Last week’s announcement by Governor Deval Patrick that state officials have decided to make significant improvements to the Blue Hill Ave. corridor in the form of dedicated bus lanes and new equipment came as a surprise to many of those who have followed the travails of public transportation in this part of Mattapan and Dorchester. And while such an investment will likely be welcome, it must be accompanied with a robust dialogue with customers, residents and neighborhood stakeholders first.

Local lawmakers have organized a “transportation summit” for Thursday, May 28 to bring neighborhood folks together with policy makers to the table together. It is to be hoped that senior officials in the Patrick and Menino administrations will take this opportunity to both inform — and listen. Residents and merchants in this part of the city should be partners in deciding the future of our transportation infrastructure.