During the session, Making the Suburban Case for Regional Transit, The Kresge Foundation brought together three regional leaders to discuss the value of regional transit in suburban areas. Panelists included LeRoy Burcroff, mayor of Romulus; Andy Meisner, treasurer of Oakland County; and Barbara Rossmann, president and CEO of Henry Ford Macomb Hospitals.

All three regional leaders agreed that suburbanites understand that transit is important, but perhaps they don’t fully understand the depth of who benefits from access to a reliable mobility system. Panelists said communities also disagree on what a cohesive transit plan should look like. For the region to move forward and remain competitive economically, panelists argued that a cohesive transit plan must be brought to the ballot for voters to decide.