West_Riverfront_station

West Riverfront station

West Riverfront station

Detroit People Mover station

West Riverfront station (formerly Joe Louis Arena) is a Detroit People Mover station in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is located on Steve Yzerman Drive across from the former site of the Joe Louis Arena, near the intersection of 3rd Street and Jefferson Avenue, where M-10 terminates.

Quick Facts General information, Location ...

West Riverfront is the nearest People Mover station to the Downtown campus of the Wayne County Community College District, and also serves the Detroit Riverwalk via its street entrance.

History

The station previously served the Joe Louis Arena, the home of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings, until the arena's closure in 2017. The station was built with a series of wide concrete ramps from street level to the platform, allowing it to handle the flow of large crowds from events at the arena, and a pedestrian bridge linking the station's concourse level directly to the arena's entrance. The arena bridge was demolished in 2019 alongside the arena itself, though two enclosed skybridges remain, connecting the station to the Riverfront Towers residential complex and the disused arena parking garage.[2]

The People Mover shut down temporarily on March 30, 2020, due to decreased ridership amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] Following the arena's demolition, the station was renamed West Riverfront when it reopened with the system's restart on May 20, 2022.[4][5]

Public art

The platform includes a Venetian glass mosaic, Voyage, created by Gerome Kamrowski. The iridescent mosaic reflects the orange hues used in the station's tile, with designs inspired by mythological and astrological figures.[6][7]

References

  1. [1]
    Lawrence, Eric D (2015-06-24). "People Mover's Grand Circus Station back in service". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
  2. [2]
    Nagl, Kurt (2019-06-04). "Detroit to spend $2.76 million to reopen Joe Louis Arena parking garage". Crain's Detroit Business. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
  3. [3]
    Rahal, Sarah (2022-05-19). "Detroit People Mover resumes service with free rides for 90 days". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  4. [4]
    Witsil, Frank (2022-05-20). "Detroit People Mover reopens with limited service, free rides after 2-year closure". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  5. [5]
    "Service Update June 2: Restart Information". Detroit People Mover. 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  6. [6]
    Walt, Irene (2004). Art in the Stations: The Detroit People Mover. Art in the Stations Committee. ISBN 0-9745392-0-1.
  7. [7]
    Art in the Stations. Detroit Transportation Corporation. 2006.


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