How to Engage Low-Literacy and 

Limited-English-Proficiency Populations

i n T r a n s p o r t a t i o n D e c i s i o n m a k i n g

Prepared by:

PBS&J

220 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 300

Columbia, SC 29210

For:

Federal Highway Administration

Office of Planning, HEPP-20

400 7th Street, SW., Room 3301

Washington, DC 20590

202-366-0106; fax 202-493-2198

February 2006



Overview	 ......................................................................................................................1

What do low literacy and limited English proficiency mean?.....................................3

What are ways to access reliable data on low-literacy and

limited-English-proficiency populations at a sub-State level? ..............................7

What are ways to access documented indicators of literacy and 

limited English proficiency at a sub-State level? ...................................................9

What special approaches are needed to outreach to low-literacy 

and limited-English-proficiency populations?.....................................................15

	 	 Look for clues that people cannot read English or another language ....................... 17

	 	 Train staff members and use residents from the neighborhood .................................. 19

	 	 Provide food at the meetings....................................................................................... 21

	 	 Be aware that public meetings may not be part of some cultures, and/or

	 	 	 government may have a negative connotation ..................................................... 23

What are the best ways to contact low-literacy and

limited-English-proficiency populations? ............................................................25

	 	 Explore websites, national publications, and local newspapers ................................ 27

	 	 Talk to local officials and community insiders............................................................ 31

Form alliances with existing organizations .............................................................. 33

Attend scheduled and special events .......................................................................... 35

Visit Laundromats, grocery stores that accept Food Stamps, and discount stores..... 37

Use word of mouth, radio, television, and newspapers.............................................. 39

Involve school students............................................................................................... 41

Let the public choose the meeting time, place, and size ............................................. 43

Use interpreters and translated materials.................................................................. 47

Play a public-involvement game................................................................................. 49

Incorporate magnets, color, and symbols................................................................... 51

Use photographs, 3D animations, and videos............................................................ 53

What were the lessons learned?..................................................................................55

iii

Table of Contents



It is Federal Highway Administration 

(FHWA) policy to provide 

“meaningful access” to transportation 

decisionmaking to all affected 

and interested people. Executive 

Order 13166, Improving Access to

Services for Persons with Limited

English Proficiency, requires this 

outreach include people of limited 

English proficiency. Combined 

with nondiscrimination statutes, 

meaningful access would extend 

to people who cannot read and 

understand what is read; thus, the 

need to include outreach to lowliterate populations as well. This 

booklet provides examples of 

outreach techniques that might be 

used or modified to outreach to these 

two groups as well as others.

This report documents “best 

practices” in identifying and 

engaging low-literacy and limitedEnglish-proficiency populations 

in transportation decisionmaking. 

These “best practices” were collected 

during telephone interviews with 

individuals in 30 States. 

These individuals included 11 

national technical experts in 

adult literacy and limited English 

proficiency, and 57 national experts 

from Federal, State, county, and city 

governments, Metropolitan Planning 

Organizations, and their consultants. 

Additional information was collected 

during a 1-day Federal Highway 

Administration- and Federal Transit 

Administration-sponsored peer 

review on How to Identify and

Engage Low-Literacy and LimitedEnglish-Proficiency Populations in

Transportation Decisionmaking.

The information obtained from the 

telephone interviews and the peer 

review has been organized into a 

six-step process that planning and 

project-development practitioners 

can employ during planning, 

project development, right-of-way 

acquisition, construction, operation 

and maintenance. This process 

provides a range of references, 

tools, techniques, insights, and/or 

approaches to address the following 

questions:

•	 What do low literacy and limited 

English proficiency mean?

•	 What are ways to access reliable 

data on low-literacy and limitedEnglish-proficiency populations 

at a sub-State level?

•	 What are ways to access 

documented indicators and/or 

surrogates of literacy and limited 

English proficiency at a subState level?

•	 What special approaches are 

needed to achieve outreach to 

low-literacy and limited-Englishproficiency populations?

•	 What are the best ways to 

contact low-literacy and limitedEnglish-proficiency populations?

•	 What are the lessons learned?

Overview


•	 What is the impact of low 

literacy and limited English 

proficiency on the population’s 

abilities and constraints 

to participate in public 

involvement.

•	 How to engage these 

populations and provide them 

with meaningful access to 

decisionmaking information and 

opportunities.

