DETROIT, Oct. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DTE Energy will power the QLINE - a modern street car traveling up and down a 3.3 mile stretch of Woodward Ave in Detroit - and the future growth of Detroit's neighborhoods and businesses along the route. The QLINE will be powered by four new Traction Power Substations in Detroit running on DTE electricity. In partnership with M-1 Rail and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), DTE also designed and constructed the new infrastructure that will power future business growth generated by the QLINE in the heart of Detroit.

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"We are proud of this unique collaboration between DTE Energy, M-1 Rail and MDOT, and our ability to provide our combined expertise to help ensure the QLINE is fully operational in the Spring of 2017," said Bob Richard, senior vice president of Major Enterprise Projects at DTE Energy. "Building the infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of future business development is another way DTE supports the economic growth and prosperity of the City of Detroit."

DTE Energy is providing the electricity to serve four new substations that will power the QLINE. The first QLINE substation was built in September with three remaining substations scheduled to be built by the end of 2016. The QLINE car is charged when an overhead arm on the car contacts the overhead catenary wire powered by a substation.

"From working cooperatively with us throughout construction to powering future operations of the QLINE, DTE Energy is an invaluable partner to this project," said M-1 RAIL President and CEO Matt Cullen. "The electrical system upgrades by DTE are not only the first step toward creating a great regional transit system in Detroit, but they will provide long term benefits for the city and its residents."

DTE Energy's investment in new infrastructure enables future load growth and makes it possible for DTE to meet the electrical needs of expanding business spurred by the QLINE in Midtown, North End and New Center areas - from new housing developments and hotels to restaurants and retail. The collaboration between DTE, M-1 Rail and MDOT began a year before the underground construction in an effort to detect potential challenges and identify solutions, which included building new manholes and the associated duct bank, laying 15,000 feet of new conduit, and repaving Woodward Ave. Their integrated, proactive approach to the project resulted in significant cost reductions and the completion of the project on schedule.

"I am thrilled to celebrate the QLINE as a model for what can happen when private industry and government agencies collaborate," said MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle. "Woodward Avenue is an iconic route with a rich history of helping people get to and from downtown Detroit. The QLINE only enhances the corridor's vital role. Metro Detroiters use freeways, trains, buses, bicycles and even shoe leather to get around, and MDOT is committed to supporting each and every mode."

About DTE Energy

DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million customers in Michigan. The DTE Energy portfolio includes non-utility energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage, and energy marketing and trading. As one of Michigan's leading corporate citizens, DTE Energy is a force for growth and prosperity in the 450 Michigan communities it serves in a variety of ways, including philanthropy, volunteerism and economic progress. Information about DTE Energy is available at dteenergy.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com/dteenergy.

About M-1 RAIL

M-1 RAIL is a non-profit organization formed in 2007 to lead the design, construction, and future operation of the QLINE, a 6.6 mile circulating streetcar system along Woodward Ave that will connect Downtown Detroit, Midtown, New Center and the North End.

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SOURCE DTE Energy