I missed the presentation by Dr. Joe Grengs, a professor of transportation planning at the University of Michigan. When I got there another person was talking. Shortly after Joel Batterman of the Suburbs Alliance broke everyone into table groups. There seemed to be a piece of paper that outlined what we should be discussing, concerning the widening of I-94 and/or taking a look at public transit.
One woman that was speaking did mention that it was possible to take another look at the proposal but that it would be difficult.
Robert Prud’Homme (TRU’s VP) gave a speech about how roads that get expanded fill up and then Joe Grengs proceeded to explain about the variety of reasons for this.
The breakdown for the cost amounts to 12% for Detroit which is 70 million dollars and that amount is unlikely to be contributed. I never did get a sense of where the federal and state dollars will be coming from but from past reading I get the idea that it will be difficult. In the meantime I-94 has to conform to plan that is laid out. Right now there was 30 million the state had and I assume it is going into the exit ramps at Grand Blvd. and Van Dyke. Maybe MDOT did cover Detroit’s 3 1/2 million this time but 70 million?
I will discuss my feelings about table groups later…
You might want to see Gus Burns article http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2013/05/live_transportation_leaders_pr.html
zBlog a perspective 