Today The Rapid announced the launch of an online feedback tool aimed at gathering input from the public about the area’s transit system. The Align Transit Improvement Study, a yearlong project which started with planning and outreach meetings in May, aims to capture feedback from both riders and non-riders that will help the public transit agency prioritize improvements over the next decade.
The short online feedback tool can be found at http://aligntransit.org/.
After the public feedback period ends on Sept. 30, Align Transit Improvement Study officials will analyze the feedback and provide an initial report to The Rapid’s board of directors in November. A final, comprehensive report will be published and presented to the board in May 2018.
This study is focused on supporting The Rapid’s short-range transit plan. The Align Study will identify, analyze and prioritize a set of transit improvement recommendations that could be made to the existing transit system. It is not connected to any funding initiatives nor does it guarantee that changes will be made; it is simply an opportunity to gather rider and non-rider feedback to ensure the network meets growing demand and keeps pace with changing regional growth patterns.
Rapid officials hope the study will identify ways to add to and improve the network, recommend land use and other policies to help grow ridership and determine the improvements the public would like to see for the system.
“Public transportation is a vital part of Grand Rapids and its surrounding communities—whether you ride The Rapid daily, occasionally, or have yet to try public transportation,” said Peter Varga, CEO, The Rapid. “The Rapid has helped connect thousands of people across our community for years. The Align Study is an opportunity to work together and ‘Align’ for better public transit in the metro region, so we encourage the public to engage with the short online feedback tool.”
The online feedback tool is an interactive public engagement platform that allows community stakeholders as well as frequent Rapid riders and non-riders alike to provide the pivotal input needed to ensure that future enhancements to the transit system meet the needs of the community. The platform is mobile-friendly for all devices and features a variety of interactive exercises including ranking enhancement priorities, and an interactive map where participants can place comments to provide specific locations where enhancements are most important.
With the help of the public, the Align Transit Improvement Study hopes to accomplish the following:
- Enhance transit services that provide a competitive option to congested roadways
- Provide safe and equitable access to The Rapid network
- Service existing and future population and employment centers
- Support urban revitalization and economic development
Knowing that many riders use The Rapid to get to and from work, Align Study leaders are hopeful that business owners and employees will provide feedback.
“The Align Study is important to The Rapid because it will hone in on service enhancements that are desired by the community, especially for our employment-based riders,” said Conrad Venema, The Rapid’s strategic planning manager and Align Study leader. “The Rapid realizes that as the community grows, it’s vital for our transit system to adapt to the changing needs of users. The Align Study will help The Rapid achieve its goal of providing safe and equitable service that connects people to jobs, promotes economic development and offers a first-class transit experience,” Venema added.
Learn more about the Align Transit Improvement Study at www.aligntransit.org.
