Public Transportation is About Development

Deputy Secretary of Transportation John D. Porcari visited Grand Rapids, Michigan and made two key stops. His first stop was a visit to American Seating where he held a press conference.

May. 15, 2011 Detroit Free Press - Editorial View story Regional cooperation on transit and other issues is one reason Grand Rapids continues to leave southeast Michigan behind. All in all, Michigan's second largest city is faring better than other urban areas, with far lower rates of poverty and population loss and a thriving downtown. Grand Rapids and its core subu...

New bus operations center in Grand Rapids to use wind turbines to generate energy By Kyla King | The Grand Rapids Press The Rapid mass transit bus system is set to unleash the power of the wind. The Grand Rapids agency plans to buy six roof-top wind turbines to help power its expanded operations center and bus garage, which is currently under construction on Wealthy...

Passing the Complete Streets legislation before the house would be a significant step in the right direction." Let's Save Michigan is a campaign with the main goal of inspiring Michiganders to take ownership of their future and get involved. They also strongly support the passing of the Complete Streets bills, HB 6151 and HB 6152, introduced in the Michigan House on May...

APHA has released "The Hidden Health Costs of Transportation," a new publication that addresses how our nation's current transportation system contributes to today's soaring health costs and impedes progress toward improving public health. The report points out that transportation policies can also have a transformative effect. Increasing sustainable transportation option...

A mass transit task force envisions streetcars transporting passengers around downtown Grand Rapids and busses carrying commuters to Rockford and other outlying areas. Looking ahead at the mass transit needs of metropolitan Grand Rapids, those are some of the ideas under discussion. "We are talking about a 2030 plan so we are talking about over 20 years," says RAPID Chie...

Hundreds of skilled trades workers, road industry groups and local government officials gathered at the Capitol this morning to rally the Legislature to overhaul transportation funding in Michigan as the state faces a huge drop in funding starting in 2011. The groups, which presented 5,000 signatures to state House Speaker Pam Byrnes, D-Lyndon Township, are advocating for...

Members of the Mobile Metro 2030 Task Force have been working hard at consolidating thoughts, prioritizing projects and drafting recommendations as they envision what The Rapid and mass transit in the greater Grand Rapids area needs to be in 2030. Members of the TMP Task Force share their thoughts on the future of mass transit in West Michigan. In this video are: Jenni...

Rachel Hood, Bill Kirk, Andrea Faber, and Kendra Wills, speak about public transportation's role in helping to protect West Michigan's land, air and water. They touch on the general benefits of transit in dense urban centers, managing land use and development, and it's work in reduction of ozone buildup. "West Michigan Environmental Action Council is about sustaining ou...

Transportation For America released survey results last week indicating 59% of Americans would choose to reduce road congestion by adding more transportation options to the mix. Four out of five voters support the idea of an expanded U.S. transportation system. The kind of system that allows people to use their cars if they want to, but also allows easier use of other...