8 8 , ▁Public ▁Act ▁ 2 0 4 ▁was ▁am ended ▁to ▁rest ruct ure ▁SE M TA , ▁reducing ▁the ▁service ▁area ▁from ▁seven ▁count ies ▁to ▁three , ▁and ▁ex cluding ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Detroit . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁trans it ▁authority ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁Sub urban ▁M ob ility ▁Author ity ▁for ▁Regional ▁Trans it ▁( S MA RT ), ▁and ▁began ▁operation ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁To ▁continue ▁limited ▁coord ination ▁and ▁development ▁of ▁services ▁between ▁D D OT ▁and ▁S MA RT , ▁however , ▁regional ▁leaders ▁representing ▁the ▁three - count y ▁area ▁and ▁Detroit ▁file d ▁articles ▁of ▁incorpor ation ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Regional ▁Trans it ▁Co ordin ating ▁Council ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Governor ▁Rick ▁S ny der ▁signed ▁Senate ▁Bill ▁No . ▁ 9 0 9 ▁into ▁law ▁establish ing ▁the ▁Regional ▁Trans it ▁Author ity ▁( R TA ), ▁which ▁included ▁a ▁provision ▁allowing ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁a ▁way ▁for ▁such ▁a ▁regional ▁trans it ▁authority ▁to ▁fund ▁itself . ▁Al most ▁one ▁month ▁later , ▁US ▁Transport ation ▁Secretary ▁Ray ▁La H ood ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁M - 1 ▁Rail ▁Line ▁would ▁receive ▁US $ 2 5 ▁million ▁in ▁federal ▁fund ing ▁as ▁he ▁had ▁previously ▁indicated ▁such ▁support ▁was ▁dependent ▁on ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁a ▁regional ▁trans it ▁authority ▁for