The “best practices” identified in 

this report are not all-inclusive, 

and practitioners should use any 

approach they believe would be best 

in their communities. Practitioners

should be sensitive to confidentiality

and right-to-privacy issues. While 

some of the approaches identified 

may be eligible for funding as part 

of planning or project-development 

projects, eligibility of specific 

approaches should be confirmed with 

the agency funding that project. 


In 1988, Congress directed the 

U.S. Department of Education to 

undertake an assessment of the 

literacy skills of American adults, 

those 16 years old and older. Three 

years later, in 1991, Congress passed 

the National Literacy Act that defined 

literacy as “an individual’s ability to 

read, write, and speak in English, and 

compute and solve problems at levels 

of proficiency necessary to function 

on the job and in society, to achieve 

one’s goals, and develop one’s 

knowledge and potential.”

Using this definition of literacy, 

the U.S. Department of Education 

published the results of its National

Adult Literacy Survey in 1993. This 

monumental survey remains the most 

comprehensive, statistically reliable 

source on literacy in the United 

States. Rather than classifying 

individuals as either “literate” or 

“illiterate,” this survey created 

three literacy scales: prose literacy, 

document literacy, and quantitative 

literacy. These scales profile the 

types of materials and demands 

individuals encounter in their daily 

lives; for example, interpreting 

instructions from a warranty, reading 

maps, balancing a checkbook, or 

figuring out a tip. By measuring 

literacy proficiency for each literacy 

scale, five levels of literacy were 

defined with Level 1 reflecting the 

lowest skills and Level 5 reflecting 

the highest skills.

What do low literacy and limited English proficiency mean?

The State of Literacy in America provides the percent of each State’s

population at Level 1 literacy.

30% or greater

20% to 30%

15% to 20%

10% to 15%

not available


The National Adult Literacy Survey

found that 21 percent of American 

adults had Level 1 literacy skills, 

and 27 percent of American adults 

had Level 2 literacy skills. While 

there are no exact grade equivalents, 

Level 1 literacy is generally defined 

as less than fifth-grade reading 

and comprehension skills, and 

Level 2 is generally defined as fifth 

through seventh grades reading and 

comprehension skills. Although 

many Level 1 adults could perform 

tasks involving simple texts and 

documents, all adults scoring at 

Level 1 displayed difficulty using 

certain reading, writing, and 

computational skills considered 

necessary for functioning in everyday 

life. Almost all Level 1 adults could 

read a little, but not well enough to 

fill out an application, read a food 

label, or read a simple story to a 

child. While most of these adults are 

not considered “illiterate,” they do 

not have the full range of economic, 

social, and personal options that are 

open to Americans with higher levels 

of literacy skills.

For the purpose of this report, 

Level 1 literacy has been used as 

the definition of “low literacy.” 

The predominant reason for this is 

that Level 1 literacy information is 

readily available at sub-State levels; 

whereas, Levels 2 to 5 literacy 

information is not. In the majority 

of cases, there is a direct correlation 

between low literacy, low educational

attainment, and low income. There 

are always exceptions, such as recent 

Russian immigrants now living in 

California, who were well educated 

in their homeland and have excellent 

literacy in Russian, but have limited 

English proficiency. As a result of 

their inability to speak, read, and 

write English, they are employed in 

low-income jobs. 

The National Adult Literacy Survey determined the percentage of the adult

population for each level of literacy (LL).

LL1 LL2 LL3 LL4 LL5

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

21

27

32

17

3

Percent


The Elementary and Secondary

Education Act of 1965, as amended 

by the Improving America’s Schools

Act of 1994, defined limited English 

proficiency, when referencing an 

individual, means an individual: 

(A) who (i) was not born in the

United State[s] or whose native

language is a language other

than English and comes from an

environment where a language

other than English is dominant;

or (ii) is a Native American or

Alaska[n] Native or who is a native

resident of the outlying areas and

comes from an environment where

a language other than English has

had a significant impact on such

individual’s level of English language

proficiency; or (iii) is migratory

and whose native language is other

than English and comes from an

environment where a language other

than English is dominant; and (B)

who has sufficient difficulty speaking,

reading, writing, or understanding

the English language and who[se]

difficulties may deny such individual

the opportunity to learn successfully

in classrooms where the language

of instruction is English or to

participate fully in our society. 

