Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include the time of the open house.

County officials are asking residents to provide input on the future of public transportation in the area.

The Summit Stage will be hosting a virtual open house at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, to present to the public key elements of a draft short-range transit plan, which was developed using data collected from a recent community survey. Open house participants will be able to join a discussion on the plan and provide feedback to help officials finalize it.

The plan will provide a five-year road map for transit in Summit County, including an analysis of existing services and conditions, along with considerations of future revisions to address trends in population growth, travel patterns and the needs of the local workforce.

“The (short-range transit plan) comes at an interesting time in history, both locally and globally,” Chris Lubbers, the county’s transit director, said in a release. “A recent bus operator shortage, concurrent with a growth in visitation, has created operational strains for the summit stage. Meanwhile, the global COVID-19 pandemic has placed external burdens on the system, including reduced revenues and capacity restrictions. And the high cost of housing in Summit County has driven many of our workers to live in neighboring communities. We hope that residents will take a few minutes to join us as we discuss these important topics.”

More information on current transit operations in Summit County can be found at SummitStage.com. Attend the open house at FehrAndPeers.zoom.us/j/95457492552 using passcode 762183.