Connecting Public Health to Public Transit

Four chiefs of hospitals in the Detroit area pen an opinion piece in support of public transit as a key factor in public health outcomes.

1 minute read

May 2, 2018, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Detroit Transit

Ken Lund / Flickr

John Fox, Jean Meyer, Dr. Anthony J. Tedeschi, and Wright L. Lassiter III, are the heads of Beaumont Health, Ascension Michigan, Detroit Medical Center, and Henry Ford Health System, respectively. They collaborated on an opinion piece published by the Detroit Free Press that makes a strong case for considering public health when advocating for improved public transit.

"Strong public transit is fundamental to building and maintaining healthy communities in Southeast Michigan," begins the opinion piece. "The evidence is clear. Lack of access to a working regional transit system can have life and death consequences for residents of our community. It is a public health issue and an issue that we have the ability to solve."

The opinion piece directly supports the effort to craft a regional transit plan—a prospect that has proven controversial over the years in the Detroit region. The most recent failure came in 2016, but the nascent possibility of new regional transit plan has already gained support from a coalition of corporate leadership in addition to this more recent expression of support from the region's healthcare leadership.

Wednesday, May 2, 2018 in Detroit Free Press

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

45 minutes ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

1 hour ago - Cities Today

View from inside car's driver seat while driving.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians

Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

2 hours ago - Bloomberg CityLab

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA