Survey asks residents to help shape the transportation future for Southeast Michigan
Do you believe it's important to invest in maintaining and improving Michigan's roads and bridges? Would you support increased revenue for transportation projects?
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and the Detroit-based Metropolitan Affairs Coalition want to know your answers to those questions and more.
The two organizations are seeking citizen input through a new survey on maintaining and improving the transportation system — roads, bridges and transit — in Southeast Michigan.
SEMCOG and MAC say answers to the survey will help provide direction to state leaders as they tackle transportation legislation pending in the Legislature.
Respondents are asked to choose from a list of ways they'd like to see increased revenue generated, whether that's an increase in vehicle registration fees, an increase in the gas tax, a new fee based on vehicle miles traveled or an increase in the state's sales tax.
Respondents also are asked whether they think it's important to expand public transit in Southeast Michigan and whether a regional transit authority should be established.
"The region's and state's infrastructure needs are estimated to cost $2.8 billion per year over the next 20 years, with only $1.4 billion currently available from federal, state, and local sources (primarily gas taxes and vehicle registration fees)," the introduction to the survey reads. "There are many causes for this large gap, including the general economic downturn, fewer vehicle miles traveled, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and the fact that the gas tax has not been increased since 1997. In addition, we are the only large metropolitan area in the country without a coordinated transit system that serves the needs of the region."
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.
Comments
Roger Kuhlman
Fri, Mar 16, 2012 : 4:56 a.m.
Folks we have limited money for transportation so let's spend it on existing highways, bridges, and freight rail lines where there is an obvious need and a good return on investment for cost incurred. Mass transit is a noble idea in the abstract but population demographics make it very costly and ineffective in most places except where high population densities exist like in Detroit. Also we need to ask whether we want to and can afford to highly subsidize mass transportation forever. Ridership revenues for AATA do not come close to covering operating expenses for the bus system--Ann Arbor taxpayers pay 3 mills annually in property taxes that they now want to increase by another .5 mill. That is a rather high price taxpayers are paying just so a select few can benefit.
Roger Kuhlman
Fri, Mar 16, 2012 : 4:53 a.m.
Folks we have limited money for transportation so let's spend it on existing highways, bridges, and freight rail lines where there is an obvious need and a good return on investment for cost incurred. Mass transit is a noble idea in the abstract but population demographics make it very costly and ineffective in most places except where high population densities exist like in Detroit. Also we need to ask whether we want to and can afford to highly subsidize mass transportation forever. Ridership revenues for AATA do not come close to covering operating expenses for the bus system--Ann Arbor taxpayers pay 3 mills annually in property taxes that they now want to increase by another .5 mill. That is a rather high price taxpayers are paying just so a select few can benefit.
snapshot
Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 4:56 a.m.
Part of the implementation should entail independent inspections and performance evaluations with complete transparency to ensure proper work procedures and quality to ensure that what is happening with Detroit cannot ever happen. Termination of inept or unsuitable employees should not require years and buckets of money, if it happens at all.
Bob Cowen
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 6:33 p.m.
Regional Transit Authorities have turned out to be bad ideas elsewhere; a better alternative exists. It's easy to see a disastrous future if you search the Internet for RTA problems: huge cost overruns, long construction delays, broken promises about stops/stations, missed deadlines, service cut-backs of routes & hours, price increases, poor maintenance, overestimated ridership, underestimated operating costs, politicization and cronyism in-spite of the best intentions, due diligence, assurances and oversight. See what happened in Denver, Cleveland, Nashville, Sacramento, St. Louis, Chicago, Atlanta, Tampa, Portland, Los Angeles and elsewhere. Do your own research! Does anyone in Michigan really believe that a Regional Transit Authority can avoid these types of problems and properly serve the public and the taxpayers? A much better solution is to permit entrepreneurs to offer unrestricted transportation services (shuttle, van, taxi, jitney). Social media will very quickly spread the word about who is good and who is not. Low income & seniors can be given vouchers or a BRIDGE type of card. It's worked elsewhere and well worth a two year test. Put the brakes on a Regional Transit Authority before entwining three or four counties with their layers of politicians into an even bigger SMART type of mess. Tell Lansing and local government to unshackle the free market; you'll be surprised at how quickly two good things happen: much better service for customers and much lower cost for taxpayers! Bob Cowen Farmington Hills
Olan Owen Barnes
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 2:22 p.m.
With gas prices high - NO NEW taxation!
Wolf's Bane
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 1:53 p.m.
Link does not work: "Cannot locate survey."
Cash
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 12:42 p.m.
<a href="http://www.snapsurveys.com/swh/surveylogin.asp?k=132811024244" rel='nofollow'>http://www.snapsurveys.com/swh/surveylogin.asp?k=132811024244</a> Link for the survey ....
Steve Hendel
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 12:28 p.m.
