Senator Camilleri asked and was granted unanimous consent to make a statement and moved that the statement be printed in the Journal.
The motion prevailed.
Senator Camilleri’s statement is as follows:
Today I rise in support of my bills—Senate Bill Nos. 124 and 125—which, taken together, would create a statewide grade separation program to build bridges and underpasses at busy rail crossings and outline priority parameters for selection of projects to receive matching grants. These bills were originally inspired by a successful program in Indiana which has helped make so many grade separation projects a reality and as they put it, “catalyze economic development, create jobs, and strengthen local transportation networks.”
The fact that these bills are before us on the Senate floor today is the result of years of work by so many people. It’s something I immediately set to work on fixing when I was first elected to the State Legislature and in the time since, we’ve made progress through the appropriations process. If you haven’t heard me talk about trains, then we’ve probably never had a conversation. I’ve met two presidential candidates in my life and the first thing I talked to each of them about was our train problem. But today, I want to give you examples of why this is a critical problem and why we need to fix it with bold action. I’m thinking today of the people who will always wonder whether a 25-minute delay at a train crossing in an ambulance was the reason their loved one didn’t make it. I’m thinking today of the family in Huron Township whose house burned down as emergency crews watched from the other side of the tracks unable to do anything. I’m thinking today of the man in Woodhaven who reported he waited over two hours at a blocked crossing. And even across the country, a recent news story revealed kids in one small town were crawling under stopped trains each day in order to get to school.
These stories are all too real and there are countless others like them because these delays due to blocked rail crossings are happening every single day. Across the Downriver region I represent, they’re an unfortunate reality for drivers everywhere and they’re not only inconveniencing drivers, they’re endangering lives. Beyond that, they’re also preventing economic development. We’ve heard so many times about businesses choosing to locate elsewhere because they don’t want to deal with these logistical nightmares. The legislation before us today would help solve some of Michigan’s most critical transportation issues by breaking down barriers to build under- and overpasses at our most problematic train crossings across Michigan. Today we have the opportunity to provide permanent solutions to these public safety, logistical, and economic development challenges.
Now is the time to take these bills across the finish line and help improve public safety, bring new jobs to our state, and solve headaches for thousands of Michiganders each and every day. I urge a “yes” vote on both of these bills. Let’s solve this problem together, once and for all.
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 125, entitled
A bill to amend 1951 PA 51, entitled “An act to provide for the classification of all public roads, streets, and highways in this state, and for the revision of that classification and for additions to and deletions from each classification; to set up and establish the Michigan transportation fund; to provide for the deposits in the Michigan transportation fund of specific taxes on motor vehicles and motor vehicle fuels; to provide for the allocation of funds from the Michigan transportation fund and the use and administration of the fund for transportation purposes; to promote safe and efficient travel for motor vehicle drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, and other legal users of roads, streets, and highways; to set up and establish the truck safety fund; to provide for the allocation of funds from the truck safety fund and administration of the fund for truck safety purposes; to set up and establish the Michigan truck safety commission; to establish certain standards for road contracts for certain businesses; to provide for the continuing review of transportation needs within the state; to authorize the state transportation commission, counties, cities, and villages to borrow money, issue bonds, and make pledges of funds for transportation purposes; to authorize counties to advance funds for the payment of deficiencies necessary for the payment of bonds issued under this act; to provide for the limitations, payment, retirement, and security of the bonds and pledges; to provide for appropriations and tax levies by counties and townships for county roads; to authorize contributions by townships for county roads; to provide for the establishment and administration of the state trunk line fund, local bridge fund, comprehensive transportation fund, and certain other funds; to provide for the deposits in the state trunk line fund, critical bridge fund, comprehensive transportation fund, and certain other funds of money raised by specific taxes and fees; to provide for definitions of public transportation functions and criteria; to define the purposes for which Michigan transportation funds may be allocated; to provide for Michigan transportation fund grants; to provide for review and approval of transportation programs; to provide for submission of annual legislative requests and reports; to provide for the establishment and functions of certain advisory entities; to provide for conditions for grants; to provide for the issuance of bonds and notes for transportation purposes; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state and local agencies and officials; to provide for the making of loans for transportation purposes by the state transportation department and for the receipt and repayment by local units and agencies of those loans from certain specified sources; to investigate and study the tolling of roads, streets, highways, or bridges; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,” (MCL 247.651 to 247.675) by adding section 11i.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows: