SMARTer Mobility Proposals Revealed!

Detroit, MI – After approximately eight months of planning, Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) has finally revealed the “SMARTer Mobility Program” master plan which aims to revamp the entire SMART bus system.

As this is a historic moment for SMART, we will discuss the changes proposed in this plan. Keep in mind this article is still work in progress!

Click here to view the official revamp scenarios.

Scenario 1 (improved frequency)

The following routes will be discontinued entirely in Scenario 1: 140, 255, 562, 620, 635, 790, 796, 805, 830, 851

The following routes will not be changed outside of their schedules in Scenario 1: 200, 250, 261, 275, 280, 305, 375, 405, 415, 420, 450, 461, 462, 492, 494, 495, 525, 530, 550, 560, 563, 730, 759, 760, 780

The following routes will be modified via extension, cutback or reroute in Scenario 1: 125, 160, 210, 430, 460, 510, 610, 615, 710, 740

• Route 125 will be extended to Downtown Detroit via Fort Street. Ecorse and River Rouge service to be discontinued.
• Route 160 will be rerouted in Dearborn via Outer Drive and Michigan Avenue, and in Southgate via Trenton Road north of Eureka Road. Southland Center service to be discontinued.
• Route 210 will be simplified in Westland and only operate between Westland Shopping Center and Dearborn Transit Center. Eastern extensions to be discontinued.
• Route 430 will be extended to the Kroger store on South Boulevard in Rochester Hills via Crooks Road.
• Route 460 will be extended to the Walmart store on Van Dyke Avenue in Sterling Heights via Maple and 15 Mile Roads. Somerset Collection service to be discontinued.
• Route 510 will be extended to Van Dyke Avenue/Gratiot Avenue in Detroit.
• Route 610 will be extended to Downtown Detroit via Jefferson Avenue.
• Route 615 will be extended to Mack Avenue/Gratiot Avenue in Detroit.
• Route 710 will be extended to 9 Mile Road/Middlebelt Road in Farmington Hills.
• Route 740 will be split into two routes. The existing route 740 will only run from Roseville to Royal Oak Transit Center, and a new route 741 will replace the segment of route 740 from Wixom to Royal Oak Transit Center.

The following new routes will be created in Scenario 1: 100, 162, 799, C1, C3

• Route 100 Hamtramck will provide SMART service in the city of Hamtramck, operating from Woodward Avenue/Canfield Street to Davison Street/Van Dyke Avenue via Woodward Avenue, Holbrook Street, Joseph Campau Avenue, and Davison Street.
  • This will be the first time Holbrook Street has bus service since DDOT route 24 Holbrook was discontinued in 2009
  • This route connects to FAST Woodward, route 510, multiple DDOT routes, and the QLine
• Route 162 FAST Fort Street will be a new FAST route operating between the Corewell Health Trenton Hospital and Downtown Detroit via Fort Street.
  • This will restore Fort Street bus service last provided by route 830 between King Road and Van Horn Road in 2007 and south of Van Horn Road in 1995
  • This route connects to all FAST routes, the QLine, and the Detroit People Mover
• Route 799 Oakland University will be a new route operating from Columbia Avenue/Baldwin Avenue to Oakland University via Columbia Avenue, Kennett Road, Summit Drive, Elizabeth Lake Road, Downtown Pontiac, Featherstone Road, and Squirrel Road.
  • This route will replace most of route 790
  • This route connects to FAST Woodward and all other Pontiac SMART routes
• Route C1 Macomb Circulator will be a new community circulator operating to and from the Hampton Inn at 23 Mile Road near the M-53 freeway via 23 Mile Road, Hayes Road, 22 Mile Road, Milonas Drive, 21 Mile Road, Hayes Road, Winter Park Drive, Tilch Road, Hall Road, and Schoenherr Road.
  • This route connects to routes 510, 530, and 550
• Route C3 River Rouge/Wyandotte Circulator will be a new community circulator connecting the two namesake cities via Coolidge Highway, Jefferson Avenue, Eureka Road, Fort Street, Oak Street, 9th Street, Electric Street, River Drive, Pepper Road, Outer Drive, Bassett Street, and Visger Street.
  • This route will replace portions of route 125 and route 140
  • In Wyandotte, this route somewhat serves as a full-service revival of route 112, discontinued in 2011
  • This will be the first time Bassett Street has bus service since DDOT route 89 Southwest Direct was discontinued in 2021
  • This route connects to FAST Fort Street

Scenario 2 (increased coverage)

The following routes will be discontinued entirely in Scenario 2: 255, 562, 620, 635, 790, 796, 830

The following routes will not be changed outside of their schedules in Scenario 2: 140, 200, 250, 261, 275, 305, 375, 405, 415, 420, 450, 461, 462, 492, 495, 525, 530, 550, 560, 563, 730, 759, 760, 780, 805, 851

The following routes will be modified via extension, cutback or reroute in Scenario 2: 125, 160, 210, 280, 430, 460, 494, 510, 610, 615, 710, 740

