DDOT Enhances Rider Experience with New Boarding Platforms

The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) is installing 21 new elevated bus boarding platforms along East Jefferson Avenue as part of a pilot initiative aimed at enhancing safety, efficiency, and the overall rider experience.

The new platforms at high-volume bus stops will extend seamlessly from the curb/sidewalk across bike and parking lanes, meaning buses will stay in the right-hand travel lane to pick up passengers, rather than having to pull in across an active parking and bike lane and then back into the flow of traffic. The bike lane portion of the platform will have gradual ramps on each side to allow bike riders to continue through away from traffic.

“Installing these new platforms will help us provide a faster and smoother boarding experience for passengers at key stops, which will reduce bus travel times and supports our goal of providing 10-minute bus frequency on E. Jefferson,” said Executive Director of Transit Robert Cramer.

A total of 16 platforms is being installed in the current phase, with an additional five platforms to follow after completion of an ongoing water main project in the area. Work is expected to be completed by the end of September. Later this year, DDOT will start installing new shelters at each of the platform locations.

The modular platforms, made from recycled PVC plastic by manufacturer ZICLA, are designed for flexibility, durability, and easy maintenance. They are forgiving to bus tires and are cost-effective to replace or modify as ridership demands evolve.

This work supports DDOT Reimagined, the agency’s long-term vision for a better public transit system, and is part of a broader effort to improve corridor efficiency and rider amenities, particularly along the 9-Jefferson route—a straight, city-maintained road ideal for piloting such improvements. The total cost of the project is approximately $3.8 million.

DDOT’s goal is for 75 percent of passenger boardings to occur at sheltered stops as funding permits, with continued improvements being rolled out citywide. Future phases of the project will include the installation of digital departure screens at these stops.