Date of Award
7-11-2015
Publication Type
Master Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Political Science
Keywords
citizen participation, Detroit, equity, public transportation, racial minorities, urban planning
Supervisor
Essex, Jamey
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
This research explores citizen participation in the Detroit metropolitan region in formal governmental institutions in the public transportation sector. Its purpose is to understand whether citizens feel empowered to be active, effective, and robust stakeholders within the public transit policy process. By surveying members of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and observing various CAC and Regional Transit Authority (RTA) public meetings, this study determines the level and perceived effectiveness of participation by CAC members in transit decision-making to be moderate, yet restrained by the institutional structure. The wider implications on creating an equitable transit system are discussed. I conclude that with limited influence and the lack of obvious representation of marginalized groups, it is difficult to determine whether the CAC’s involvement will lead to the creation of an equitable transit system to benefit Detroit’s transit dependent populations.
Recommended Citation
Cipkar, Sarah, "MOVING TOWARDS EQUITY? CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC TRANSIT PLANNING IN THE DETROIT METROPOLITAN REGION" (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5322.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/5322