'Aerotropolis' concept takes flight in Detroit-area counties

Transportation built Detroit and its surrounding counties, where the American auto industry once reigned supreme. But with much of that sector now in decline, the region is hitching its hopes to another form of conveyance -- by air.

Wayne and Washtenaw counties have partnered with seven other Detroit-area jurisdictions and the private sector to develop an "aerotropolis," a metropolitan region based on airport-centered economic development. The term is a conflation of "aero" for air and "tropolis" from metropolis.

"The reason why Detroit sits on the Detroit River is because over 200 years ago, that's how commerce moved -- on the river," said Robert Ficano, Wayne County executive and a key driver of the initiative. "Then with the industrial revolution, the rail and the highway infrastructure became important. Now with the global economy, the airports have become very important."

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