Curtis Johnson, a Twin Cities-based author and analyst specializing in urban issues, sees the tremendous up side of the new regional transit authority, which will in the news Friday with a visit from U.S. Transportatuin Ray LaHood, who is expected to come bearing funds for the M-1 railway up Woodward Avenue.
On Dec. 19, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law the new Regional Transit Authority (RTA). Over a whole generation of attempts – 24 in all – various coalitions had tried to put together something regional for transit – a system taken for granted in virtually all other major metros of America. Such a measure even passed once, in 2002, but Republican Gov. John Engler vetoed it, almost literally on his way out of office.
The most immediate impact of the new RTA is quite different – how quickly it pried open the previously closed door for federal participation in the construction of the first segment of a light-rail/streetcar system.
LaHood, in pondering an initial federal contribution of $25 million, had been impressed by local investors and philanthropies ponying up the entire local share so that no state or city money would be required. He was further encouraged, seeing that these investors promised to turn over $50 million to cover the first decade’s operating costs. But turn over to whom, the secretary asked? His warning: get your organizational act together or no federal money.
