Region Can Attract Businesses, Young Talent with Mass Transit

Plans for a mass transit system are finally rolling in the Detroit Region, but there is plenty of work still to be done.

The lack of an integrated transit system is a major obstacle in attracting businesses and young talent to the region. That’s not only my opinion – it’s the view of young people like those from the University of Michigan who participated in a charrette with Wayne County for the Aerotropolis project back in 2006. Each group that participated in the charrette addressed public transportation and its importance to the lifestyles they seek. We have top-notch universities graduating bright young professionals but we often can’t convince them to stay in Southeast Michigan. An effective mass transit system will provide us with the kind of mobility featured in nearly every other major urban area in America.

Several projects are starting to build momentum. With the help of business leaders like Roger Penske and the Ilitch family, the M-1 Rail group has raised about $125 million for a light-rail project along Woodward between downtown and the New Center area. Building upon that commitment, the federal government recently committed to undertake an environmental impact study of an extended light rail line that would run along Woodward from downtown to Eight Mile. Construction could begin in late 2011. My administration supports the M-1 Rail but believes the Woodward line will be more effective in attracting riders if it goes beyond 8 Mile Road.

Earlier this month, voters wisely kept the SMART buses moving along with overwhelming approval of a mileage renewal. That’s another step in the right direction. And we hope that efforts to develop commuter rail between Ann Arbor and Detroit will be revived and incorporated into larger plans for high-speed rail between Detroit and Chicago.

Creating a regional transportation authority

With so many elements involved, the region must have a unified transit plan and a transportation body with the power to make decisions. That’s why Wayne County has been an ardent supporter of the creation of a single Regional Transportation Authority for Metro Detroit. A single transportation authority would help develop a regional transit system and put Wayne County in a better position to capture state and federal funding. Legislation to establish such an authority is in the State Legislature and we will continue to lobby strongly for it.

I met with other members of the “Big 4” recently at the Detroit Regional Chamber to discuss the Regional Transportation Authority. There are funding issues to be resolved but I am confident that we can work through the issues and get this done.

We need to act with a sense of urgency

A lack of urgency has delayed the development of mass transit in the past. Hopefully we can convince all the partners that mass transit is essential to our economic future. We have an opportunity to generate up to $7 in private investment for every dollar of public money spent on transportation. While initial ridership could be an issue that will hurt us in obtaining federal funds, we must find a way to fund transit on our own because we cannot continue to lag behind competing cities. If we really want to be a complete urban center, we must offer public transportation – and there is no way around that fact.

Economically, things are slowly starting to pick up. We’re attracting businesses and working to diversify our economy and retain young talent. It’s time to show we’re serious about public transportation for the entire region. It’s time to show tomorrow’s workforce what Southeast Michigan has to offer.

Robert A. Ficano is the Wayne County Executive