Governor Snyder green lights rapid bus line

Gov. Rick Snyder has given the ceremonial green light to a rapid bus line in Grand Rapids.

As the state’s first Bus Rapid Transit line, its construction began last week. The $40 million Silver Line will include 33 stations and be ready for riders as soon as August 2014. It’s a project funded mostly by the federal government with some state dollars that is designed to travel as fast as a light rail system but at a fraction of the cost. Running along Division Avenue in West Michigan’s largest city, it will include prepaid fares, raised platforms, traffic-signal priority and semi-exclusive lanes during rush hour.

Will the Silver Line serve as a model for other transit projects and planning across the state?

Earlier this year, the federal government committed $25 million to build a light rail line through the heart of Detroit. The remaining cost of nearly $140 million for Woodward Avenue’s 3.3-mile streetcar line will be funded by a public-private partnership. It will include significant donations from companies whose workers commute from revitalized neighborhoods to downtown offices. Construct for the Detroit project could begin later this year, with service starting in fall 2015.

For more information on the Grand Rapids plan, click here.

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