11/13/12 - Passage of regional authority transit legislation for southeast Michigan was urged at this morningâs Howell Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting. The bill, currently in the state Senate, will be taken up November 27th. Wayne, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and counties adjacent to those, such as Livingston County, would be given the option to join the transit authority. Paul Tait, executive director of SEMCOG, or the South East Michigan Council of Governments, tells WHMI that the passing of this legislation will move Michigan transportation forward. Tait believes three things must occur for successful transit: integrated systems, a regional transit authority and adequate local and state source of revenue. Of the top 25 metropolitan areas in the country, Southeast Michigan is ranked 23rd in the amount of state and local money that goes into transit. The WALLY train system, which is already in the works, is only one method of the many that Tait says could be added to the area. A bus transit from Detroit to Pontiac on Woodward Avenue is also a possibility in the near future.(DK)
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