Additional funds will likely go to improve the railroad track between Detroit and Ann Arbor, benefiting both current Amtrak trains and the Commuter Train planned to start next year, along with buying and refurbishing commuter train cars. There may be additional rail or transit funds that our region can complete for, but it is unlikely any will go to other new rapid transit. As you’ve probably heard, there is a strong emphasis on “shovel ready” projects that can be constructed in the next 18 months. 
While these funds are a vital major investment, it is one-time support and can’t be use to increase service or otherwise operate buses. Like most every bus agency in the country, both are still struggling to pay the operating costs in the face of decreasing property and gas tax revenue. It is still vitally important that Michigan increase our investment in transit by implementing the recommendations of the Transportation Funding Task Force.
Over $800 million will be spent in Michigan on roads, bridges and highways. Most of it will be repairing and maintaining our current road system, which drivers and bus riders know sorely needs it! Some of it may unfortunately go to widen roads, or as SEMCOG likes to call it, “congestion mitigation” or “capacity improvements.” Given that Michigan’s population is not growing and that we can’t afford to maintain the roads we already have, I don’t see the logic in that.
Research shows that investment in transit provides among the greatest number of jobs, both short and long term, of all possible federal investment areas. Hopefully our state and regional officials will heed this research and the President’s call for sustainable, green investments and focus on transit and not widening roads!
More about this at Michigan.gov/recovery and at Recovery.gov.