The signatories to the letter crossed multiple industries, ranging from executives at PNC Bank, TCF Bank, Citizens Bank and Flagstar Bank to leaders of the Barton Malow and Walbridge Aldinger construction companies and sports entertainment executives like Detroit Lions President Rod Wood and Arn Tellem, vice chairman of the Detroit Pistons.

The letter was endorsed by the heads of law firms Bodman PLC, Butzel Long, Dickinson Wright PLLC, Dykema Gossett PLLC, Honigman LLP and Miller Canfield.

Michigan Chamber of Commerce CEO Rich Studley, Detroit Regional Chamber CEO Sandy Baruah and Downtown Detroit Partnership CEO Eric Larson also signed the letter.

The renewed effort to create a regional transit zone in the three counties seeks to fill holes in existing transit systems that have been created by suburban communities in Oakland and Wayne counties that have long opted out of the SMART bus system.

The group of influential business leaders said 92 percent of jobs in metro Detroit "are not accessible with a 60-minute transit trip" because of "infrequent service as well as opt-out areas" that include Novi, Livonia, Canton and other major employment centers.

The business leaders said Southeast Michigan spends $75 per capita on transit, lagging far behind the nation's 25 largest metropolitan areas that spend an average of $184 per capita for mass transportation services.

"We hear from businesses across the country that our lack of investment in basic transit services is holding this region back. Now is the time to act," the business leaders wrote. "We urge you to pass HB 5229 and empower the voters of Wayne, Oakland, and Washtenaw counties to determine whether they want to make this investment and the kind of future they want for their counties and our region."

HB 5229 has been sitting on the House floor since early December, when the bill cleared the Ways and Means Committee. Transit advocates have been pushing for passage this winter so a new three-county transit plan can be crafted this spring.

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans has said if the Legislature approves changes to the law, the three counties would have to craft a new regional transit service plan and the three county commissions would have to pass resolutions to place the plan on the ballot.

"This is not a transit plan," Evans said in November. "This is legislation that could get us to a transit plan."