FTA releases $32M for Mich. bus rapid transit

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will provide $32 million for the city of Grand Rapids, Mich. to build the Silver Line bus rapid transit (BRT) system, which will offer faster and more convenient access to major downtown employers along the city’s busy commercial corridor.

The new Silver Line will be operated by Interurban Transit Partnership, known as The Rapid. The 9.6-mile route will serve major employers, including St. Mary’s Medical campus, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, and the Cook-DeVos School of Nursing, which together employ about 29,000 area residents.

Compared to non-BRT service, the new Silver Line will be faster because it eliminates the need for a transfer between stops and uses dedicated bus lanes for much of the route.

The funds provided by the FTA include $19 million through its Capital Investment (Small Starts) Program and $13 million through its Bus and Bus Facilities grant program. The remaining cost is covered by state funding.