Posted on Friday, June 11th, 2010, by Jeremy (admin). Filed under: News
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State Legislature passes bill that releases federal ARRA stimulus dollars to local transit systems. The bill passed the State Senate on Thursday, June 10 and the House concurred, sending it to Governor Granholm for her signature.
The original formula distribution of federal ARRA funds included in 2009 PA 3 included $211.8 million for local road jurisdictions. As part of the local federal aid planning process, some local units elected to “flex” these funds for local transit projects. [The option to flex certain federal highway program funds for local transit projects is available under the current non-ARRA federal aid program.] The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has approved the state’s request, on behalf of local units, to flex a total of $524,100 in FHWA ARRA funds to local transit projects for capital equipment and facility renovations.
The specific projects are as follows:
- Ogema County Board of Commissioners $20,000Sanilac County Board of Commissions $14,405
- St. Joseph County Transportation Authority $110,121
- Barry County Board of Commissioners $48,000
- Van Buren County Board of Commissioners $80,000Caro Transit $28,000
- Ionia Dial-a-Ride $15,000
- Greater Lapeer Transit Authority $20,000
- Shiawassee Area Transit Authority $6,000
- Crawford County Transportation Authority $37,885
- Bay Metro Transportation Authority (Arenac County) $40,000
- ALTRAN Transportation Authority (Alger County) $71,327
- Lenawee County Board of Commissioners $7,834
- City of Adrian $25,500
Posted on Monday, May 24th, 2010, by Jeremy (admin). Filed under: News
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This story appears in today’s Free Press, at http://www.freep.com/article/20100522/NEWS05/5220387/1322/Rally-puts-transit-woes-in-spotlight
Rally puts transit woes in spotlight
Supporters say cuts hurting residents
By MATT HELMS
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Union workers and supporters rallied Friday at Hart Plaza to support mass transit as transportation systems across the country cut services and lay off workers because of funding depleted by the recession.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson and U.S. Reps. John Conyers and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, both Detroit Democrats, were among the speakers at the rally, which included the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26, representing Detroit Department of Transportation drivers.
“This may be the most critical issue of our times,” Jackson told about 75 people who attended the rally.
Jackson said transit’s ability to move people in environmentally friendly ways is crucial for the future. He said older cities across the country could be revitalized by efforts to improve and expand transit, similar to how Detroit was transformed into the Arsenal of Democracy for World War II. “The same Detroit that can make tanks also can make trains and make buses and put America back to work,” he said.
DDOT has cut bus routes and laid off more than 100 drivers in the last year. SMART, the suburban bus system, said it’s facing budget shortfalls beginning in 2012 that could lead to service cuts.
Transit agencies across the country are ditching workers, cutting routes and frequency of service and raising fares as revenues plummet. A recent survey by the American Public Transportation Association found that 84% of the nation’s transit systems have taken such measures or are considering doing so.
Transit supporters say sustained service is crucial to people who rely on it for commuting to work and for unemployed people to look for jobs.
Megan Owens, executive director of Detroit-based Transportation Riders United, said the Michigan Senate recently voted to cut $7 million from transit programs to help cover a projected $84-million shortfall in matching funds the state needs to get about $500 million in federal road funding.
Yet more people are using transit across the country and locally, Owens said. In Detroit, riders are waiting longer, spending more time to get around and forgoing trips to places along canceled routes.
“It’s having a real impact on people’s lives,” she said.
