2.2.5. Engaging Stakeholders to Identify Issues, Opportunities and Constraints
Below are several strategies commonly used to engage stakeholders who will play a role in identifying project issues, opportunities, and constraints and in making recommendations to decision-makers. See Appendix C for details on these public involvement strategies, including definitions, strategy purpose, examples, benefits and constraints.
- Use Project Contact Networks
- Make Direct Contacts
- Create and confer with an Advisory Committee
- Distribute Public Information Materials
- Launch a Project Website
- Conduct Meetings
- Use Media Outlets
No two transportation improvement projects are alike. Use a combination of strategies involving tools and techniques that are tailored to the specific needs of your project to ensure that the project team will be able to obtain a firm grasp on community values and how they may be affected by the project. Below are several tools and techniques, categorized under general purpose areas.
Listening and Learning
- Brainstorming Sessions
- Citizen’s Advisory Committee
- Focus Groups
- Meetings: Public Open Houses, Charettes
- Site Visits
- Surveys: Interviews, Media, Public Opinion, Online, Telephone
- Polling
- Visioning
Informing
- Meetings: Public Information Open Houses, Public Hearing Open Houses
- Project Website or Web Page
- Presentations
- Informational Materials: Briefing Packages, Project Fact Sheets, Newsletters, Videos, Visual Imaging/Displays, and Websites
- Information Center
- Leadership Luncheons
- Mobile Exhibits
- Newspaper Announcements
Resolving Conflicts
- Citizen’s Advisory Committee
- Collaborative Task Force
- Facilitation
- Negotiation
Generating Interest
- Business Briefing
- Contests
- Leadership Luncheons
- Media Series
- Mobile Exhibits
- Transportation Fairs
Detailed definitions and suggestions for how these techniques may be used on CSS projects are provided in Appendix D.
On an ongoing basis, project team members involved in the public involvement process should evaluate the use of public involvement strategies to determine if they were productive and helpful in developing a project’s concept. Changes or improvements should also be identified, and strategies should be critiqued and assessed for how well desired results (e.g. learning about the community, informing, educating) have been achieved. Possible impacts on the project’s concept and the results public involvement activities should be discussed and considered, and any changes noted and made in subsequent activities.
A comprehensive guide to public involvement techniques can be found online at the U.S. Department of Transportation: http://www.planning.dot.gov/PublicInvolvement/pi_documents/techniques.asp
GDOT policies and procedures specific to PIOHs and PHOHs are available online at: TOPPS Document 4055-1 Public Involvement Guidelines
Public Involvement Milestones and the Decision-Making Process
Stakeholders’ views should be carefully considered in the decision-making process. They should be involved early and ongoing throughout the process, especially before major decisions are made. Below is an outline for developing a decision-making process:
- Understand the decision-making process
- Identify key decision points in the process and answer all of the following questions:
Who will be consulted on each decision?
Who will make the recommendations for each decision?
How will these recommendations and comments will be transmitted to decision-makers?
Who will make the decision?
- Identify the problem and select the best alternatives
A typical public involvement delivery system and key decision points should be structured around the following key milestones:
Planning
Need and Purpose
Scoping
Alternatives Definition
Alternatives Refinement
Recommended Alternative
Design Kickoff
30% Design Plans
60% Design Plans
90% Design Plans
60% Right-of-Way Plans
100% Right-of-Way Plans
Construction
Preconstruction
Construction Kick-off
Ongoing
During Special Events and Incidents
Facility Opening
Maintenance
Prior to scheduled maintenance activities
Public Comment/Communications
Written or verbal comments represent the most common way for the general public to relate their concerns and ideas about a transportation project, public comments also help to build a thorough understanding of community issues and needs, which are vital in finding Context-Sensitive Solutions. A key element of the public comment process is to communicate back to the participants how they influenced the decision.
Refer to TOPPS Document 4055-1 Public Involvement Guidelines for specific guidelines and responsibilities relating to responding to public comments following a Public Open House.
Details on the public comment / communications process as it would apply to CSS projects during the project development process are provided in Appendix E.
