Data Detroit

What Data Detroit does

Data Detroit exposes Detroit open data through MCP, using the ArcGIS REST API behind data.detroitmi.gov. It is intended for agents that need structured records from Detroit datasets, including recent crime reports and 311 or Improve Detroit service requests.

The server supports both focused lookups and broader dataset exploration. detroit_recent provides a simpler path for common datasets, while detroit_layers and detroit_query support discovery and querying across Detroit ArcGIS services.

How it works

A hosted MCP connection is available at https://gateway.pipeworx.io/data-detroit/mcp. MCP clients can connect to that URL directly. The gateway also exposes the same tools through HTTP endpoints under /v1/tools/, which allows direct calls without an MCP client.

The npm package, @pipeworx/mcp-data-detroit, runs as a local stdio process started with npx. It forwards requests to the hosted gateway, so it still needs network access and has no offline mode.

Pack endpoints also expose shared Pipeworx meta-tools alongside the pack's tools. The local npm bridge lists only the Data Detroit tools by default; setting PIPEWORX_META_TOOLS=1 adds the gateway-wide tools, including ask_pipeworx. The full Pipeworx gateway is another connection option when direct access to all catalog packs is preferred.

Setup and configuration

For a hosted MCP connection, add the endpoint to an MCP client configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "data-detroit": {
      "url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/data-detroit/mcp"
    }
  }
}

The local stdio option uses:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "data-detroit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@pipeworx/mcp-data-detroit"]
    }
  }
}

Anonymous calls are supported, with a limit of 50 calls per day. A free Pipeworx account increases the allowance to 200 calls per day. Add a Pipeworx API key as PIPEWORX_API_KEY in the client environment when using an account. Behind an HTTPS proxy, newer Node.js releases can use the proxy when NODE_USE_ENV_PROXY=1 is set.

Tools and capabilities

• detroit_recent retrieves newest-first records from the common crime and 311 datasets. It accepts an ArcGIS where filter and converts ArcGIS epoch dates to ISO dates.
• detroit_layers lists layers for a known service such as crime, service_requests, or permits, or for a full ArcGIS service path. Results include layer IDs and names.
• detroit_query queries any Detroit ArcGIS layer by service path and layer ID. Supported query controls include where, out_fields, order_by, and limit; returned epoch dates are converted to ISO format.
• ask_pipeworx can route plain-language questions through the wider gateway when the shared meta-tools are enabled or when using the hosted pack endpoint.

Limitations and notes

The integration is independent and unofficial, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Detroit's upstream data provider. Calls require network access. The hosted pack endpoint includes shared gateway tools in addition to the Data Detroit tools, so its reported tool count is larger than the three Detroit-specific tools. Use detroit_recent for the common crime and 311 datasets; use layer discovery followed by detroit_query for other layers.