Akron Metro looks for public feedback in the first steps of a 10-year plan

Akron Metro RTA is beginning the first phase in a 10-year strategic plan and has released a public survey for community feedback on its network of bus routes.

The goal is to expand access to opportunity, said METRO RTA Director of Planning and Strategic Development Valerie Shea, but first the RTA wants input from the public.

“Once we get through this initial outreach period, we’ll start to look at specifics of demand-response and new mobility," Shea said. "But until we go through that process, we don’t really have any specific recommendations right now.”

Shea says the RTA will review all the responses and revise its network.

The proposed changes will provide access to 63% more jobs within a 45-minute commute to the average Summit County resident, she said.

“This whole process is about expanding access to opportunity. That’s our goal with the redesign of the fixed-route network and moving forward looking at demand-response services,” Shea said.

RTA expects to implement this new network by 2023.

The survey is available online until the end of October. Paper surveys are also available at the customer service desk in the Transit Center in Downtown Akron.

Copyright 2021 WKSU. To see more, visit WKSU.