FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, December 9, 2009

CONTACT: Cullen Schwarz
Office: (202) 225-5802

CONGRESS SET TO VOTE ON $1.3 MILLION FOR TRANSIT CENTER

Funding for Troy/Birmingham Transit Center Included in Final Transportation Budget Bill Expected to be Voted on This Week

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gary Peters announced today that Congress will soon vote on $1.3 million for the Troy/Birmingham Multi-modal Transit Center. The conference report of this year’s Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill, the final version of the bill providing funds for the 2010 U.S. transportation budget, includes the funding and will be considered in the House as early as this week with a Senate vote to follow. 

Congressman Peters was able to secure $1.3 million for the Transit Center in the original House transportation budget passed earlier this year.  However, it was unclear what amount, if any, would be included in the final budget which reconciled the differences between the budgets passed in the House and Senate.  Congressman Peters fought hard to include funding for the Transit Center in the final budget.

“This is great news for Oakland County and the region,” said Congressman Peters.  “This is a very important project that will create local jobs, spur business growth and provide more transportation options for people in our communities.  These are precisely the sort of targeted investments we need to strengthen Oakland County’s economy.  Local residents have been pushing for more public transportation for years, and this transportation hub will be a cornerstone of a larger regional public transit plan.”

The Troy/Birmingham Multi-modal Transit Center will serve as a hub for regional public transportation, using existing Amtrak rail infrastructure along the Wolverine Corridor while providing a transfer point to SMART bus services, taxi and sedan connections consistent with the Detroit Regional Mass Transit Plan.  It will also create more transportation opportunities for patrons of the Oakland/Troy Airport.  Local and state level officials from both parties support the Center.  Troy and Birmingham City officials have been working toward the creation of the Transit Center for years, as have local Chambers of Commerce and other local business leaders. 

“Many people have and will continue to fight to put us in position to break ground on the Transit Center next year,” Rep. Peters said.  “I greatly appreciate the work of Senators Levin and Stabenow for their efforts to help secure this funding.  Troy and Birmingham city and business leaders have been working hard to secure supplemental funding for the Transit Center and I am proud we were able to successfully support their efforts.  We will continue working together until the Troy/Birmingham Transit Center is a reality.”

Committed leaders continue to fight for remaining funding needed to begin construction of the Transit Center in 2010.  For his part, Congressman Peters is also working to help secure American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for the Center.

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