CEOs for Cities recently launched the Give a Minute campaign in Chicago to figure out what would encourage Chicagoans to walk, bike or take Chicago Transit Authority trains more often. In short, Chicago wants to hear from the people who use public transit and other more sustainable modes of transport to improve mobility in the Windy City. Residents can text their ideas to 312.380.0436 or post them to the Give a Minute website. (The site has great graphics!) You can find more information here. The campaign runs until December 10, 2010.

View the video here:

Chicago transit experts and planners are doing good things with communications. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), for example, recently won the Transportation Research Board’s 4th Annual “Communicating Concepts with John and Jane Q. Public: Sustainability and Livability” competition for its project known as GO TO 2040, which we’ve written about before.

The tool that CMAP uses for public input, called MetroQuest, recognizes that in developing long-term plans to anticipate the influx of 2.8 million residents to northeastern Illinois by 2030, it is essential that residents of the region have a voice in how plans are formulated. Targeted education to various demographics in the region is one of the key components of public engagement. Users can access the participatory planning site here.  It is informative and provides options for residents to give input on the region’s development, design, transportation, planning, energy, quality of life and even governance.

Chicago seems to be doing a good job at creating a participatory environment for advancing sustainable transport. What similar examples have you seen in your city?