Video: Streetcar Track Tests Start in Downtown Detroit

August 23, 2016, 12:45 PM by  Allan Lengel
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Shortly after 10 a.m., a yellow, testing vehicle called a "speeder" began crawling south at a tortoise pace on Woodward Avenue down Detroit's streetcar tracks for about a mile to test the system that is expected to become operational in early 2017.

After about 30 seconds, the car stopped for a traffic light at Grand Circus Park. But moments later, it ran into its first glitch:  A U.S. Postal vehicle was on the track, so the test car had to wait about 20 minutes until the the postal worker showed up to move it. Had the line been operational, the truck would likely have been towed, said M-1 Rzil spokesman Dan Lijana.

But he added that the public will be educated about prohibited parking, and other aspects of the QLine in coming months before the services comes on line. 

Tuesday's test, which was to run up to four hours,  was the first of what's expected to be many more. The track is more than 80 percent complete and is expected to be finished this year.

There seemed to be a little excitement among folks witnessing the maiden voyage of the test vehicle.

"I think it's fantastic," says Andre Williams, a supervisor for the Professional Valet Service company, who works at the Aloft Detroit hotel. "Me, being a lifelong employee downtown for 34 years, to see where the city has come from and see where it's going is exciting."

"If you're a Detroit citizen, you can't help but be happy about it."



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