday, Saturday and Sunday to improve schedule reliability.
- Weekday, slight adjustment to service hours and peak-hour frequency.
- Weekday, night departures from Rosa Parks Transit Center at :20 after the hour.
- Saturday, new Transferless Transfer to #10 Chene
Chene
- Saturday, slightly revised times.
- Saturday, new Transferless Transfer to #7 Cadillac/Harper.
Conant
- New pilot service to Belle Isle. Bus stop located near the Aquarium, Atrium and Conservatory. Most trips, on all days, travel to Belle Isle as part of the pilot.
- Revised times on Weekday, Saturday and Sunday to improve schedule reliability and accommodate Belle Isle routing.
Fenkell
- Revised times on Weekday, Saturday and Sunday to improve schedule reliability. Minor improvements to frequency.
Grand River
- Saturday, mid-day frequency improved to every 20 minutes to relieve crowding. Time changes throughout the day to improve schedule reliability.
Livernois
- Revised times on Weekday, Saturday and Sunday to improve schedule reliability.
Van Dyke/Lafayette
- Revised times on Weekday, Saturday and Sunday to improve schedule reliability.
- Weekday, additional trips during afternoon/ evening hours to relieve crowding.