Nearly every proposed transit project involves asking the public: what do you think? Most often, the public submits written comments or maybe makes an official statement at a public meeting.

A group of stakeholders in Detroit decided to try something different when it came to commenting on the Woodward Avenue Light Rail project: they produced a video that incorporates both rap and Lego-mation. According to Joel Batterman, of Transport Michigan, his group faced this challenge:

“The informational materials provided by the City and consultants didn’t always state things in layman’s terms, and even Transport Michigan’s forthcoming posts on the subject aren’t much more likely to be read by a mass audience than the 149-page Draft Environmental Impact Statement.”

Metro, of course, has a number of projects in the environmental study process. It goes without saying that many of the issues involved are serious and demand serious comment. Still, this video demonstrates that it’s always, always possible to make things easier for the general public to understand.