The Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal would stretch from the Michigan Depot in southwest Detroit to east Dearborn. The department said the open-house style meetings for Detroit and Ferndale will allow residents to learn more about the project and its potential benefits and impact in their neighborhoods.
The meetings will be held from Feb. 24-27, from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each day. Monday's meeting will be at the Community House, 18445 Scarsdale, Detroit; Tuesday, Feb. 25: Edison Oakland Public School Academy, 22111 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; Wednesday, Feb. 26: MDOT Detroit Transportation Service Center, 723 Rosa Parks Blvd.; and Thursday, Feb. 27, LA SED, 7150 W. Vernor, Detroit.
MDOT is studying the benefits and impacts of three proposals for the DIFT. The DIFT project is designed to support the economic competitiveness of Southeast Michigan by improving opportunities for continued efficient intermodal freight transportation. Intermodal freight uses trucks and rail cars to move products efficiently from manufacturers to their markets.
The study is identifying possible impacts, both good and bad, including jobs gained and lost, noise, air quality, traffic in the neighborhoods and community cohesion. The four areas directly affected by this study are Grandmont, Corktown and Southwest Detroit in Wayne County, and the city of Ferndale in Oakland County.
According to MDOT, Detroit will be the origin or final destination city on the intermodal route. Major transfer facilities are located in the cities of Chicago and Kansas City. The project is supposed to go into a Detroit area that would remove houses and businesses, but still be connected to some neighborhoods.
Detroit planning commissioners say the plan does not bring back tax dollars for Detroit, and diesel trucks would be close to a new school. The city staff cited a conflict between the proposal and housing preservation.
A 500-member resident group has already proposed canceling the project and just improving the existing Junction Yard freight terminal.
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