House committee advances multi‑bill transportation package; transit advocates press for larger share

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on March 11 advanced a multi‑bill transportation package that includes measures reported for further action, while transit advocates warned the package does not restore historical funding for non‑road transportation such as buses, senior rides and intercity services.

Committee members voted to adopt substitutes and report a group of bills, described in testimony as part of a broader funding package for roads and local infrastructure. Witnesses from the Michigan Municipal League, the County Road Association, the Michigan Association of Counties, engineering and labor groups supported the effort, calling it a step toward long‑term road funding. The package was described in testimony as roughly a $3.0–$3.3 billion proposal to increase local road resources.

Public transit organizations — including Transportation Riders United, the Michigan Public Transit Association and the Amalgamated Transit Union — urged lawmakers to allocate a larger and protected share of transportation dollars to non‑road services. Megan Owens, director of Transportation Riders United, said…