In a blog post today, Quicken Loans announced that the “new modern streetcar” that is under construction in downtown Detroit will be named “Q-Line.”
Although M1-Rail has been the working title for awhile, it was only a matter of time until the named change due to corporate naming rights. The 20 stations are sponsored by corporations, as well. The official QLINE logo was also released and features a stylized “Q” in a design that they say symbolizes the connectivity accomplished through the rail line.
The founder of Quicken Loans, Dan Gilbert, has contributed about $10 million of the $140 million project.
In a press release, “The launch of QLINE marks a significant moment in the development of Detroit. Quicken Loans is proud to play our part in the beginning stages of modernizing the transit system in our burgeoning urban core,” said Jay Farner, president and chief marketing officer of Quicken Loans.
Construction began in 2014 and officials say it will be completed by the end of this year. The first streetcar is expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter when testing and safety certification will begin, but the actual opening timeline, although stated as “early 2017” is uncertain as it is unknown how long testing and certifications will take (Washington D.C. recently constructed a 2.2 mile line, and it took 18 months to get it through the process).
We’ve gotten questions about the length of the track from readers before, as most press materials try to make it sound like the Q-Line is 6.6 miles. Note that they always use the “loop” qualifier. Sure, it’s 6.6 miles of track, but the project in fact goes from just below to Campus Martius to the New Center area. If the project actually serviced 6.6 miles up Woodward, The new Q-Line would stop somewhere north of the Davison and just south of McNichols Road.
“Quality, accessible mass transit is essential to thriving cities and QLINE will help Detroit become an increasingly more vibrant destination for everyone,” said Matt Cullen, CEO, M-1 RAIL in a statement. “The M-1 RAIL board, donors and team have done an incredible job making this unprecedented public-private partnership happen and we are confident QLINE will be a catalyst for regional transit across Metro Detroit.”
For naming rights, Quicken Loans is paying $5 million over 10 years.
What do you think of the new name?