One of the core jobs of the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan is to develop a Regional Transit Plan and update it annually. Well they developed one in 2016 that their full board of directors adopted but haven’t adopted a new one since. And a lot has changed since 2016.
So they’ve proposed a new plan. Unlike previous plans that focused on what transit lines would be built where and by when, this one focused on key goals and the strategies and action steps needed to achieve them. It can be summarized in five words: Expand, enhance, innovate, finance, and partner!
RTA has proposed a new Regional Transit Plan
After reviewing previous plans, updated transit data, and input from more than 4,000 people around southeast Michigan, RTA has proposed a new regional transit plan, which they’re calling ADVANCE 2021.
The Plan begins by detailing the transit services that exist now – and in greater detail than previous plans. In addition to noting the 5 major public transit providers, it also notes the other 100+ community, nonprofit, and institutional services provided throughout the region. And new this year, SMART and AAATA have launched Flex services in certain communities.
The Plan then explains recent achievements, why transit matters, travel trends, the changing transit landscape, their public engagement process, and public feedback received.
Different transit for different parts of the region
RTA clearly understands that southeast Michigan is a very diverse place and there is no single transit solution that will serve the full region. To better delineate what transit is needed where, this Plan divides the region into different “markets,” depending on density, car-ownership, street grid, and other factors.
The Plan explains these markets and service models in a lot greater detail, and notes that these are general guidelines, not limitations or commitments.
Clear, strong goals
As opposed to being centered around a map of what transit lines will be expanded in what places by what dates, this new regional transit plan focuses on Goals for how SE Michigan can provide the public transit our region needs. TRU strongly supports these goals:
- Expand Transit to New Places – connect more people to more destinations
- Enhance Existing Services – upgrade frequency, reliability, safety, and comfort
- Develop Innovative and Adaptable Solutions – Innovate to improve transit and increase flexibility
- Secure Long-term Dedicated Transit Revenue – Raise additional revenue to sustain and expand mobility services
- Build Sustainable Partnerships – Support existing transit providers and coordinate with other agencies and nonprofits
These goals enable the RTA to not only stay focused on what matters, but to be able to communicate what they’re trying to achieve – literally simplifying it down to five words: Expand, enhance, innovate, finance, and partner!
Strategies for Achieving those Goals
The ADVANCE 2021 regional transit plan then expands on each goal with a series of strategies and action steps towards achieving them – 22 strategies in total.
The first and arguably most important strategy is to expand transit to underserved destinations. As TRU has long been saying, areas like Novi, Livonia, Canton, and Rochester Hills have failed to provide public transit services to their residents and businesses, leaving thousands without options for getting around. The key action steps aren’t too complicated: develop a prioritized list of areas that need transit and develop the funding to implement them. (Not complicated, but also not easy!)
Another critical strategy is to develop a frequent bus network – operating every 15-minutes or better. That level of frequency enables riders to just grab transit when they need it, as opposed to having to plan all their daily activities around the bus schedule.
This Plan divides action steps into short-, medium-, and long-term steps.
- Short-term action steps are largely things that can be done now with existing or available resources. They will require time, efforts, planning, and coordination, but are mostly not limited by funding.
- Medium-term actions mostly require new funding, but that may be available through the American Rescue Plan or other state or federal grants.
- Long-term steps generally require a new dedicated source of regional transit funding like a new property tax millage. That’s why Goal 4 is Finance.
The region cannot make major progress without more funding.
As TRU has been explaining for years, the metro Detroit region spends 1/3 of what most major metro regions spend per capita on transit, including less than half as much as even Cleveland, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh.
On the question of funding, chapter 5 of this Plan explains:
ADVANCE 2021 was developed without a defined budget in order to set a strategic agenda for the future of transit…. Many of the strategies will require a substantial investment. New sources of revenue will be needed to purchase new vehicles … and sustain new services. Realizing RTA’s vision will require regional consensus on how to fund public transit….
RTA is authorized to raise funding through a property tax millage and through a motor vehicle registration tax. RTA does not currently raise revenue through either of these taxes, and to do so, would need a majority of voters to approve a ballot initiative. In 2016, a ballot proposal to raise funding … did not pass by a narrow margin.
Public transit is funded differently in regions across the United States…. RTA is not currently authorized to generate revenue thought [other] mechanisms, and some, like a local sales tax, would require changes to Michigan’s constitution.A successful future ballot initiative will require an expenditure plan, which would include specific projects based on the strategies outlined in ADVANCE 2021…. It would also determine the best approaches for raising funds to implement and sustain projects, policies, and services, and would layout a process for doing so.
ADVANCE 2021 draft plan
The statement “Realizing the RTA’s vision will require regional consensus on how to fund public transit” stops before saying that no regional consensus exists. Macomb County remains a major obstacle to regional transit funding, because the RTA must have all four counties agree to put a measure on the ballot. Unfortunately at this point, there is no clear path for path our region to get the levels of funding needed.
What’s next?
The RTA is welcoming public input on this proposed regional transit plan through Oct 28, then will make necessary changes before presenting it to their board for a vote in November. If adopted, that’s not the end – in many ways that will be the beginning. Once these goals and strategies are adopted, the RTA leadership will need to figure out how to work towards implementing them, including when and how to seek new funding.
Before the RTA gets ready to go to the ballot, they will use these priorities to develop a funding plan of what should be built where when and how much funding they’ll need to do so. So stay tuned.