Recommendations & Strategies

The Transit Master Plan DRAFT recommendations and strategies are ready for your review. We welcome feedback on what is working, what is missing, and what feels out of place.

How did we get here?

Creating access does not happen by accident. Throughout this planning process, the project team has joined insights, best practices, and community and stakeholder input to develop a set of recommendations and strategies to guide The Rapid over the next 20 years.

DRAFT Recommendations and Strategies

The project team has identified six primary recommendations. Within each recommendation are groups of strategies.

Below is an overview a few example strategies within each recommendation. The Transit Master Plan will include all strategies and evaluate them using criteria described in the following section.

Community Awareness and Education

  • Develop a community ambassadorship program

  • Develop community “adopt-a-stop” program

  • Develop local artist bus stop/placemaking design program

  • Partner with schools to develop a youth education program

Transit Oriented Development

  • Develop transit-oriented real estate development guidelines

  • Develop mobility hub standards and policies

  • Develop transit-supportive streetscapes and roadways design guidelines

  • Study Rapid-owned assets/site redevelopment potential

Existing Service Improvements

  • Bus Rapid Transit

  • Bus stop design

  • Extend service hours

  • Guaranteed ride home program

Innovation and Technology

  • Develop Zero Emissions Bus (ZEB) transition plan

  • Improved fare structure and regional fare coordination

  • Microtransit and paratransit software and technology

  • Real-time information displays and dynamic wayfinding

Future Service Expansion

  • Study expanding service area

  • Study light rail / commuter rail

  • Study regional connections and/or commuter rail

  • West Michigan Express pilot along Chicago Drive

Regional Partnerships

  • Align mobility solutions with regional economic development strategies

  • Develop service expansion standards

  • Develop strategies to better utilize existing transportation infrastructure

  • Study regional mobility and land use needs

Evaluation

In the Transit Master Plan, each of the strategies will be evaluated based on:

  • The strategy can be implemented using…

    1) Existing funding

    2) Acquiring funding by applying to competitive grants

    3) Pursuing long-term sustainable funding sources for operations

  • Ongoing: Currently underway

    Near term: Less than 5 years

    Mid-term: 5-10 years

    Long-term: 10+ years

  • Some strategies would require additional Rapid staff to pursue long-term

  • Each strategy will be given an estimated cost to help with planning and visioning

  • Some strategies may require the development of local and regional partnerships

  • Each strategy is measured back to the Rapid’s guiding principles: Community, growth, convenience, internal workforce, and adaptability