The French graphic designer, Aurélien Boyer-Moraes first learned of Detroit as a teenager in the 1990s through a TV documentary about the Detroit electronic music scene (before the internet existed). He went on to study graphic design and with the advent of the internet was able to learn more about the City of Detroit. Aurélien has always been interested in mapping and currently works as a map maker in information design specifically on standards for transit systems. He has designed the subway, light rail, and BRT map for Lyon, France.
Detroit came naturally to my mind for a first attempt, as an exercise initially, during my graduate, because I was very disappointed by the actual map which is very poor designed, useless to speak plainly, very much a counterexample… Then after my master and with my professional skills growing along with my experience in that field I updated it when I have some spare time to follow the system’s changes and my “own” graphics changes. That’s the story : a genuine interest in that city, a genuine interest in transit mapping!
Aurélien first designed this DDOT map as part of his Graduate studies, but has recently updated the map. Maybe someday the transit systems in Detroit will be worthy of his excellent design work.
DETROITography 
Pingback: Cartographer Chat with Aurélien Boyer-Moraes and his updated redesign of Detroit bus system map | DETROITography