Letter to the Honorable Rick Snyder, Governor of the State of Michigan - Federal Funding for the Troy Transit Center

Letter

Dear Governor Snyder,

As you know, the Troy City Council recently voted to reject federal funds for the Troy Intermodal Transit Center, effectively cancelling a project which community and business leaders had been working on for more than a decade.

I know you have worked toward the creation of a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to connect communities across metro Detroit, a plan which has been supported by Mayor Bing and other regional leaders. I hope you will work with me to access the most sensible BRT routes in light of Troy's decision. For example, Pontiac has recently completed a new transit center to service Amtrak's high speed rail line along the Wolverine Corridor. This center will also provide an ideal access point to a regional transit system, and a BRT route that includes Pontiac could service the campuses of Oakland University and the new Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, as well as Oakland Community College-Auburn Hills, and Chrysler World Headquarters. However, Pontiac is not currently part of the proposed BRT plan despite being at the intersection of two of the main planned transit arteries, Woodward Avenue and M-59.

It is my understanding that the approximately $8.4 million in federal funding that Troy has rejected will be reallocated by the Department of Transportation (DOT). While this is a disappointing development, there are still many cities in southeast Michigan that support and believe in regional transit. Royal Oak is an enthusiastic partner in the goal to provide regional transit, and I believe a new transit center in Royal Oak's vibrant downtown would be an ideal access point to the BRT or Woodward Avenue Light Rail.

Again, thank you for your consideration of this issue. I look forward to continuing to work with you to bring increased economic development and mobility options to communities in our state.

Sincerely,

Gary C. Peters
Member of Congress

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