These individuals function in English 

at approximately Level 1 literacy and 

may or may not function as well or 

better in their primary language. 

Although English is the predominant 

language spoken in this country, the 

2000 Census estimated that 

17.9 percent of the Nation’s 

population spoke a language other 

than English at home. By a large 

margin, the most frequently spoken 

non-English language at home was 

Spanish. Those speaking Spanish 

at home accounted for 60.0 percent 

of those who spoke a language 

other than English at home, and 

represented 10.7 percent of the 

Nation’s population. Chinese was 

the second most frequently spoken 

non-English language at home. It 

accounted for 4.3 percent of those 

who spoke a language other than 

English at home, and represented 

0.8 percent of the Nation’s 

population.

Modern Language Association identifies the number of Spanish

speakers for every county in the Nation.



What are ways to access reliable data on low-literacy and 

limited-English-proficiency populations at a sub-State level?

The National Institute for Literacy’s 

(NIFL) 1998 publication The State of

Literacy in America: Estimates at the

Local, State and National Levels was 

the only publication identified that 

provided Level 1 literacy estimates 

for adults in every State, county, 

municipality over 5,000 people, and 

congressional district in the Nation. 

In addition, thematic maps by county 

and congressional district showing the 

percent of adults at Level 1 literacy 

were provided. Adults were defined 

as those 16 years old and older; and 

Level 1 Literacy, or low literacy, was 

generally defined as less than fifthgrade reading and comprehension skills. 

The 1998 publication is available by 

calling (202) 233-2025 or e-mailing 

edpubs@inet.ed.gov. The text is 

available online at http://www.nifl.gov/

reders/reder.htm. An updated version 

of this publication based on 2003 

information is scheduled for release in 

mid 2006 and will be available on-line 

at http://www.nces.ed.gov/naal. 

The State of Literacy in America provides Level 1 literacy

information for every county in North Carolina.

A U.S. Census thematic map shows counties in North Carolina

with the highest percent of persons 25 years old and older with less

than 9 years of school in the darkest color.

30% or greater

20% to 30%

15% to 20%

10% to 15%

not available



What are ways to access documented indicators of literacy and 

limited English proficiency at a sub-State level?

The National Adult Literacy Survey

found that low literacy skills were 

closely connected to economic, 

social, and personal issues such as:

•	 Poverty – Forty-three percent of 

adults with Level 1 literacy skills 

were living in poverty, compared 

to 4 percent of those at Level 5.

•	 Welfare – The likelihood of 

being on welfare went up as 

literacy skills went down. 

Seventy-five percent of Food 

Stamp recipients had Level 1 or 

Level 2 literacy skills.

•	 Income – Adults with Level 1 

literacy skills earned a median 

income that was approximately 

35 percent of those with Level 5 

literacy skills.

•	 Employment status – Adults 

with Level 1 literacy skills 

worked an average of 19 weeks 

per year, compared to 44 weeks 

per year for those with Level 5 

literacy skills.

•	 Crime – Seventy percent of 

individuals in penal institutions 

had Level 1 or Level 2 literacy 

skills.

These and other indicators and/or 

surrogates of low literacy and limited 

English proficiency are addressed 

by a variety of Federal, State, 

county, and city agencies; municipal 

organizations; private associations; 

and corporations.

...U.S. Census

The U.S. Census website (http:

//www.census.gov) provides 

information on a variety of indicators 

and/or surrogates of literacy and/

or limited English proficiency. 

Information is available for county 

and a variety of sub-county levels in 

tabular and thematic map formats. 

Some of the indicators and/or 

surrogates found in the 2000 Census 

include:

St. Louis Region identified minority

populations by Census tract.

St. Louis Region identified poverty

distribution by Census tract.

0% - 33%

33% - 66%

66% - 100%

Very Low

Low/Lower

Moderate
10

•	 Educational attainment by degree 

level (Summary File 3 [SF 3] 

Quick Tables, Demographic 

Profile–2 [DP–2] Profile of 

Selected Social Characteristics).1, 2

•	 Population by one race and by 

Hispanic or Latino and race 

(SF 1 Quick Tables, DP-1 

Profile of General Demographic 

Characteristics).3

•	 Disability of the civilian noninstitutionalized population (SF 

3 Quick Tables, DP-2 Profile of 

Selected Social Characteristics).

•	 Employment (SF 3 Quick 

Tables, DP–3 Profile of Selected 

Economic Characteristics).

