MI: Qline Launch Party Starts this Morning

There's no party like a Detroit streetcar party. The QLINE officially opens to the masses this morning with free rides and events planned all weekend. The launch kicks off at Detroit's Grand Circus Park with dignitaries, speeches, the Cass Tech High School marching band and the return of regular streetcar service to the Motor City for the first time in decades. The first public rides are expected to be at Grand Circus heading south and Congress heading north about 10:45 a.m. after the initial streetcar run with dignitaries leaves Grand Circus shortly after 10:30 a.m. But other streetcars will be out at the same time on other parts of the route, so if you miss the very first one you'll have plenty of opportunities to hop aboard later. The grand opening ceremony is to kick off about 9 a.m. Friday at Grand Circus Park. Expected for the celebration are Gov. Rick Snyder, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, and Reps. John Conyers, Debbie Dingell and Brenda Lawrence, Roger Penske, Dan Gilbert and Rip Rapson, head of the Kresge Foundation.