ANN ARBOR, MI -- The Southeast Michigan Regional Transit Authority has unveiled a 20-year, $4.6-billion plan to improve transit throughout the metro Detroit region.

So, what's in it for Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti?

If voters approve the 1.2-mill tax proposal the RTA is planning to place on the November ballot, new regional transit services would be implemented in phases over the next 10 years, starting in 2017.

That includes the launch of a commuter rail service between Ann Arbor and Detroit in 2022 and bus rapid transit along the Washtenaw Avenue corridor between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti in 2026.

Before that, the RTA proposes starting an Ann Arbor-Plymouth-Livonia express bus service for commuters along the Plymouth Road corridor in 2018.

That same year, the RTA proposes doubling the Ann Arbor-Canton commuter express bus service that the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority already operates along the Ford Road corridor.

There also would be improved paratransit services for seniors and people with disabilities throughout the four-county region.

The RTA is planning to work in partnership with the AAATA on the implementation of services in the Ann Arbor area. In some cases, the RTA could fund certain services while the AAATA acts as the service provider.

The RTA also is planning to take on the costs for the AAATA's existing AirRide shuttle service between Ann Arbor and Detroit Metro Airport, with talks of adding an Ypsilanti stop somewhere off I-94.

Additionally, the RTA proposes a new Ypsilanti Connector bus service that would run along Michigan Avenue from Ypsilanti to Merriman Road in Westland, with trips every half hour or so on weekdays and hourly on weekends.

There are a host of other regional bus services proposed to better link Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties.

Connecting people to jobs and allowing them to commute without cars is a major focus of the newly unveiled RTA plan.

A map of regional transit services proposed by the Southeast Michigan Regional Transit Authority.

Commuter rail service to and from Detroit -- something talked about for many years -- is the biggest change people in the Ann Arbor area would see.

If all goes according to the RTA's plan, the service would begin with eight round trips per day starting in 2022.

Station locations include Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti's Depot Town, near Detroit Metro Airport, Dearborn and the Detroit New Center Amtrak station.

The RTA estimates the Ann Arbor-Detroit trip would take 44 minutes by train, compared to 58 minutes by automobile on I-94 during rush-hour traffic.

Plans show there would be local "rail feeder" services to shuttle people to and from the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti rail stations.

Those could be shuttle buses or larger buses, but the idea is they would pick up commuters and transport them to the stations in time to catch trains, said Ben Stupka, the RTA's planning and financial analysis manager.

The buses also would be waiting when the trains arrive at the station to help transport commuters to places of employment.

Stupka said the RTA would need to work with the Michigan Department of Transportation on the implementation of commuter rail, which requires some additional planning, including environmental assessment and preliminary engineering. He said about $130 million worth of infrastructure investments are needed for the service, including track improvements, construction of a maintenance facility and purchase of locomotives.

RTA CEO Michael Ford said the RTA would look to see if there are opportunities to provide interim bus service between Ann Arbor and Detroit until commuter rail could get up and running as planned.

As for the BRT service along Washtenaw Avenue, the RTA plan shows it would run between downtown Ann Arbor's Blake Transit Center and the downtown Ypsilanti Transit Center, with seven intermediate stops -- at Eastern Michigan University, Golfside, Arborland, Stadium, the University of Michigan Central Campus, Huron/Glen and Fourth/Huron in the Kerrytown area.

RTA officials say BRT service would offer many of the same benefits and amenities of light rail, but at a lower cost. In the case of Washtenaw Avenue, BRT buses would not have their own dedicated transit lanes, but they would be faster than regular buses because there would be fewer stops, and BRT buses could have traffic-signal priority with queue jumps allowing buses to pull ahead of traffic at possibly two or three key intersections.

There also would be BRT stations along the corridor featuring amenities such as level boarding so wheelchairs and bicycles could easily roll on, off-board ticketing so people could pay before they get on, next-bus information and wifi.

The Southeast Michigan RTA released these estimates of the potential economic impact in Washtenaw County from implementation of the 20-year RTA plan.

The RTA is proposing a long-term millage that's estimated to raise $2.9 billion over 20 years, including $350 million from Washtenaw County.

The RTA expects the millage would raise about $150 million in the first year, with $17 million coming from Washtenaw County.

While the millage would be the RTA's primary source of funds, it would be supplemented by state and federal funds, as well as fare revenues. Information about fare rates hasn't been released yet.

The RTA is proposing a universal fare card that would provide access to all transit systems in the region. There's also talk of developing a custom mobile app to allow passengers to more efficiently use the systems and pay for trips.

If approved across the four counties, the new regional transit millage would be collected in addition to the existing SMART and AAATA transit millages.

A 1.2-mill tax would cost the owner of a home with a $200,000 market value and a $100,000 taxable value an extra $120 per year in property taxes.

The RTA calculates it would cost the average homeowner in southeast Michigan an extra $95 per year.

The RTA is planning to hold a series of public meetings before the board votes July 21 on the plan and officially placing the proposal on the ballot.

Washtenaw County's representatives on the RTA board are Alma Wheeler Smith and Elizabeth Gerber.

Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com.