Quote:
Originally Posted by LMich
Regional Mass Transit Plan Approved
WWJ Newsradio 950
Monday, 08 December 2008 5:43PM
Southeastern Michigan's Big Four - the executives for Wayne and Oakland Counties, Macomb Counties Commission Chairperson and the Mayor of Detroit - made history Monday afternoon. They unanimously approved a Regional Mass Transit Plan for Detroit - the first step in getting mass transportation in the region. Regional Transit CEO John Hertel says, "the 25-year plan covers everything from arterial rapid transit, which is the new hybrid buses, bus-rapid transit, which is almost like rail, and then the light rail and some commuter rail."
So what are the next steps? Step two involves the task of creating an authority to operate the new system. And then step three is to secure local and federal dollars to pay for it.
But Hertel is confident funding can be secured for his plan even in these economically challenging times. He says, "because of president-elect Barack Obama's attitude about this, and his concern about infrastructure, I think the chances of the federal money being there are significantly higher."
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Since you're in touch with this stuff, LMich, I have a genuine question for you: Where is this sudden push for regional mass transit coming from?
I mean I'm as much a proponent of public transit as anyone who hates driving, but I don't ever remember much of a public consensus on mass transit in MI. Where is it coming from? It's wonderful, it's fantastic, this is positive news, I'm just sort of confused
Also, because I'm a finance type and I have to ask these questions... Where is the money supposed to come from to maintain a system?
It would be freaking fabulous not to have to care if the roads are ruined by ****ing construction in November