•	 Income in 1999 by households 

and families (SF 3 Quick 

Tables, DP-3 Profile of Selected 

Economic Characteristics).

•	 Language spoken at home (SF 

3 Quick Tables, DP-2 Profile of 

Selected Social Characteristics).

•	 Poverty status in 1999 of 

those below poverty level by 

families, families with female 

householder, no husband present, 

and individuals (SF 3 Quick 

Tables, DP-3 Profile of Selected 

Economic Characteristics).

•	 Τime leaving home to go to work 

for workers 16 years old and 

older (SF 3 Quick Tables, 

QT-P23).

•	 Units in structure (SF 3 Quick 

Tables, DP–4 Profile of Selected 

Housing Characteristics).

•	 Vehicles available per occupied 

unit (SF 3 Quick Tables, DP4 Profile of Selected Housing 

Characteristics).

...U.S. Department of Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 

Economic Research Service website 

(http://www.ers.usda.gov/emphases/

rural/gallery) provides a variety 

of thematic maps of county-level 

information for 1990 and 2000 

populations, and migration by 

Environmental Justice populations, 

and 1999/2000 labor, education, 

income, poverty, and welfare. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture

identifies metro and nonmetro

persistent poverty counties

(1970 – 2000).

1. U.S. Census Bureau, American 

Factfinder, Glossary, Summary File (SF), 

(http://factfinder.census.gov/home/

en/epss/glossary_s.html) (accessed 

December 3, 2005).

2. U.S. Census Bureau, American 

Factfinder, Glossary, Demographic Profile 

(DP), (http://factfinder.census.gov/home/

en/epss/glossary_d.html) (accessed 

December 3, 2005).

3. U.S. Census Bureau, American 

Factfinder, Glossary, Hispanic or Latino 

origin, (http://factfinder.census.gov/

home/en/epss/glossary_h.html) (accessed 

December 3, 2005). 

Nonmetro persistent 

poverty

Metro persistent poverty

Other Nonmetro

Other Metro
11

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 

Food Stamp program website (http:

//maps.ers.usda.gov/fsp) provides 

thematic maps of county-level 

information for 1999 per capita 

poverty and per capita Food Stamp 

program participation.

The Free and Reduced Price Meal 

programs are two low-income 

programs administered by the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture through 

public and private school systems. 

Eligibility for these two programs 

is based on the U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services’ annual 

low-income standards. Eligibility 

for the Free Meal program is based 

on 130 percent of the annual lowincome standards, and eligibility for 

the Reduced Price Meal program is 

based on 185 percent of the annual 

low-income standards. 

When using the Free and Reduced 

Price Meal programs eligibility 

numbers, elementary and middle 

school numbers provide better 

accuracy than the high school 

numbers. High school students are 

often embarrassed and do not want 

anyone to know they are on the Free 

and Reduced Price Meal programs; 

therefore, some of them do not 

accept meal cards and their numbers 

are underreported.

Information collected at the 

elementary-school level gives a more 

focused picture of the population 

within a smaller area because these 

schools have a smaller attendance 

boundary than middle and high 

schools. In some cases, such as rural 

areas, elementary-school attendance 

boundaries can provide information 

at almost the equivalent of Census 

block group or block levels. Some 

rural counties have only one high 

school, which will not provide any 

detailed information as to where the 

populations are located within the 

county.

U.S. Department of Agriculture shows the counties with the highest per

capita Food Stamp program participation in the darkest color (1999).
12

...U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education 

requires that every State Department 

of Education (or the equivalent) 

prepare an annual “Report Card” 

for each public school within that 

State. They are required to make 

this information available upon 

request on their website or through 

the individual county school system. 

Some of these “Report Cards” 

provide information about race and 

ethnicity, eligibility for the Free 

and Reduced Price Meal programs, 

migrant status, number of limitedEnglish-proficiency students, reading 

scores, and a variety of other topics. 

Because of the differences in the 

organizational structures within each 

State’s Department of Education, 

this information can be identified 

in different ways and is sometimes 

difficult to locate.

Each State’s Department of 

Education has an Adult and 

Community Education, and English 

as a Second Language (ESL) 

program or an equivalent. The State 

Director can provide up-to-date 

information about adult literacy 

and ESL at the county level. They 

can provide the name of the ESL 

Coordinator at each public school 

and the name of the county AdultLiteracy Coordinator.

