Disappointed that the deadline to comment on the draft regional transportation plan on the Metrolinx website has passed? Still have a lot to say but worried your comments will fall upon deaf ears? Feel like the train has already left the station?

I’m listening!

In November of 2008, Metrolinx appointed me to sit on their Regional Transportation Plan Citizens Advisory Committee – a group of 18 community leaders tasked with analyzing the public consultation process, engaging in dialogue with the public, and providing advice to the Metrolinx Board of Directors. For the past year I’ve been faithfully fulfilling my duty by closely following the conversations on Metronauts, Urban Toronto, the Canadian Public Transportation Discussion Board and dozens of other sites and blogs for interesting ideas and opinions to bring to the people who have the power to implement them. It has shaped the Regional Transportation Plan in many ways already, and there are still opportunities for that to continue as we move towards final approval and implementation.

If you have any ideas, comments or suggestions that haven’t been brought to the attention of Metrolinx staff though open houses or on the Metrolinx site, post a comment on this post or send me an email at andrae (at) gttavisions (dot) com. The Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan consultation efforts have set a new standard for how the public can be engaged in the planning process, and we can only hope that policy-makers at other agencies take note. But, in the mean time, here’s one last kick at the can.

Get your comments in and help make the future of this place we all call home just a bit brighter!

Image credit goes to Craig James White on Flickr. Creative Commons License.