Yet another survey by yet another governmental agency on transportation policies ? Do we gain anything from having everyone and their uncle involved in this? I have an idea; instead of all these public entities 'sticking a wet finger up in the air to we which way the wind is blowing,' how about our elected representatives actually debating and formulating policies ? Isn't that their job, the one we elected them to do? We need to stop fobbing off difficult and complex issues of public policy onto unelected, appointed bodies (AATA, SEMCOG, etc.) whose ACCOUNTABILITY for the results of the policies they formulate ranges from hazy to non-existent.
areader
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 12:23 p.m.
Wrong question! How would you pay for having a regional transit system? We know by now that fares alone won't support a system, so how would you provide the extra funds. For me NO more property taxes to support anything. The federal gas tax should have been raised to $1.00 a gallon years ago and the revenue used to fix our roads, bridges and help support mass transit.
a2grateful
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 11:53 a.m.
Fairness in transit funding is a regional issue, and that includes Detroit. Detroit has 68% of the region's bus ridership, and greatest need for improved mass transit. With the proposed regional transit authority (RTA), Ann Arbor receives 2 board seats of 10, as do Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. The governor appoints one seat. The remaining seat is for the City of Detroit. Fairness is an interesting concept in this scenario. Detroit has 68% of ridership, and receives only 1 RTA seat. Ann Arbor has 11% ridership and receives 2 seats. This is fair? Regardless, the RTA becomes the recipient for regional funds, from both the federal government and the state. These funds are currently received directly by AATA. It will be very interesting to see how all of this unfolds. Let the "fairness" tug of wars begin.
Vivienne Armentrout
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 2:45 a.m.
This story would have been improved with some links to other related stories, including the one in your publication today <a href="http://annarbor.com/news/how-the-funding-works-with-a-regional-transit-authority-for-southeast-michigan/">http://annarbor.com/news/how-the-funding-works-with-a-regional-transit-authority-for-southeast-michigan/</a> You have also had good coverage in the past of Rick Olson's analysis of regional transportation (including bridges, roads, etc.) and the Governor's proposals. They are relevant to this topic. I wonder how meaningful these open-ended surveys are when they do not provide specifics. (I haven't taken the survey, so perhaps I am misjudging.) A good summary of the regional transit proposals was here: <a href="http://annarborchronicle.com/2012/01/26/michigan-regional-transit-bills-unveiled/" rel='nofollow'>http://annarborchronicle.com/2012/01/26/michigan-regional-transit-bills-unveiled/</a> I found this survey to be interesting in the light of the series of posts I've been working on regarding the concept of fairness in transit funding. (They apply to our local region, not to the Detroit Metro system.) The latest is here: <a href="http://localannarbor.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/fairness-and-transit-iii/" rel='nofollow'>http://localannarbor.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/fairness-and-transit-iii/</a>
Mike
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 2:40 a.m.
Of course i want another government agancy which will probably replicate in some way five or six other government agencies. I also want all of the employees of this agency to get the very best in pay and benefits and to figure out what's best for all of us dolts out here in the real world.
lynel
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 2:15 a.m.
Great survey, I really was able to give them my input on transportation in this region.
Ricardo Queso
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 1:23 a.m.
A second article today for a transit authority. Please, can we have a third?
Mike
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 2:42 a.m.
You'll keep getting them until we get a transit authority; kind of like when your kids keep whining until they get what they want.
RUKiddingMe
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 12:13 a.m.
Since the link isn't working, I can only hope some of the questions are phrased a little more honestly than presented in this article. Like "We don't have any data supporting an increase in mass transit expenditures. However, how would you prefer we STILL take more of your money?" That's about the same in terms of an unbiased request for opinions/data. Other states/towns with less ridiculous waste should advertise at the bottom of these surveys.
DonBee
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 : 12:03 a.m.
The link in the article is not working.
talker
Tue, Mar 13, 2012 : 11:44 p.m.
We can provide local transportation, including conveying handicapped and elderly people in smaller vehicles than buses without being supporting regional mass transit. At this time, Ann Arbor barely has enough money to provide adequate firefighting services and police services. Unfortunately, we can't afford to spend money outside the city until we can afford to pay for basic safety and transportation needs within the city (including bus service to Ypsilanti, which is important) . The statistics from a2grateful are helpful and I recommend reading and re-reading them.
a2grateful
Tue, Mar 13, 2012 : 10:16 p.m.
As you think about regional mass transit, please consider the following: Although AATA and Ann Arbor believe they are the center of the mass transit universe, AATA is 11% of regional bus ridership. SMART has 21% of the region's bus ridership. DDOT has 68% of the region's bus ridership. It is logical that distributed funds go towards greatest need and use. DDOT is clearly the worthy candidate, serving most mass. We are talking mass transit, aren't we? And Ann Arbor, not counting UM students, has a full-time population of about 70,000. Numbers are from the State of MI, 2010.
snapshot
Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 4:50 a.m.
We all know how DDOT is working out.
justcurious
Tue, Mar 13, 2012 : 10:13 p.m.
"Do you believe it's important to invest in maintaining and improving Michigan's roads and bridges? Would you support increased revenue for transportation projects?" I have invested in this for years to no avail. The infrastructure just keeps getting neglected. I am tired of throwing good money after bad. Back to basics.