Funding Structures and Competing Priorities for Regional Transit in Metro Detroit.

摘要

The Detroit region provides less locally raised funding for transit than other urban areas of the U.S. and Canada, resulting in a transit system that is less effective. This is exacerbated by the fact that federal funds can be used for capital projects only if a local source of matching funds is available, so Detroit receives less federal money than would be considered its fair share (based on population, geographic area, or similar metrics). Past efforts to improve transit foundered for political and other reasons, but recent developments, such as M-1 Rail and the States enactment of laws creating a Regional Transit Authority (RTA), represent a positive trend. This study examines transit financing in four comparable metropolitan regions, compares them with practices and opportunities in the Metro Detroit region, and offers recommendations for the future.