What’s next now that voters Tuesday approved a transit millage property tax increase for The Rapid bus system by 136 votes?

Rapid leaders say they will set about ordering 17 buses and hiring 51 new drivers to implement service improvements and for the high-speed Silver Line rapid bus route to be built on Division Avenue.

”We have a lot to do, which is why we do not plan to start collecting all the millage (levy) right away,” said Rapid Executive Director Peter Varga.

The improvements will be made gradually over five years with the full millage levy eventually raising $15.6 million a year. One-third of the millage increase will go toward operating the Silver Line.

The millage passed after yes voters in Grand Rapids and East Grand Rapid overpowered a majority of negative votes from Kentwood, Wyoming, Grandville and Walker.

The results were a dramatic reversal of a 2009 transit millage vote where no votes cast in Walker, Wyoming, Grandville and Kentwood overpowered yes votes cast in Grand Rapids and East Grand Rapids.

For much of Tuesday night, elections results were a nail-biter for supporters and opponents who watched the margin get tighter as precinct reports came in.

Raw data shows 17,284 of 34,432 total voters said yes. That compared to 17,148 who said no.

When the final tally was in, supporters gathered at Brann's restaurant on Leonard Street in Grand Rapids broke out in wild celebration."We kept telling people every vote counts and now maybe they'll believe us," Dave Doyle said, above the cheers and chants.

Doyle, who co-chaired the Friends of Transit group with Dave Bulkowski, said the group's get-out-the-vote effort was more intense than ever before.

The results were disappointing for leaders of an opposition group - Kent County Families for Fiscal Responsibility, who gathered at Peppino's Pizza on Ionia Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids.

Co-founder Eric Larson said the closeness of the election should send a message to Rapids leaders, who, he said, waged an aggressive campaign.

”People want to see the Rapid become a more transparent agency,” said Larson, who lives in Cascade Township and could not vote in the transit millage election.

”They want to see better numbers, and they want a true picture of the costs. I think there is a perception that the agency isn’t well managed,” Larson said.

By approving the millage, voters agreed to increase The Rapid bus system’s current five-year 1.12 mill tax levy by 0.35 mills to a total of 1.47 mills for seven years. That increase will cost the owner of a $150,000 home an extra $26.25 a year.

Voters who cast “yes” ballots earlier in the day cited rising gas prices and a desire to see the overall Grand Rapids metro area improve as reasons to support the millage.

”I think increasing mass transit would be good for Grand Rapids, said East Grand Rapids resident Laura Paschall, who votes at Wealthy Elementary.I’m willing to chip in and help pay for that,” she said. “We need to conserve (resources) and use the transit system more. Anything that will increase mass transit and helps people to get around, I’m for.”

East Grand Rapids voter Courtney Moskal also voted yes.

”I’d rather see people take the bus than have to drive cars with the economy and gas prices,” Moskal said. “Some people can’t afford to drive.”

Grand Rapids resident Shelia Shotwell, who voted at Westminster Presbyterian Church downtown, said she voted yes “because it’s a needed service, especially with the recession.”No voters cited the economic downturn and doubt over whether a significant number people actually ride Rapid buses.

”Whenever I see the bus around here, there’s nobody in it -- maybe two or three people,” said Marty Garcia outside Lee High School. “They need to cut back just like everyone else.”

Wyoming resident Patricia Belanger said she voted no even though two people in her home ride The Rapid to work.

”I do think it needs extended hours, but I do not believe it should be funded by the people,” Belanger said, suggesting higher fares or private sponsors.

Wyoming resident Rose Dykstra said she voted no, too.

“I’d like to vote one time without there being somebody with their hand out,” Dykstra said. “This is not the time to be asking for more. I doubt anybody’s boss is giving them more money.”

Press writers Sue Thoms, Monica Scott,Chris Knape, Barton Deiters, Dave Murray and Matt VandeBunte contributed to this report.

HERE'S WHAT THE MILLAGE BUYS:

Total annual cost of proposed improvements: $3.7 million

The money will be used to pay for these improvements over five years:

• Increase weekday bus frequency to 30 minutes on all routes from 5 a.m. To 7:15 p.m.

• Run all routes until 11:15 p.m. weekdays

• Extend weekday evening service to 12:15 a.m. on the seven most productive routes

• Improve weekday peak frequency service to 15 minutes on the six next most productive routes

• Add Bus Rapid Transit on Division Avenue

• Extend Saturday evening service to 10 p.m. on all routes except Woodland Mall/Airport Route 17

• Extend GVSU Campus route to Central Station on weekdays at current frequency

• Increase weekday evening frequency to 30-minutes on six most productive routes to 11:15 p.m.

• Increase weekday evening frequency to 30-minutes on seven most productive routes to 12:15 a.m.

E-mail Kyla King: kking@grpress.com and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/KYLking