The U.S. Department of 

Education’s National Center for 

Education Statistics website (http:

//www.nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch) 

provides student information for 

every public school in the Nation. 

This information is collected every 

August at the beginning of each 

school year and is never more than 

24 months old. The website provides 

contact information for each school, 

total number of students, number of 

students by race, number of students 

participating in the Free and Reduced 

Price Meal programs, and number of 

migrant students. This information 

is available in a spreadsheet for all 

schools during the past school year 

by county or city, and for each school 

individually. In addition, historic 

information is available for most 

schools as early as the 2001 school 

year. Having yearly information 

provides a real-time picture of the 

student population’s diversity.

Information on race provides a 

breakdown by number of White, 

African American, Asian (includes 

Pacific Islanders), Hispanic, and 

American Indian (includes Alaskan 

Natives) students. This information 

can provide insight into the number 

of families that may speak a language 

other than English, or in addition to 

English. Asking the school principal 

and the ESL Coordinator can provide 

additional insight into the language 

capabilities and literacy levels of 

the students’ parents. It is important 

to note that the U.S. Department 

of Education regards Hispanics as 

a race, whereas, the U.S. Census 

Bureau defines Hispanics as being of 

an ethnicity.

...individual State initiatives

Each State’s Office of Research and 

Statistics, or equivalent, compiles 

information on recipients of lowincome programs such as Medicaid,
13

Food Stamps, Supplemental 

Security Income, and Temporary 

Assistance for Needy Families. 

This information can be overlaid 

on Census tracts and is collected 

on a more frequent basis than the 

decennial Census. These State 

offices will provide this information 

to other State agencies through 

interagency agreements. The Office 

of Research and Statistics is often a 

part of or associated with a State’s 

Census data center.

...county agencies

Each State has a Department of 

Education, Department of Health 

and Human Services, and an 

Employment Security Commission 

or the equivalent. Identifying the 

county Adult Education, ESL, 

Social Service, and Employment 

Security Commission representatives 

and bringing them to the table can 

provide a picture of the community 

and how they serve them.

...municipal organizations

City, county and multi-county 

organizations such as Councils 

of Governments (COG) and 

Metropolitan Planning Organizations 

(MPO) often compile information 

relative to low-income status. The 

Charlotte County-Punta Gorda MPO 

in Florida utilizes housing-value 

information obtained from the county 

tax assessor’s office and maps this 

information. Those single-family

The Charlotte County-Punta Gorda MPO utilizes

housing value information to identify low-income areas.

Missouri identifies the location of Free and Reduced

Price Meal programs’recipients by county.

12.6% - 33.4%

33.4% - 42.5%

42.5% - 89.8%

Missouri=35.6%

0 - 15000

15000 - 25000

25000 - 50000

50000 - 100000

100000 - 250000

250000 - 2000000
14

units assessed at $25,000 or less 

were considered to be units that lowincome families could afford. This 

survey resulted in the identification 

of three previously unidentified lowincome communities. Depending 

upon when tax assessor information 

is updated or how frequently 

countywide and/or citywide 

appraisals occur, this information 

may be more current than Census 

information and more area specific.

...Modern Language Association

The Modern Language Association 

is a private association. Its website 

(http://www.mla.org) provides 

information extrapolated from the 

2000 Census on the top 30 languages 

spoken in every State, county, and 

zip code in the Nation by the number 

of speakers. This information is 

presented in tables and thematic 

maps. The website also provides the 

number of speakers by different age 

groups. This can provide insight into 

limited English proficiency. 

...GreatSchools, Inc.

GreatSchools, Inc. is a non-profit 

organization. Its website (http:

//www.greatschools.net) provides 

information about public, private, 

and charter schools in all 50 States 

and detailed school profiles for 

Arizona, California, Colorado, 

Florida, New York, Texas, and 

Washington. This site also provides 

State averages for race, ethnicity, 

and number of students eligible for 

the Free and Reduced Price Meal 

programs. In addition, this site 

provides information about student 

reading levels that, in turn, can 

provide insight into their parents’ 

reading ability.

Modern Language Association identifies the number of Hmong speakers for

every county in Wisconsin.
15

What special approaches are needed to outreach to low-literacy 

and limited-English-proficiency populations?

