[LMich]

Another move forward for comprehensive regional mass transit:

Metro transit authority plan expected by April

BY JOHN GALLAGHER • FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER • January 29, 2009

Metro Detroit transit czar John Hertel hopes to propose a regional transportation authority structure by April and win approval for it from regional leaders and state legislators soon after that.

Once approved, the regional transit authority would build and operate a transit system for metro Detroit.

But the authority's first job would be to sell tri-county voters on the need for a new transit tax to pay for the proposed 400-mile, $10.5-billion transit system.

"The sooner we can do this, the better," Hertel said Tuesday night at the annual meeting of the group Transportation Riders United.

TRU is a nonprofit citizens organization that advocates for creation of mass transit in metro Detroit.

State lawmakers recently passed legislation allowing the creation of a regional transit authority to create a new mass-transit system for metro Detroit. Now it's up to Hertel, the civic leader chosen by leaders in Detroit and Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, to propose a structure for the governing authority.

One natural way to create a regional authority is to pick one board member each for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties plus Detroit.

But Hertel said he was examining regional transit authorities from other cities to see if other models offered better ways.

Speaking of the need for a new tax to help pay for the plan, Hertel stressed the long-term economic benefits of a new transit system for the city.

"If you're going to have a mass transit that serves the three counties and Detroit that is a unified system and a modern system, yeah, you're going to have to have some way to raise local funds. There's no doubt about it," he said. "Mass transit is expensive, but it's a lot more expensive not to do it."

Asked for a prediction of whether Detroit would actually get a mass-transit system soon, Hertel said, "I now believe that the chances have passed 50-50, but I'm not telling you it's a sure thing."

Contact JOHN GALLAGHER at 313-222-5173 or gallagher@freepress.com.