The Rapid Advances to Second Phase of Transit Master Plan
The transit system will host a TMP public open house with engagement opportunities and Two Bones BBQ truck.
The Rapid is pleased to announce the second phase of community engagement for its Transit Master Plan (TMP). The agency invites the community to attend a public open house on Tuesday, June 11, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Rapid Central Station, 250 Cesar E Chavez Ave SW, in downtown Grand Rapids. This event offers attendees the chance to review and confirm that the initial TMP recommendations align with their future needs and provides an opportunity for additional feedback.
Nick Monoyios, Planning Director for The Rapid, said, "Our community's insights have shaped the initial recommendations significantly. This open house is an opportunity for us to refine these plans further, ensuring we are on the right track.”
In the fall of 2023, The Rapid conducted the first round of engagement, which included a comprehensive survey and an open house to gather feedback on the public’s 20-year vision for transit. The survey garnered over 1,000 responses, exploring current challenges and ideas for the future. While the fall open house sought to identify goals for a community-led transit system, the upcoming open house aims to prioritize those goals for implementation and confirm that The Rapid has accurately reflected the community's future needs.
“We are excited about the future of transit in our growing region,” said The Rapid CEO Deb Prato. “This phase of the Transit Master Plan is to confirm that we have truly listened to our residents and aligned our recommendations with their vision. Our next step is to collaborate with the community and stakeholders to secure the funding needed to make these projects a reality.”
The Rapid encourages the public to attend the summer open house to share their input. Attendees will also have the chance to purchase meals from Two Bones BBQ truck, with a select number of free meals awarded to those who actively participate in the engagement process.
For those unable to attend, there will be a smaller open house on Thursday, June 13, from 7 to 10 a.m. inside Rapid Central Station on the second floor. The findings and new survey are also available online by visiting www.transitthriving.org.
