Two resident letters landed at the Board of Commissioners this summer, and both are getting filed at this meeting. Nobody’s saying what they’re about.
That’s not the interesting part, though. The interesting part is the three action items all touching the same thing: how people actually get to the bus.
🔦 The 3 items worth your attention
Bus stop upgrades for this year are up for a formal go-ahead. The committee’s being asked to advance a resolution on the 2026 Access to Transit bus stop improvement projects, which would push specific infrastructure work from planning into reality. We’re talking shelter, accessibility, pedestrian connection improvements at actual stops county residents use. If you’ve ever stood at a bare post in January waiting for a SMART bus, this is the item for you.
Next up, the committee is also setting the table for 2027. A separate resolution would establish the Access to Transit Program for next year, locking in which corridors and communities get bus stop investment in the next funding cycle. These two items together sketch out a two-year arc for how the county connects people to transit.
The third item involves actual money moving. Budget amendment 2026-1 would modify the county’s contract with SMART, the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, to fund increased transit services. No dollar figure is published in the agenda, but the mechanism is straightforward: more county dollars to SMART, more service for residents. The committee has to advance this before any expansion happens.
🏗️ Roads & property
- Novi is notifying the county of a proposed Master Plan amendment and its public review period. Transit staff will likely watch this closely since land-use changes in Novi can ripple into how service routes work there.
💰 Where the money’s going
- Budget amendment 2026-1: county contract with SMART for increased transit services. No specific dollar figure published in the agenda packet.
📌 Also notable
- Transit staff will deliver an implementation update on the Oakland County Community Transit Plan, the broader strategic document guiding where the system goes long-term.
- SMART’s quarterly performance report covering January through March 2026 is on the table for the committee to receive.
- Minutes from the June 11, 2026 meeting are up for sign-off.
Public comment is typically taken at the start of the meeting. Check oakland.gov or contact the Board of Commissioners office to confirm the format and call-in details for August 19.
The Oakland Docket is an independent summary, not affiliated with Oakland County government. Spot an error? Reply and we’ll correct it.
The Docket is reader-supported. $5/month keeps it going: https://buy.stripe.com/28E3cx0oQ5Ns1ZVa5xe7m00 . Free either way, always.