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Creating Social Mobility Through Physical Mobility

Creating Social Mobility Through Physical Mobility

Program: Dow Sustainability Fellows Program
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Photo by Jameson Draper on Unsplash

(Dow Fellows Program 2019)

An increasing number of major employers are moving to the suburbs of Detroit, making it more difficult for residents of the City of Detroit to access these jobs easily. Residents are spending an excessive amount of time and money traveling to and from work. A Dow Fellows team worked to propose a small-scale alternative to bridge the transportation gap. They envisioned a public-private partnership between the City of Detroit and Wayne County. The team analyzed case studies of other cities that implemented innovative solutions. They also communicated with various Chamber of Commerce workforce agencies and evaluated data to identify demand and plan the logistics of a mobility solution. The team developed a process document for the City of Detroit that is intended to serve as a stepping stone for the implementation of this short-term program. 

  • Location: Western Detroit, Michigan

  • Project Advisor: Prof. Margaret Wooldridge

  • Project Team: Farhan Nuruzzaman, Ross School of Business; Kimberly Higgins, Taubman College of Urban and Regional Planning; Mukul Sajnani, Ross School of Business; Youngsoo Choy, Ross School of Business and School of Information; Lea Sarment, School of Dentistry; Christopher LeFlore, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and Taubman College of Urban and Regional Planning