• Route 125 will be extended to Downtown Detroit via Coolidge Highway and Fort Street. Ecorse and River Rouge service will remain as is.
• Route 160 will be rerouted in Dearborn via Outer Drive and Michigan Avenue, and in Southgate via Trenton Road north of Eureka Road. Southland Center service to be discontinued.
• Route 210 will be simplified in Westland and only operate between Westland Shopping Center and Dearborn Transit Center. Eastern extensions to be discontinued.
• Route 280 will be simplified in Romulus. Discontinued segments in Romulus to be taken over by new route 130.
• Route 430 will be extended to the Hampton Village Center in Rochester Hills via Crooks Road, South Boulevard, and Rochester Road.
• Route 460 will be extended to the Walmart store on Van Dyke Avenue in Sterling Heights via Maple and 15 Mile Roads. Somerset Collection service to be discontinued.
• Route 494 will be extended to the Hampton Village Center in Rochester Hills via Dequindre Road, South Boulevard, and Rochester Road.
• Route 510 will be extended to Van Dyke Avenue/Gratiot Avenue in Detroit.
• Route 610 will be extended to Downtown Detroit via Jefferson Avenue.
• Route 615 will be extended to Mack Avenue/Gratiot Avenue in Detroit.
• Route 710 will be extended to 9 Mile Road/Middlebelt Road in Farmington Hills.
• Route 740 will be split into two routes. The existing route 740 will only run from Roseville to Royal Oak Transit Center, and a new route 741 will replace the segment of route 740 from Wixom to Royal Oak Transit Center.

The following new routes will be created in Scenario 2: 100, 130, 162, 350, 480, 500, 750, 795, 799, 800, C2

• Route 100 Hamtramck will provide SMART service in the city of Hamtramck, operating from Woodward Avenue/Canfield Street to Caniff Street/Mound Road via Woodward Avenue, Holbrook Street, Joseph Campau Avenue, and Caniff Street.
  • This will be the first time Holbrook Street has bus service since DDOT route 24 Holbrook was discontinued in 2009
  • This route connects to FAST Woodward, new route 500, multiple DDOT routes, and the QLine
• Route 130 Romulus will be a new route operating from the Romulus Public Library to Detroit Metro Airport via Northline Road, Ozga Street, Wayne Road, Ecorse Road, and Merriman Road.
  • This route will replace portions of route 280
  • This route connects to FAST Michigan
• Route 162 FAST Fort Street will be a new FAST route operating between the Corewell Health Trenton Hospital and Downtown Detroit via Fort Street.
  • This will restore Fort Street bus service last provided by route 830 between King Road and Van Horn Road in 2007 and south of Van Horn Road in 1995
  • This route connects to all FAST routes, the QLine, and the Detroit People Mover
• Route 350 8 Mile Limited will be a new limited-stop route operating from Grand River Avenue to Mack Avenue via 8 Mile Road and Vernier Road, stopping only at connecting SMART and DDOT routes.
  • Local-stop service will be maintained by DDOT route 17
  • This route connects to FAST Woodward and FAST Gratiot
• Route 480 Bloomfield will be a new route operating from Bloomfield Village Square to Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital via Long Lake Road, Orchard Lake Road, and Maple Road.
  • This route connects to routes 375, 405, and 780
• Route 500 Mound Road will be a new route operating from Caniff Street in Detroit to Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights via Mound Road and Hall Road.
  • This route has been in the works as early as 2001
  • This will be the first time Mound Road has bus service since DDOT route 24 Holbrook was discontinued in 2009
  • This route connects to multiple crosstown routes
• Route 750 Wixom will be a new route operating from the Target in Novi to Century Drive in Wixom via Wixom Road, Grand River Avenue, Beck Road, West Park Drive, and Pontiac Trail.
  • This route connects to routes 305 and 741
• Route 795 Oxford will provide SMART service in Oakland County communities due north of Auburn Hills, operating from Downtown Pontiac to the Meijer in Oxford Township via Perry Street and Lapeer Road.
  • This route will replace most of route 796
  • This route realizes one of the last major pieces of the 2022 ConnectOakland plan
  • This route connects to FAST Woodward and all other Pontiac SMART routes
• Route 799 Oakland University will be a new route operating from Columbia Avenue/Baldwin Avenue to Oakland University via Columbia Avenue, Kennett Road, Summit Drive, Elizabeth Lake Road, Downtown Pontiac, Featherstone Road, and Squirrel Road.
  • This route will replace most of route 790
  • This route connects to FAST Woodward and all other Pontiac SMART routes
• Route 800 Macomb Crosstown will be a new route operating from the Target in Shelby Township to the Meijer in Chesterfield Township via Van Dyke Avenue and 23 Mile Road.
  • This route connects to FAST Gratiot
• Route C2 North Pointe Circulator will be a new community circulator serving southeastern Clinton Township via Wellington Crescent, Harper Avenue, Metro Parkway, Union Lake Road, Harper Avenue, Glenwood Street, and Gratiot Avenue.
  • This route will operate using cutaway buses similar to the ones used on Connector and Community Transit
  • This route connects to FAST Gratiot

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