A new west-side base of operations will help DDOT maintain buses more efficiently, support more reliable service and prepare the transit system for future growth.

The Detroit Department of Transportation has opened its new $160 million Coolidge Terminal, replacing a nearly century-old facility that was damaged by fire in 2011.

While riders will not board a bus at the new terminal, what happens inside the three-building complex will directly support their daily trips. The facility gives DDOT a modern place to store, maintain and dispatch buses while serving as the department’s new citywide control center.

For Detroiters who depend on DDOT to reach work, school, medical appointments, stores and other destinations, the investment is designed to strengthen the operations behind safe and reliable bus service.

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“Our DDOT drivers and mechanics are critical to making sure our residents can get to work, to school, their doctor’s appointment or to store, and absolutely essential to our city’s economy,” Mayor Mary Sheffield said. “They deserve to have a first-class facility to support them and now they do.”

How the new terminal supports bus service

The 200,000-square-foot complex includes separate buildings for bus storage, maintenance and administrative operations.

A 121,192-square-foot, climate-controlled storage building can house as many as 120 buses overnight or while they are out of service. Keeping buses protected from Detroit’s heat, cold and severe weather can help DDOT safeguard its fleet and prepare vehicles for service.

The storage building also includes areas where buses can be washed regularly, helping prevent maintenance issues.

A new 54,293-square-foot maintenance building gives DDOT mechanics a modern space to perform routine maintenance and repairs. That work is essential to keeping buses safe, addressing problems and returning vehicles to service.

The site also includes a new citywide DDOT control center, giving the department updated technology and a central location to oversee daily bus operations.

“The new Coolidge facility represents a major investment in transit for the City, adding a modern base for west side operations and a new city-wide DDOT control center,” Executive Director of Transit Robert Cramer said. “The site includes new employee amenities and technology that will support operating safe, reliable service for decades to come.”

A better workplace for DDOT employees

The new terminal also represents a significant improvement for the drivers, mechanics and other employees responsible for operating Detroit’s bus system.

The 16,922-square-foot administration building includes offices, an exercise room, a kitchen and indoor-outdoor lounge, as well as lockers and showers. Those amenities offer employees a more modern and comfortable workplace before, during and after their shifts.

The climate-controlled storage building and updated maintenance spaces also give employees better conditions for inspecting, repairing and preparing buses throughout the year.

DDOT has now moved its west-side operations from the aging Gilbert Terminal to Coolidge. The Gilbert facility is expected to be demolished. DDOT’s east-side operations will continue at the Shoemaker Terminal near I-94 and Connor Street.

Built to support future transit needs

The new complex was designed with prepared areas that will allow all three buildings to expand. That gives DDOT room to add capacity as the city’s fleet and transit needs evolve.

Funding for the project included:

• $102.5 million from the Federal Transit Administration
• $31.5 million from the City of Detroit
• $25.6 million from the Michigan Department of Transportation

The $160 million total includes approximately $10 million for demolition of the former terminal.

The original Coolidge Terminal opened at 14044 Schaefer Highway in 1928 and supported Detroit transit service until a fire damaged the facility in 2011. Plans to rebuild were delayed during Detroit’s 2013 bankruptcy.

DDOT began studying options for the site in 2019 and completed a facilities master-planning process in 2021. After considering whether to reuse portions of the old terminal, the department determined that building a new complex was the best long-term option.

The result is a modern operations center built around the people and equipment that keep Detroit moving, and an investment intended to deliver benefits to bus riders for decades.