Add yet another thing to the giant list of transit things I need to find the time to pick through: TANK has just released a brief description of proposed route changes that could take effect soon. They’re conducting public meetings today through Sept 21st to inform people about the suggested changes and solicit feedback. Normally, and I am permitted to say this only as a planner who’s not currently employed as a planner, such meetings are a principled show of democracy without much practical usefulness. Basically, people don’t like change and the people who don’t like these changes will show up to voice their complaints. The planners if they’re any good will have expected this and already will have built most of the expected participants’ concerns into the plan before they announced it. Thus, actually hearing the complaints that they expected doesn’t change much, nor should it.
You, gentle readers, being the type of people who are clever enough and patient enough to follow along with my meandering buses of thought, may actually be able to positively effect the plans if indeed you can spot something they can do better and articulate an objective case for it to the people in charge. I therefore encourage you to attend one of the meetings listed through the links above.
One quick suggestion for both agencies: Drop the phrase “short-term” when you’re describing permanent service changes. We know the routes aren’t necessarily set in stone after these changes take effect. Is anything (metaphorically) set in stone really? We all die after all. These changes are as permanent as anything gets and that should be made clear so that people don’t think you’re doing less than you are.
Many more suggestions coming eventually once I get chance to think holistically :-)