Planning Process

The planning process involves identifying options and refining plans for each of the transit corridors identified in the Regional Transportation Plan.
METRO identifies the options—potential transit routes and technologies—through a formal study process known as an Alternatives Analysis. Community participation is an important part of the process, ensuring that residents, business owners, community groups and policymakers have the opportunity to express their needs and preferences. This process is shown in the funnel below.
The community involvement process includes public meetings, more focused briefings with stakeholder groups and individuals, and presentations to policy boards and organizations. Typically, public meetings are held in an open-house format with METRO staff members and consultants on hand to share information and answer questions. Public comments may also be submitted by mail, fax or email.
After a transit mode is chosen, the route is refined based on community input and engineering considerations.
In addition to looking at routes and transit modes, the alternatives analysis identifies the potential impacts of each option and establishes the goals and objectives that will guide the evaluation of the options.
For more information on the planning process, contact Benjamin Limmer, AICP, at 602-322-4487 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)