After Tea Party Mayor Daniels and allies on City Council reject funding, Peters works to prevent money from leaving Michigan.

TROY, MI - One day after Troy Mayor Janice Daniels and her Tea Party allies on City Council rejected $8.4 million in federal funding for the Troy transit center, Rep. Gary Peters wrote letters to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Governor Rick Snyder urging them to work to keep these funds in the Greater Detroit area.

“For Mayor Daniels and Tea Party leaders in Troy to reject federal funding for a Troy transit center is short sighted and will deny economic development opportunities for small business owners in Troy,” said Rep. Gary Peters. “But since they've made this decision and communities like Royal Oak and Pontiac are serious about mass transit, I'm focused on working with Transportation Secretary LaHood and Governor Snyder to keep these job creating funds in the Greater Detroit area.”

Below is the text of Rep. Peters’ letters. You can also click here to view signed copies of the letters to Secretary LaHood and Governor Snyder:

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December 20, 2011

The Honorable Ray LaHood
Secretary
United States Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC  20590

Dear Secretary LaHood,

I write to you to share disappointing news regarding the Troy Intermodal Transit Center.  This project was to be located in Troy, Michigan and received more than $8 million in federal funding, mostly through the High Speed Rail program.  The Department of Transportation has been a critical partner in providing the resources for this project to succeed, and I thank you for your leadership and assistance in this area.  The transit center would have provided access to new high speed Amtrak rail along the Wolverine Corridor, as well as transfer points to SMART bus services, taxi and sedan connections, and connectivity options for patrons of the Oakland/Troy Airport.

Unfortunately, the newly elected leadership in Troy has decided to turn away from this important source of economic development and has rejected federal funds secured last year.  While I am deeply disappointed by the City Council’s decision, I know that there are many cities in southeast Michigan that support regional transit and want to see it succeed.  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.  We look forward to working with you and the Federal Railroad Administration to put forward other projects in region for consideration of eligible funding. 

Thank you for your consideration and for your continued support of high speed and intercity passenger rail and transit development in Michigan.

Sincerely,

Gary C. Peters
Member of Congress

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December 20, 2011

The Honorable Rick Snyder
Governor
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909

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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