New Transit RTA proposed.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-23-11, 07:48 AM

What everyone think? Does it have a chance of making it through legislature again? If so, will the Governor veto this again? This is certainly needed to provide coordination for the Ann Arbor to Detroit Train and the Woodward Light rail line.

**cramerro** · June-23-11, 08:21 AM

Where did you hear that it was proposed again, or are you throwing out a 'what if'?

**rbdetsport** · June-23-11, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by cramerro

Where did you hear that it was proposed again, or are you throwing out a 'what if'?

This was my thought as well, but I think he is referring to DARTA.

**cramerro** · June-23-11, 08:27 AM

Couldn't wait, googled "Detroit Transit Authority"... got it.

http://www.annarbor.com/news/sen-reb...heast-michiga/

Introduced 6/14... guess I'm a week behind.

**j to the jeremy** · June-23-11, 10:03 AM

http://www.transportmichigan.org/201...-bill-for.html

Here's another article

**cramerro** · June-23-11, 10:31 AM

Without even reading the article, loving the photo collage.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-23-11, 11:05 AM

Its more like DARTA 2. I'm surprised that no one had started a thread yet it has been in the news for a week. I find it interesting that one of the proponents is a new Senator from Ann Arbor. Could it be that they are seeing themselves as less "Us" and more "We"?

**j to the jeremy** · June-23-11, 11:08 AM

I think their recent transit-oriented development and complete streets in action combined with Hieftje's [[or however you spell it) regional thinking is a positive development for all of SE Michigan.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-23-11, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by j to the jeremy

I think their recent transit-oriented development and complete streets in action combined with Hieftje's [[or however you spell it) regional thinking is a positive development for all of SE Michigan.

What TOD in Washtenaw County are you referring to? You're not calling the Fuller Road garage TOD are you?

**Parkguy** · June-23-11, 01:09 PM

I'm for the concept of a DARTA-like commission, which 443 establishes. In my quick reading it seems that SB 444 allows opt-out by communities, which is one of the big problems we have now in SMART. It allows cities, villages, etc. to set their own routes, total transit mileages, and costs, which makes me think they could say "zero." Am I stretching this?

**j to the jeremy** · June-23-11, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

What TOD in Washtenaw County are you referring to? You're not calling the Fuller Road garage TOD are you?

Apologies. I shouldn't have said TOD. I should have said good transportation planning. I meant that the downtown area of Ann Arbor is increasing its residential density, adding better transit wayfinding and bike lanes, and interconnecting the U of M and the AATA bus systems more openly. This new transit transfer station is now open: http://www.metro-magazine.com/images...Michigan-2.jpg

Mixed use developments with good streetwalls are going up all over in A2, when you compare it to Detroit.

**stasu1213** · June-23-11, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Its more like DARTA 2. I'm surprised that no one had started a thread yet it has been in the news for a week. I find it interesting that one of the proponents is a new Senator from Ann Arbor. Could it be that they are seeing themselves as less "Us" and more "We"?

Bloggers had probably given up hope on believing news about any new transit system being proposed for Michigan. I had given up. Darta is another fantasy to be burst by the reality of puppet politicians bought off to kill plans of any type of transit. Go figure

**Novine** · June-23-11, 11:18 PM

"I'm for the concept of a DARTA-like commission, which 443 establishes. In my quick reading it seems that SB 444 allows opt-out by communities, which is one of the big problems we have now in SMART."

444 applies to communities that have already established a transit authority. That wouldn't be opt-outs but places like Ann Arbor and the AATA. 443 doesn't appear to have an opt-out provision.

**wolverine** · June-23-11, 11:51 PM

Originally Posted by j to the jeremy

Apologies. I shouldn't have said TOD. I should have said good transportation planning. I meant that the downtown area of Ann Arbor is increasing its residential density, adding better transit wayfinding and bike lanes, and interconnecting the U of M and the AATA bus systems more openly. This new transit transfer station is now open: http://www.metro-magazine.com/images...Michigan-2.jpg

Mixed use developments with good streetwalls are going up all over in A2, when you compare it to Detroit.

Although the intercampus rail that may replace the over capacity bus system may bring new TOD

**Hypestyles** · June-24-11, 12:08 PM

found a site called reconnect america--

http://tinyurl.com/66q6c45

transit promotion & economic development website, interesting articles..

**Detroitnerd** · June-24-11, 12:56 PM

Sorry, I have no hope anymore. They're just going to build a big bus and never seriously invest in rail transit. Metro Detroiters must be the most flexible people in the world; because they're always kissing their ass goodbye.

**Tig3rzhark** · June-24-11, 05:17 PM

Most of the people who have left already, have awaken in the real world, to find out what the true Detroit looks like now. It's sad that the politicians are still in the Matrix, giving us the same "what were going to do" instead of taking action to form a regional authority.

It's going to take a clean slate of Michigan representatives and senators as well as county and local officials to get this done.