Transcript No Slide Title

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Effective Public Participation
Broward MPO
Fort Lauderdale, FL
March 20, 2012
page 1
Session Objectives
• Understand why it is important to do a good
job with public involvement.
• Address public involvement as cross cutting:
planning through maintenance.
• Learn how to “engage” the public.
page 2
Transportation Planning Process
page 3
Metropolitan Planning Regulations
 The metropolitan planning requirements for public
involvement are primarily in 23 CFR 450.316
 Public involvement and consultation are addressed in
connection with the Transportation Plan in 23 CFR
450.322
 Public involvement and consultation are addressed in
connection with the TIP in 23 CFR 450.324
page 4
Statewide Planning Regulations
 The statewide planning requirements for public involvement
are primarily in 23 CFR 450.210
 No specific reference to ‘public participation plans’
 Public involvement and consultation are addressed in
connection with the Statewide Transportation Plan in 23
CFR 450.214
 Public involvement and consultation are addressed in
connection with the TIP in 23 CFR 450.216
page 5
Environmental Justice
Executive Order 12898
•Reaffirms that each Federal
agency must make EJ part of its
mission
•Identifies and addresses
disproportionately high and
adverse effects on minority and
low-income populations.
page 6
Limited English Proficiency
Executive Order 13166
To ensure people who are LEP have
meaningful access to services
Person who does not speak
English as primary language
and has limited ability to read,
speak, write or understand
English
page 7
Who is an LEP Person?
 Person who does not speak English as primary language
and has limited ability to read, speak, write or understand
English;
 Failure to provide LEP person services or meaningful
access to services [may] constitute national origin
discrimination (Lau v. Nichols, 1974)
page 8
Public Participation Plans
MPO shall develop a participation plan in consultation with
interested parties
(23 CFR 450.316(a))
1. Adequate, timely public notice & reasonable access
2. Reasonable opportunities to comment on contents of
the transportation plan
3. Employ visualization techniques
4. Make information available in electronic formats
5. Hold meetings at convenient and accessible
locations and times
6. Explicit consideration and response to public input
page 9
Public Participation Plans
7. Seek out and consider the needs of people traditionally
underserved
8. Providing additional opportunities for public comment if
the final Metropolitan Transportation Plan or TIP differs
significantly from the version made available.
9. Coordination with statewide public involvement and
consultation processes.
10.Periodically review the effectiveness of the procedures
and strategies to ensure a full and open participation
process. Minimum 45-day comment period
page 10
Consultation w/ Tribal Governments & Federal
Land Management Agencies
Requires documented State and MPO
processes on consulting with Indian Tribal
governments and Federal land management
agencies (to the extent practicable).
(23 CFR 450.210(c) and 450.316(e))
page 11
Visualization
Methods used by States and MPOs in the development
of transportation plans and programs with the public,
elected and appointed officials, and other stakeholders in
a clear and easily accessible format such as maps,
pictures, and/or displays, to promote improved
understanding of existing or proposed transportation.
23 CFR 450.104
Employ visualization techniques to describe metropolitan
plans and TIPS.”
23 CFR 450.316 (a)(1)(iii)
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Public Involvement
page 13
Key Public Involvement Components
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Early notification
Periodic information sharing - 2-way exchange
Thorough search for stakeholders
Clear decision-making process
Open decision-making process
Accountability
No predetermined outcomes
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Levels of Public Involvement
AWARE
INFORMED
INVOLVED
page 15
Stages of PI
• Information:
one-way flow of information
• Consultation:
two-way exchange of information;
seek advice or information
• Participation:
interaction with public; to have a
part or share in
• Negotiation:
face-to-face discussion; to deal or
bargain with another/others
page 16
Barriers to Effective Public Involvement
 Personal or social circumstances
 Transportation decision making process
• Complex/Confusing
• Political factors
 Cultural factors
 Community history & lack of trust
page 17
How to Overcome Barriers to Public
Involvement
 Engage right people (Inclusive)
 Obtain right input (Meaningful)
 Make sure input flows into decision making process
(Integrated)
 Others?
page 18
Partnering/Collaboration with Others
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Community Based Organizations
Universities
State DOT/MPOs
Neighborhood Associations
Regional Planning Council
Others?
page 19
Interested Parties
Other
Interested
Parties
Public Trans.
