New Detroit bus station honors driver who died from COVID-19
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Desha Hargrove, center, gets emotional at last week's dedication ceremony. Photos: Joe Guillen/Axios
A new transit center near Woodward and 8 Mile will be named after Jason Hargrove, the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) bus driver whose death four years ago drew national attention to the dangers essential workers faced during the pandemic.
The big picture: The transit center — slated to open May 11 — is part of a $31 million redevelopment of the old State Fairgrounds site near the new Amazon fulfillment center.
Flashback: Hargrove posted a video to Facebook in March 2020 describing public workers' plight on the front lines and complaining about a rider who was coughing without covering her face.
- He died from COVID-19 less than two weeks later.
What they're saying: "To have my big guy, my husband, named on a building — my heart is overjoyed," Desha Hargrove, Jason's wife, said at Friday's dedication ceremony.
- "He was one of ours. He was one of yours."
The intrigue: Mayor Mike Duggan credited Hargrove's viral video with saving bus drivers' lives in other cities.
Between the lines: The transit center at the fairgrounds' renovated Dairy Cattle Barn features 11 bays for DDOT and SMART buses, an indoor lobby, public restrooms and a separate lounge and restroom area for drivers.
- Riders have been using a nearby temporary hub with little protection from the elements during construction.
The bottom line: The new transit center will be a much-needed upgrade for riders at one of the city's busiest intersections.
