Mass Transit
for Novi?

July 24, 2006

For the past 5 years, as a board member of the Woodward Avenue Action Association, I have participated in many discussions regarding mass transit. Woodward Avenue has been identified as a primary corridor and the WA3, made up of the elected officials along the corridor and businesses, has been a hotbed of debate and a lukewarm supporter of the concept.

This past weekend, the Oakland Press ran several excellent articles regarding mass transit and for the first time I saw mention of the potential of mass transit along the Grand River Corridor between Detroit and the Western Suburbs (which I am assuming includes Novi). I am prompted to provide some information to begin the conversation.

My friend Tom Barwin, the former City Manager of Ferndale, a passionate advocate for mass transit, was often a very lonely voice in the crowd. Tom felt that mass transit has huge political implications. Barwin said his vision is straightforward: "Simply making communities as good as they used to be, like they were when our towns were filled with people and choices and vibrancy." Such a philosophy is often associated with a movement known as New Urbanism, which emphasizes reviving older cities, creating pedestrian-friendly streets and building mass transit as opposed to relying on bigger freeways, more cars and creating new communities on the metropolitan fringe.

There are several reasons mass transit has had difficulty catching on in Metro Detroit. First, and the most obvious, is that the automobile and commuting are a major part of our culture. Second, mass transit is enormously expensive. Estimates to build a comprehensive mass transit system in Metro Detroit range from $25 to $100 billion dollars. This on top of an estimated $22 billion to improve our state and federal roads.

Finally, a historic unwillingness to cooperate between city and suburban leaders has long been a real impediment. Racism and suburban flight have played a role – with mostly white suburbs not wanting mass transit coming their way. The race issue is big, Barwin says. “There’s no doubt about it, we have to work through it”.

Barwin argues that Michigan taxpayers, like those across the nation, already help pay for transit systems elsewhere in the country that receive federal funds, and he has proposed an amendment to the state constitution that would allow any transportation authority in Michigan to impose matching half-cent sales taxes -- one for roads, one for mass-transit. "Our money is going to Salt Lake City," Barwin said during an interview recently, shaking his head, amazed that even such a low-density community dominated by conservative Republicans had decided to build a rail system, while metro Detroit continues to dither.

Information from the Michigan Suburban Alliance states that four out of five Americans believe that increased investment in public transportation results in a stronger economy, job creation, a reduction of traffic congestion and air pollution, and energy conservation, according to a recent poll. Reston, Va.-based Wirthlin Worldwide conducted the survey, which was commissioned by the Washington, D.C.-based American Public Transportation Association. Nearly 75 percent of the respondents support funding the expansion of public transportation, and 64 percent said they are more likely to support a congressional candidate who favors improving public transportation options.

Two state senators have introduced a resolution to allow Michigan voters to consider a one-half-cent sales tax to fund a transit system and another one-half cent for road improvements. The joint resolution, is twofold: 1) It asks voters whether they want to amend the state Constitution to consider a transit and road improvement tax; 2) Then, it gives voters the local option of approving a one-half-cent sales tax to fund capital investment construction and operating costs of a rapid transit system and a one-half-cent sales tax to fund road improvements within the transit authority site. Because it's a joint resolution, the proposal has to pass both the House and Senate with a two-thirds majority to get on the ballot.

Mass transit that includes Novi? According to Heather Carmona, Executive Director of the WA3, “In order to move people to and from businesses and to encourage Economic Development, mass transit must be an important part of that”.

Can our city and our region avoid mass transit much longer?

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In the tradition of Ben Franklin, the Novi Post provides informed political commentary on current events in Novi, Oakland County and all of Michigan.