MML Review Magazine May/June 2024

REGIONAL TRANSIT

Make Transit a Priority A reordering of statewide priorities is necessary to brace our communities for the population shift that is underway, while making room for the population shift that we’d like to see. A more connected Michigan is the path of least resistance to check both boxes. Thankfully, these ideas aren’t on the fringes. Recent calls for change have earned some very active listeners in positions to cause change. A newly formed bipartisan, bicameral Transit Caucus in the state Legislature has about four dozen members—about one-third of the Legislature—and has the power to increase LBO funding and bring other transit projects to fruition. But they need support. As agents of change, we have the power and voice to lead our communities and build connections that spur innovation, creativity, and prosperity. By investing in transit and tearing down structural barriers that have held us back, we can improve our communities today and prepare for decades to come. Ben Stupka is the executive director of the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan. You may contact him at 313-402-1020 or bstupka@rtamichigan.org.

Transit Expenditures and Ridership in Peer Regions, 2022

Michigan's population pyramid from Hilary Doe's presentation at the League's 2024 CapCon.

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| May/June 2024