Detroit council committee advances DDOT funding steps and moves DDOT Reimagine toward formal consideration

Council members and transportation officials on Oct. 12 moved several items intended to speed implementation of Detroit Department of Transportation improvements after repeated public comment urging a large increase in city support for bus service.

The committee approved sending a Michigan Department of Transportation master agreement to the full Council to enable state and federal project authorizations, backed a resolution supporting the DDOT Reimagine plan, authorized submission of a $34,500,000 CMAQ grant application, and recommended a $2,400,000 contract for light-duty fleet vehicles be sent to formal consideration. The committee also removed one protest-related provision from a proposed ordinance setting prohibited conduct on DDOT buses and sent the revised ordinance to formal introduction and public hearing.

Those actions follow repeated public testimony from transit riders and advocates who said the city’s bus system is underfunded and unreliable. “I ask for your full support to be able to not just expand DDOT, but double DDOT,” transit advocate Robert Pawlowski said during the meeting’s public-comment period. Casey Peller, identified as policy manager at Detroit Disability Power, asked the council to “double the DDOT funding” and specifically requested an immediate increase in the general-fund contribution of $150,000,000 to begin implementation of the Reimagine plan.

Why it matters: Advocates and several callers framed improved bus service as a civil‑mobility and economic‑opportunity issue. Multiple speakers cited stalled timelines for the Reimagine plan and cuts to local bus operating funds, saying greater city investment is needed to restore frequency and reliability citywide.

Details of actions and officials’ rationale

- MDOT master agreement: Jenny Whitfield, deputy director of the Detroit Department of Transportation, and Robert Kramer, DDOT director, told the committee the MDOT agreement is a routine annual step that allows DDOT to accept state and federal project authorizations and associated funds. Robert Kramer said the agreement is “necessary for the city, and DDOT in particular to receive local bus operating funds and also capital match towards our federal grant funds.” The committee voted to send 6.42 (the MDOT master agreement) to formal new business for approval.

- DDOT Reimagine resolution: Commissioners moved to recommend approval and send the resolution supporting the DDOT Reimagine plan to formal new business (item 6.44). DDOT staff described the Reimagine plan as a roadmap to increase and reorganize service over a multi‑year timeline based on public input. Jenny Whitfield summarized the plan as focusing on “high quality, safe, reliable, and efficient transportation.” The committee approved sending the resolution to formal consideration.

- CMAQ grant application: DDOT asked the committee to authorize submission of a $34,500,000 federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant application routed through SEMCOG. Ricky Yamakora, DDOT capital projects staff, said the funding is commonly used for bus purchases and other measures to reduce emissions; the committee voted to send item 6.33 to formal new business with a recommendation to approve the application.

- Fleet vehicle contract: The committee recommended approval and formal consideration of a $2,400,000 contract (item 6.27) for light‑duty vehicles and ancillary services to support operations and on‑road service inspections. DDOT said these support vehicles help TEOs and drivers perform roadside turnovers and maintain on‑time performance; the committee moved the item to formal new business with a recommendation to approve.

- Bus conduct ordinance (code of conduct): The committee considered an update to Chapter 47 (transportation for hire) that lists prohibited conduct aboard DDOT buses. The proposed ordinance included 28 prohibited activities; the committee voted to remove item 28 (a broad restriction on picketing, distributing leaflets and similar expressive activity that relied on designations by the DDOT director) and then moved the amended ordinance to formal introduction and set a public hearing. Jenny Whitfield described the ordinance as a mechanism “to promote safety and comfort for our riders” and to protect employees and facilities.

Public testimony and context

Many callers urged substantial short‑term funding increases and quicker implementation of the Reimagine plan. Brian Smigilski, an organizer with the Sierra Club, and other callers said Detroit ranks among the most underfunded large‑city transit systems despite having high need. Several riders described long waits, infrequent routes and difficulty accessing jobs and medical care. Speakers repeatedly used the phrase “double DDOT” to summarize their request for a marked increase in city funding.

Officials and staff cautioned that some items (for example, federal grant awards) remain competitive and not guaranteed. Ricky Yamakora said DDOT was “cautiously optimistic” about CMAQ competitiveness and noted the federal and regional review process.

What did not change today

No final appropriations were passed; the actions were procedural moves that let the Council consider formal ordinances, contracts, and grant applications. Staff and officials said the MDOT master agreement and the CMAQ application are prerequisites for federal/state funding but do not themselves appropriate local dollars.

Next steps

Each item advanced to the formal Council agenda for a vote. DDOT staff said the department will return with details and respond at the next Council meeting. Advocates indicated they will continue to press for larger and faster general‑fund commitments as part of budget deliberations.

Quotes

“We need to double the DDOT funding,” Casey Peller, policy manager at Detroit Disability Power, said during public comment. “When we can get to our health care appointments on reliable transit … that's how we build this city up.”

“I ask for your full support to be able to not just expand DDOT, but double DDOT,” Robert Pawlowski, a transit advocate, told the committee.

“This policy amendment is going to allow us to promote safety and comfort for our riders,” Jenny Whitfield, deputy director of DDOT, said during the discussion of the bus conduct ordinance.

Ending

The committee’s approvals send multiple transit items to the full Council for formal consideration. Advocates said today’s procedural steps are welcome but urged faster, larger investments to achieve the service improvements they say Detroit requires.