MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The Capital Area Transportation Authority, also know as CATA has been working on a Bus Rapid Transit system from the Greater Lansing Area since 2009. The BRT would run a rapid bus route from the State Capitol all the way to the Meridian Mall.

In mid-July CATA presented their plans for the BRT to Meridian Township and the Township Board voted to oppose the project in it's current state. CATA was then given until early October to resolve the current issues surrounding the project with the Township and the residents.

CATA couldn't comment on whether or not they'll reach a resolution, but they released a statement via email stating, "CATA's team of planning and transit professionals continues to research and analyze options for consideration, based on public input. We will stay the course and look forward to working collaboratively with the community on a viable BRT solution."

Business owner Jeff Neilson was one of many who were very vocal about their concerns regarding the BRT. As a business owner, the negative impact it would have to his and other neighboring businesses along the corridor where the BRT would run is what first initially raised his concerns. After doing some research, Neilson noticed an even bigger problem with the project. "It's 70 or 80 percent about safety. This is…These are going to create longer travel times for our first responders to get to not just the businesses, but the residents, the senior centers, the schools, along that corridor and that's not acceptable," Neilson explained.

Although safety seems to be the main concern for supporters and non-supporters alike, some are still optimistic the BRT is the right idea for the community.

"It will offer myself and other individuals in the community that reliable transportation and help fix some of the current infrastructure problems on that line while improving it for the future," said Kate Ball, a volunteer with Capital Area Transit Supporters.

No matter if you support the BRT or not, Capital Area Transit Supporters Co-Founder Laurel Burchfield said, "I hope that those opinions and those beliefs are being heard, and that we can actually get past some of these specific design details that are honestly still being worked through by CATA anyway, and we can start talking about BRT as a broader project. For the long term vision of our community."

Whether or not CATA will bring the BRT to the area depends on if they're granted the money they applied for from the Federal Transportation Authority. A decision on that isn't expected to be made until sometime next year.

The BRT Project is expected to be back in front of the Township Board in October.