San Francisco public transit riders can be forgiven for giving in to the occasional fantasy.

Hopeful, even wistful maps of what local transportation might have been or might yet be are widely made and shared: Take, for example, this map of where the streetcars used to go, or this best-case scenario map for Bay Area transit by 2050.

Though we might be inclined view these maps as escapist, city planners say they want to take a cue from them, launching a tool for users to create their own dream subway system for San Francisco. Teaming up with the Planning Department, Muni just unveiled something called The Subway Vision, a kind of interactive transportation vision board, as one aspect a larger transportation blueprint they're referring to as ConnectSF.

Last year, the Board of Supervisors passed Scott Wiener’s Subway Master Plan legislation, directing the city to create a framework for a city-wide subway system. "We need more subways, and we need true regional rail that connects our entire region," Wiener stated in a press release about the new Subway Vision tool. "As the Bay Area grows by two million people in the next 25 years, we cannot afford to have another million cars on our roads, freeways, and bridges. We need more transit, and we need to pursue it aggressively."

How does the Subway Vision fit in? The SFMTA blog explains that "The more we learn about the priorities, concerns and challenges of today’s San Franciscans, the better we can prepare for our future." These submissions, then will serve as the public comment portion of the Subway Master Plan Legislation.

While the tool isn't the easiest to navigate, it's worth a try. I was able to create the below image pretty quickly. But take your time or make as many as you wish: Users have until September 2nd to send in submissions, which will then be analyzed by city transit planners. Just think: If a camel is a horse built by a committee, what kind of amazing transit system can we all come up with together?

Related: Supervisor Wiener Really Set On Subway Construction, Introduces 'Master Plan' Legislation

via connectsf.org