Millennium City

Overview

Where Detroit, Michigan once stood now stands Millennium City, a glittering, high-tech metropolis. Born of fire and destruction, it was rebuilt as the “City of the Future,” incorporating the best America and mankind had to offer, and in less than two decades.

Layout

Millennium City, formerly known as Detroit, is one of the most prominent centers of superhuman activity in the Champions Universe. With a population of approximately 1.2 million, Millennium City proper takes up slightly less space than its former self. The boundaries of the city are generally considered to extend from Livernois Street on the west and southwest down to the Detroit River, over to Hayes Avenue on the eastern side up to the Millennium Highway (formerly known as the “8-Mile Road”) in the north. That border leaves some of what was formerly Detroit outside, primarily to the west; some has been subsumed into the city of Dearborn, while the section to the northwest is now a suburb called North Detroit.
With large amounts of space to work with, the architects of Millennium City saw little need to build up; only in the Renaissance Center, something of a showcase for the entire project, will you find extremely tall buildings, and in the rest of the city the largest buildings are only 30-40 stories tall at most. Instead, the engineers built out, and filled each level — the most notable and ubiquitous features of the city are the multilevel walkways, ramps, arches, and bridges connecting many buildings. Every block in downtown Millennium City has several levels of walkways above the street, most enclosed but usually at least one with openings on the side (also allowing the wind to pass through) and some totally open to the elements (and closed to foot traffic during bad weather).
The main geographic and cultural dividing line splits Millennium City between the east — where you’ll find the Renaissance Center, most skyscrapers, the best shopping, most of the arts and entertainment venues, and a generally better standard of living — from the west (which contains the docks, Chinatown, some industry, the city jail, and various working-class neighborhoods).
The western part of the city is actually physically lower than the east, thanks to the effects of one of Dr. Destroyer’s weapons; getting from one part to the other requires using ramps (for cars) or staircases (for pedestrians). The Detroit River, which passes to the south and divides Millennium City from its Canadian sister city Windsor, connects Lake St. Claire to Lake Erie. This cold and swift river moves an enormous amount of freight, although most of the shipping business in the area actually runs through Windsor. Commuters can cross this river either by quick ferry service, by under-river tunnel, or by one of two aerial gondola lines, which are very crowded during rush hour.

LEAVE THE DRIVING TO US

When someone enters Millennium City by car, the first thing he notices is that his car’s no longer under his control! One of the City of the Future’s most amazing innovations is a “cybersmart traffic system” that works within the city limits. Devices implanted in the roads and in small roadside modules control all vehicles within the city, restricting how fast they can move. All the driver has to do is indicate where he wants to go by moving the wheel and using his turn signal (though the system prevents radical movement such as running off the road). Some cars, designed specifically for use in Millennium City, can be steered with the driver’s voice commands alone.
There are still stoplights and stop signs, but they’re not necessary — the VCS (Vehicle Control System) makes sure no car hits any other car (or objects, or people). Since this system was put in place, the number of auto accidents within the city limits has never exceeded a dozen a year, and none of the few that have occurred have involved major property damage, serious injury, or death. Finding ways to avoid the VCS’s restrictions is a major concern with criminals who want to make a fast getaway from a robbery!
But you don’t have to drive if you don’t want to — Millennium City’s designed to be pedestrian- friendly. There are aboveground walkways connecting buildings, each lighting up at night when motion sensors detect movement nearby. The walkways, streets, and sidewalks contain powerful heating elements that keep snow, ice, or even standing water from accumulating. Many buildings have rooftop parks or gardens, taking advantage of the space available at higher levels to create a more comfortable urban environment.
It’s possible to cross Millennium City in several directions without ever descending to street level, and some citizens take pride in doing so as little as possible. As a visitor walks through Millennium City, he notices the flashy video billboards, some of which utilize three-dimensional “hologram” technology. Large displays are mounted on the sides of tall buildings, but there are smaller ones on walls at ground level as well. On most street corners one can also find “Info Kiosks,” small stands where vendors sell newspapers and snacks while large screens broadcast news and advertisements.
Each of these kiosks also features private phone/ Internet access booths, separated by screens which turn opaque when a user enters. Visitors who stay for extended periods learn about some of the other unique features of Millennium City. The libraries and schools have state-of-the-art computer systems and store the vast majority of their data electronically.
Every building within the city limits is wired for ultra-high-speed Internet access. The city’s governmental systems use the latest equipment; for example, the voter rolls are online, and voting itself is fully automated and can be done from the privacy of home, vastly increasing turnout.
Obviously, a city as wired as Millennium City draws an enormous amount of power, and the electricity supply is an ongoing concern. The city is covered with solar panels, which take up much of the roof space of taller buildings. Northeast of the city along the shores of Lake St. Claire are numerous “windmill farms,” each with thousands of small turbines spinning in the breeze.
The primary sources of electricity remain the two nuclear plants in Monroe, thirty miles south (known as “Fermi 2” and “Fermi 3”) and a dozen fossil-fuel plants. Several scientists in Millennium City, including Dr. Silverback and his colleague Dr. Abnel Ali, are committed to solving the city’s energy supply problems.

Alternative Name(s)

City of the Future

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