Amid the bevy of proposals that legislators in Lansing have to ponder in this session, one that has been receiving much positive attention is the proposed light rail system along Woodward Ave in Detroit.
Supporters of this proposal are touting the great effects this can have for the city- linking the two main entertainment areas to encourage more tourism. They believe that this can finally get suburban residents to want to go downtown for more than just the Tigers/Wings/Lions/Gambling. Also, it would spur private investment in city beautification: while that part of the city is not the most blight-stricken, the money gained from the corporate sponsorship of the stations would create a more tourist-friendly environment.
I fully support this proposal. The People Mover has proven to be a colossal failure, and something like this line has much more potential. When focusing on improving tourism, linking downtown to the theaters would encourage people to make a night of it in Detroit, rather than simply go for the event and leave.
The question that sits at the forefront of my mind is this: how will the system prove to be profitable to the taxpayers? In this proposal, there would be a co-mingling of public and private funds to offset some of the burden on the taxpayer initially, but what about in the future? At the same time, given the harsh seasons here, would such a line be able to gain steady ridership, and thus steady revenue? How much would a ride need to cost to just maintain the system? How much of that cost can the ticket prices support without adversely affecting ridership?
On the whole, public transit systems are rarely profitable, needing government infusions of funds in order to subsidize ticket prices to attract riders. These funds are usually gained from taxes on gasoline, or levied on all residents in the forms of mills. In Detroit, we not only see decreasing gasoline prices, but also rapidly plummeting property values. This means that there is an ever-decreasing local tax base to help subsidize this line, possibly necessitating county, state, or federal funds to keep the line afloat in the long run. I could foresee such outlays bear the brunt of Republican spending cuts, damaging the city and public transportation in general.
Again, I support this program. It is a first step to start to get Michigan on the right path towards public transportation, though we still have a long way to go. Ensuring the long-term viability of this line is of the utmost importance, requiring strict oversight from Lansing and local leaders working in cooperation to create a plan for the future rather than just a 'feel good' outlay.
-Tom Choske
