Canton launches survey to build a safer, more connected future

Special to The Canton News 

The City of Canton recently launched a major public outreach effort, inviting every resident to help design the city’s next transportation plan. The initiative, a partnership with Waggoner Engineering, is designed to create safer streets, better sidewalks, and improved connectivity across Canton.

City officials emphasized that the success of the plan hinges entirely on local knowledge. By sharing their experiences, residents will directly inform decisions regarding infrastructure improvements, ensuring the future transportation system meets the community’s needs.

The public input survey will run from October 2025 through December 2025. The anonymous survey is expected to take approximately ten minutes to complete and is built to gather both demographic context (such as age and connection to Canton) and specific commuting habits.

Shaping Canton’s Infrastructure

The questionnaire asks for detailed feedback on daily travel, safety and future challenges. Residents are encouraged to report on:
●    Commuting Habits: Identifying their primary mode of transportation and average daily commute time.
●    Traffic Hotspots: Pinpointing where they experience the worst traffic or delays during peak hours (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.).
●    Safety and Walkability: Noting if there are road segments or areas they avoid for safety concerns, and whether there are enough sidewalks where they travel.
●    Future Vision: Sharing what improvements would encourage them to bike more and what they believe will be the biggest transportation challenge for Canton in the next ten to twenty years.

Officials stated that the data gathered will ensure the resulting Transportation Plan is not just a study, but a roadmap that makes Canton safer, more connected, and better prepared for future growth.

How to Participate

The survey can be completed using one of two options:
●    Online: Residents can access the official survey at https://arcg.is/0TqPju0.
●    Hard Copy: Paper versions are available for pickup at Canton City Hall in the Building and Development Department Entry Room.