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Public Transportation Program

 

Transit investments are a vital part of the state’s overall economic development strategy. More than 100 million trips are made annually on local public transit in Michigan, stimulating economic productivity and growth throughout the state.

Local Transit

The following table displays the economic benefit of the planned $1.74 billion investment for passenger transit program in the FY 2023–2027 5YTP. The program will support an annual average of 5,427 jobs, which includes both new jobs supported by greater economic competitiveness as well as jobs retained that otherwise would be lost without this transportation investment. In addition, $2.75 billion in gross state product and $2.12 billion in personal income benefits are added during this five-year period.

 

FY 2023–2027 5YTP Investment for Passenger Transit Program

 Chart showing the economic benefit of the planned $1.74 billion investment for passenger transit program in the FY 2023–2027 5YTP.

Table showing the economic benefit of the planned $1.74 billion investment for passenger transit program in the FY 2023–2027 5YTP.

Rail

Michigan’s rail system has approximately 3,600 miles of track operated by 30 railroads and carries nearly 17 percent of the state’s freight, with a value of more than $166 billion in 2021. Rail is the most efficient means of surface transportation to move freight, emitting up to 75 percent less greenhouse gases than trucks, and is important for the movement of heavy and bulky commodities and hazardous materials. As funding permits, MDOT works with Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC), as well as the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, to support businesses that need rail, primarily through preservation of state-owned freight-rail corridors, and improving access to the system through the Freight Economic Development Program.

Aviation

Businesses throughout the state, particularly in rural communities and the Upper Peninsula, depend on aviation for the movement of goods and personnel, and Michigan's airports support a variety of activities that employ thousands of people and create millions of dollars in economic impact and benefits, including direct and indirect jobs, wages, and expenditures. In addition, these benefits support economic activities and growth far from the airport itself as a vital part of supply chain logistics, tourism, and trade.