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People Mover Expansion, New Housing & Detroit’s Skilled Trades Problem | Flux City Weekly

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Edward Carrington examines several major stories shaping the future of development in Detroit—and connects them through one larger question: Does the region have the infrastructure and human capacity needed to actually build its next generation of projects?

The episode begins with the Detroit People Mover. Detroit Transportation Corporation’s recent system-planning process explored improvements to the existing downtown loop as well as future expansion scenarios. Public feedback showed strong interest in expansion, including potential connections toward Corktown and Michigan Central.

The discussion then shifts to Michigan’s newly announced $89 million Reclaim the Rivers initiative. Roughly $50 million is dedicated to the Detroit River, with the funding aimed at contaminated-sediment cleanup, habitat restoration, expanded recreation access, parks, trails and waterfront improvements. Michigan says eligible sediment-cleanup investments could leverage a nearly two-to-one federal match under the Great Lakes Legacy Act.

The centerpiece of the episode is the growing skilled-trades shortage. Research released by the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades estimates the United States will need to fill approximately 1.7 million skilled-trade openings every year through 2035, while training programs currently produce only about 55 workers for every 100 needed.

Edward then turns to North Corktown, where Detroit is seeking proposals to develop 16 city-owned parcels into roughly 20 new homes.

That conversation leads into Detroit’s Small Buildings Program and the broader challenge of producing missing-middle housing. Duplexes, fourplexes and small apartment buildings can be too complicated to finance like houses but too small to spread the soft costs of a major apartment development across hundreds of units. Edward argues that rebuilding Detroit’s neighborhood corridors requires an ecosystem capable of supporting these smaller projects as well as large downtown developments.

Finally, the episode examines planning for the Michigan Central Multimodal Facility. The project has been selected for a $10 million federal RAISE grant and $3 million federal CRISI grant, while MDOT has committed $30 million. Future routes and transportation providers have not been finalized, but Edward looks at how Michigan Central, new housing, future attractions and stronger transit could eventually reinforce one another through a classic transit-oriented-development cycle.

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Media / Credits / Sources
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Detroit People Mover — System Plan & Downtown Mobility Study
https://www.thepeoplemover.com/study

Detroit People Mover — Michigan Central Multimodal Facility Project
https://www.thepeoplemover.com/multim...

Reclaim the Rivers — State of Michigan / Governor’s Office
https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news...

Reclaim the Rivers Program Details — Michigan EGLE
https://www.michigan.gov/egle/about/o...

State of America’s Skilled Trades — Ford / Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades
https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/e...

Ford Skilled-Trades / Essential Economy Update
https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/e...

North Corktown Housing Initiatives — WDET
https://wdet.org/2026/09/30/detroit-e...

North Corktown / Choice Neighborhoods Housing Strategy — City of Detroit
https://detroitmi.gov/departments/hou...

RenCen / East Riverfront Community Benefits Process — City of Detroit
https://detroitmi.gov/departments/pla...

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18 Comments

@dmoedman 3 days ago

I’ve watched a few channels about Detroit redevelopment. I rank you #1 bro. Keep it going!

@purplefreak3 5 days ago

I'll file the People Mover expansion under the I will believe it when I see it section.

@iamwill89 5 days ago

The People mover originally was supposed to run up Woodward to Pontiac in the 80’s. I like the idea of expanding it but it has to be done the right way. Personally I’d love to see the PM run on the spoke streets ( Gr. River, Michigan ave, Woodward, and Gratiot. The end terminus on those routes should end at the city limits (ie grand river to telegraph, gratiot to 8 mile, Woodward to 8 mile, and Michigan to the Dearborn. As far as the riverfront, I’d love to see them redevelop the land east of downtown by Chene park. It’s tons of old warehouses that can be torn down and /or redeveloped into housing or businesses.

@Dani1One 4 days ago

Its absolutely is a people’s story. When I worked with young adults in alternative high school graduation programs, I saw this for trade students. When students entered these trade programs and schools, they would often quit before graduation because of cost. It’s a high cost - or at least it was when I lived in Boston.

@frmrUSMCPltSgt 3 days ago

My 2nd comment. The new people mover extensions should go out on the “spokes” in Detroit. Gratiot, Michigan Ave, Woodward, West Grand Blvd., Fort St. This would bring more access to neighborhood areas in a way that makes sense, along major arteries meant to function in that way. Most Detroit residents can reach an artery/spoke street just by walking to it within 15 minutes. If further expansion is needed we could use Outer Drive to encircle those further out neighborhoods by connecting those streets in the way they were meant to be connected.

@JoeSorrells 3 days ago

Greedy Down Town Detroit is my new name for Downtown Detroit , because I believe the people mover when it first discuss years ago was to go to Pontiac Michigan down on Woodward Ave.. that would of helped a lot of people..

@s.a.muhammed6355 3 days ago

Your delivery is on point, and you should spend some of your time with local students, helping them on theirs.

@charlespoor4163 2 days ago

Really interesting content and excellent presentation. Thanks.

@AmpleScrambleVarietyYT 4 days ago

You do great work bro! I agree with iamwill.

@kevinakakp9120 4 days ago

The people mover route needs to serve the most populous neighborhoods, connecting them. It doesn’t have to run up and down Woodward, Grand River, Gratiot, don’t do that, we have busses and the Q-line doing that, find the most stable communities, and connect them. Indian village area, running towards downtown, through corktown, over into southwest Detroit or Mexicantown areas, then study adding lines northwest or northeast 20-30yrs if needed. Also we need more solar power parks, we have lots of vacant land available for it

@hairandscalptruth.7040 4 days ago

THANKS. 10 04 26

@9804Dracon 1 day ago

Bring the people mover to eastern market too!

@frmrUSMCPltSgt 3 days ago

I grew up in Corktown when it was diverse and mostly poor (70’s-80’s), now I can’t afford to live there because of the yt people and gentrification that has happened. I did everything right college, good job, etc. but it’s not enough to compete with the million dollar cost of the homes there now. I sometimes drive past the house I lived in and wonder if it’ll ever be possible to live there again.

@JenoFletter 4 days ago (edited)

Why Do they HAVE to tare down the GM buildings downtown? I know this has nothing to do with this Video but would it not be be better to reuse it for something? Are they taking the whole thing down or are just part? I thought it be cool to have a amusement park / water park in Detroit buy up a bunch of vacant land and build it lol.

@Scrappyhoops 4 days ago

What’s there beef with bike riders though

@DonOneDetroit 2 days ago

Social Engineering (Manipulation): if we don’t provide a mass transit system they will continue to buy more cars! Perhaps the only major city with a population with 700k population without a subway system.

Even if they extend it where will the parking lots be?!?

@kgee8814 4 days ago (edited)

Honestly Eddie Id be more interested in how can Taxpayers save the RenCen from getting a vasectomy by the Gilbert Team and trying to make Detroit pay the Doctor (Tax Abatements) bill. The building is a sound investment as is if the proper renovation and care takes place. Can you elaborate on this?

@Steve.M.8336 4 days ago

The people mover already costs millions of dollars to operate every year. It has never been profitable, which you could argue that it wasn't meant to be profitable, but it has never even come close to covering its own operating costs. It is a money pit for a city that cannot afford a money pit, always has been and always will be. Dumping millions more into it, you might as well set the money on fire. It is basically the monorail from that episode of The Simpsons.