Regional cooperation on transit and other issues is one reason Grand Rapids continues to leave southeast Michigan behind. All in all, Michigan's second largest city is faring better than other urban areas, with far lower rates of poverty and population loss and a thriving downtown.

Grand Rapids and its core suburbs -- Kentwood, Wyoming, East Grand Rapids, Grandville and Walker -- generally understand that the region's residents will rise or fall together. They showed that again earlier this month, when voters approved -- albeit narrowly -- a significant tax increase to fund improvements in the regional transit system, including a new nine-mile rapid transit bus line serving downtown Grand Rapids, medical facilities on "Pill Hill" and the southern suburbs.

Significantly, young voters in Grand Rapids helped lead the millage campaign, underscoring the importance of transit in attracting talented young people to a city and keeping them there.

The high-speed Silver Line bus route should be running in two or three years, putting Grand Rapids ahead in the race to build the
state's first rapid transit system. It will also get the inside track on securing state and federal transportation funds.

Grand Rapids area voters approved a 0.35-mill increase in the transit levy -- to 1.47 mills -- for seven years. The money will pay for more frequent buses and extended hours on existing routes. One-third of the increase -- $1.2 million a year -- will go for operating the rapid transit route on Division Avenue.


Continued at: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2011105150510




The area of downtown Grand Rapids called "Pill Hill" will be served by a new rapid transit line, thanks to voter approval of a millage increase. The system will connect the medical center to southern suburbs. / ADAM BIRD/Associated Press