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DDOT transit center name unveiling turns emotional
A press conference announcing the name that would grace the new transit center being built at the old State Fairgrounds in Detroit turned emotional as the honoree's wife heard others talk about her husband.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit transit is about to get a major upgrade with service beginning at the city's brand-new bus station at the historic Michigan State Fair Grounds this weekend.
Replacing the former State Fair transportation hub, the Jason Hargrove Transit Center will officially begin accepting public buses and servicing passengers on May 11. It'll receive both DDOT and SMART buses, becoming a focal point for local transportation while giving Detroit another place for the public to use - in addition to the Rosa Parks Transit Center downtown.
The new transit hub is named after a former DDOT bus driver who died from COVID-19 at the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
The name unveiling was an emotional moment for the family as they saw the building that would adorn their beloved father and husband's name on it. Prior to the big reveal in March, the fair grounds had been under heavy construction for years after Amazon said it would be developing a fulfillment center at the site near Eight Mile and Woodward Avenue.
As part of the agreement to construct a $400 million distribution center, the e-commerce company said it will construct a transit center.
The final product includes indoor rest areas for riders and bathrooms for bus drivers.
The DDOT routes the new center will service include:
- 4 Woodward, which connects downtown to the fairgrounds
- 12 Conant, which connects Belle Isle to the fairgrounds
- 17 Eight Mile, which spans 7 Mile and Grand River to Mack and Moross
- 30 Liveronis, which connects neighborhoods from Jefferson and Dragoon in southwest Detroit to the fairgrounds
- 54 Wyoming, which goes from the fairgrounds to the Del Ray neighborhood.
The indoor space of the center will also be open 24 hours a day where bus passes can be purchased at any time. It will be patrolled by Detroit Police to ensure the center is safe for the public.
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