The city of Peoria is a region on the move. Projections of an additional 100,000 residents and 26,000 jobs over the next 20 years puts a spotlight on the need to expand the city’s transit services as the population grows. The city of Peoria is seeking feedback from residents and business owners as the Peoria Transit Master Plan (TMP) process begins.
“Just as the onset of the affordable automobile coincided with the onset of the suburbs, transportation has always played a part in defining our daily lives,” says Mayor Cathy Carlat. “Now, driverless cars, electric vehicles and a sharing economy all point to an exciting time of change that may again shift our daily habits and redefine how we interact in and out of our city. I encourage you to take part in the creation of Peoria’s Transit Master Plan that will position us for a successful future in this changing environment.”
On Nov. 3, 2020, Peoria residents overwhelmingly approved the Plan Peoria 2040 General Plan, which calls for master planning efforts for various modes of travel to provide a safe, connected, integrated, and efficient transportation system. Currently, transit service in Peoria is limited to south of Bell Road. The TMP will consider opportunities to improve access and mobility throughout a greater portion of the city, including opportunities for autonomous vehicles, local buses, circulators, paratransit, express commuter buses, higher capacity services such as commuter rail and bus rapid transit, and policies that make transit more accessible and easier to ride.
“The first step of this master planning process is evaluating what we currently have and then asking our residents what they like, don’t like, and what they envision for the future of Peoria public transportation,” says Peoria Public Works Director Kevin Burke. “We want to have a very collaborative process where we hear what is most important to them and then build a plan that is responsive to their needs.”
The TMP Community Survey is short, comprising of less than 20 questions, and will be open until Friday, March 12. Residents can provide their feedback and take the survey by visiting peoriaaz.gov/transit. After the survey closes, feedback will be collected, incorporated into the master plan document, and then presented to the Peoria City Council this spring.