Users Rep.
Citizens
Affected Public
Agencies
Freight
Shippers
Interested
Parties
Bike / Ped.
Facilities Users
Rep.
Public Trans.
Employees
Rep.
Disabled
Rep.
Private
Providers of
Trans.
Providers of
Freight Trans.
Services
23 CFR 450.210 and 450.316
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Parties Requiring Different Resources
 Environmental Justice (EJ)
 Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
 Freight
page 21
Proactive Environmental Justice
 Community Profile
(Mapping/Data)
 Public Involvement
 Analysis
page 22
Beyond Census Data for
Demographic Profiles
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Employment Centers
Schools
Property Values
Social Service Programs
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Which public(s) are you trying to involve?
• Upper-income, middle-income, low-income
• Senior, middle aged, young
• Transportation dependent, transportation
independent
• Single, married, divorced
• Minority, non-minority
• Male, female
• Able-bodied, disabled
• English speaking, non-English speaking
• Literate, low literate, illiterate
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Types of Public Involvement Techniques
•Websites
•Partnerships
•Electronic surveys
•Door-to-door surveys
•Email
•1-800 Numbers
•Flyers
•Comment sheets
•Press releases
•Educating Children
•Radio call-in shows
•Television interviews
•Focus groups
•Workshops
•Piggybacking
•Public meetings
•Public hearings
•One-on-one interviews
•Citizen advisory groups
•Newsletters
•Social Media
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Go to where they eat & talk to them
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Conduct interviews at a mall
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Ask community leaders for help
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Share your experiences…..
What techniques do you use most often?
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Techno Techniques
Emerging Web-based Techniques
• Interactive Plans & (S)TIPs
• YouTube
• Public Dialoguing
• Social Networking
• Online Surveys
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Web-Based GIS Transportation Plans & TIPs
Atlanta’s 2030 Long-Range Plan
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YouTube
Denver Rapid Transit District
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Public Dialoguing
Online Jam: TxDOT—Threaded Discussion
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Social Networking
Chicago MPO on Facebook
Washington DOT on Twitter
page 34
Online Surveys
Maryland DOT Online Survey in collaboration with
Library Systems
page 35
Effective PI Challenges
 Evaluation/review of public involvement
program
 Participation by traditionally underserved
communities
 Documentation of consideration & response to
public input
 Coordination between metropolitan and
statewide public involvement processes
page 36
Measuring Effectiveness
• Use qualitative and quantitative measures
• Some measures may be a proxy for the true
measure that is difficult to get (e.g. number
of hits on a website)
page 37
Measuring Effectiveness (2)
Suggestions
• Openness of process
• Level of cooperation and collaboration between
parties
• Continuation of involvement opportunities
• Effect on decision making
page 38
Performance Measures / Evaluation
Corpus Christi (TX)
page 39
Public Involvement Resources
Websites
 FHWA Office of Planning
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/pubinv2.htm
 Visualization http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/vip/index.htm
Training
 Public Involvement in the Transportation Decision-making Process, NHI
#142036
 Resource Center Visualization Workshop
Publication
 Public Involvement Resource Guide
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/teams/planning/pubinvolv.cfm
page 40
Module Review
Three things to remember from this session:
1) Public involvement is difficult to do well—good PI
usually pays off and bad PI invariably backfires.
2) Using the right people in PI is critical to creating
relationships and building trust
3) GO TO THE PEOPLE!
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Questions? Comments?
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THANK YOU!!
FHWA Resource Center Contact:
Brian Betlyon
[email protected]
410-962-0086
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