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ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WJBK) - Could a citywide bus system be coming to Royal Oak?
"The lack of public transportation around here is ridiculous," said one resident.
Royal Oak Transit Task Force Marie Donigan says folks in Royal Oak could be asked to vote on the idea this November.
"We think it's a plan it's really quite good," she said. "That people from all over the city could use to get to downtown, to the zoo, to school if they wanted too."
Donigan says under the plan, the city would work with the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation or SMART, buying 14 buses for the service.
"It really builds on what we have with the SMART bus system," she said.
Donigan says the additional buses and routes would expand service to nights and weekends.
"We'd like people to be able to take the fast bus up Woodward and find a way to be connected to all the great assets we have in Royal Oak," she said.
The hope is that with expansion to provide service for seniors and folks with disabilities along with those who work and go out in Royal Oak.
Donigan says in a public survey last March of about 1,200 living in the city, over 60-percent of people said they'd take advantage of the bus system if it were frequent and if it covered the entire city.
But some do not want to pay higher taxes as Donigan says the majority of the plans funding would come from taxpayers - a 1.25-mill property tax for five years.
"I don't see why I have to pay twice if they are going to get the bus system up and running and make me pay something year round it would be cool," said resident Rob Day. "If they are going to make me pay a fee to get on the bus and make me pay to keep it up, I am not really for it."
Donigan says there are a lot of details that need to be worked out such as fares, routes, and where to put bus stops. If approved more buses could be on the road in Royal Oak by July of next year.
Donigan says Monday night the transit task force will be presenting its plan to the city, that meeting starts at 7:30.