An individual who is low literate 

and/or limited English proficient is 

more than just a person who has poor 

reading, writing, and comprehension 

skills; and/or may not speak English 

well, or at all. These conditions 

affect a person’s ability to participate 

in the decisionmaking process at 

many levels, some obvious and 

others subtle. 

Having poor reading skills and the 

inability to speak English well, or 

at all, often relegates a person to 

low, wage-scale job(s). This affects 

their access to information online 

and in newspapers because they 

cannot afford to own a computer or 

subscribe to an Internet provider or 

newspaper. 

In addition, being low-income often 

limits or eliminates having personal 

transportation. Therefore, they may 

be dependent on others or public 

transit for mobility. This can affect 

their ability to attend a meeting 

outside of their community. It can 

mean that transportation may need to 

be provided, or the meeting location 

may need to be near transit or in their 

community. 

Often being low-income also means 

working second- or third-shift jobs 

or working two jobs. This affects 

an individual’s ability to attend a 

meeting; it can mean that meetings 

should be held on a weekend, during 

A public-involvement meeting was held in a community church so everyone

could walk to it.
16

the morning, or piggybacked onto 

another event they already may 

be attending. Providing food also 

encourages attendance at a meeting. 

It eliminates having to fix a meal at 

home, or making an extra stop for 

food on the way to a meeting. In 

some instances, it may provide the 

best meal the family has that day.

Low-literate and limited-Englishproficiency populations who cannot 

read, listen more carefully to what 

is said, how it is said, and who says 

it. Asking people “if they have time 

to talk with you” tells them they will 

not have to read or write anything, 

and will not be talked to, but talked 

with. Since they may not have the 

option of relying on written materials 

as an optional source of information, 

they often rely on radio, television, 

and word of mouth. Therefore, both 

the spoken words and the individual 

speaking those words are important 

and should be chosen carefully. The 

trust in which the speaker is held 

determines the credibility of the 

words being spoken.

Interviews were conducted orally so that low literacy would not be a barrier

to participation.
17

Look for clues that people cannot read English or another language

People who cannot read and/or 

write give physical and verbal clues. 

Because they are embarrassed by 

their inability to read and/or write, 

these clues are very subtle and easily 

can be overlooked. Often one person 

will sign in for several people. Other 

times, people will say, “My arthritis 

is bothering me, can you sign me 

in,” or “I need to take the comment 

sheet home and think about it, then I 

will mail it back.” Frequently, these 

comment sheets are never returned. 

Still other times, people simply avoid 

looking at a printed page. These and 

other clues must be recognized and 

responded to appropriately.

...I left my glasses at home

When asked to sign-in at a public 

meeting, a resident replied, I left my

glasses at home. A short time later, 

a second person said they too had 

left their glasses at home. Realizing 

some people in the community could 

not write and probably could not 

read, a staff member put a sign-in 

sheet on a clipboard and asked a 

community leader to stand at the 

entrance to the meeting place. As the 

community leader greeted everyone 

by name, the staff member wrote 

down names and asked for their 

addresses. It was apparent that if 

residents could not write their names, 

they would be unable to provide 

written comments. To ensure that 

the residents’ remarks were captured, 

comment sheets and a clipboard were 

given to each staff member. After 

residents were signed-in, they were 

divided into small groups and a staff 

member was assigned to accompany 

them into the display area. 

A sign-in sheet can be a barrier to participation for those who are low

literate.
18

Residents were asked where they 

lived and shown the location of their 

homes on the display map. After 

explaining each alternative, the 

staff member stepped back, let the 

residents talk among themselves, 

and recorded their comments. When 

the residents were finished talking, 

the staff member read back the 

comments to the residents to make 

sure their thoughts had been recorded 

correctly. The staff member also 

asked for their names, wrote these 

on the bottom of the comment sheet, 

thanked them for coming, and placed 

the comment sheet in the comment 

box.

...tell me what you are planning to 

do

If written material is put in front of 

someone who cannot read, they may 

only glance at it. Staffers should 

begin talking about the project with 

them so they will have enough 

information to ask questions. Give 

them a map, locate local landmarks, 

show them where they live, and 

tell them about the alternatives. By 

then, the fact that they cannot read 

becomes a non-issue. They can be 

interviewed orally and their remarks 

recorded.

...I want you to know what I think

The following is an example of the 

need to be sensitive and observant. 

At an open house, an older gentleman 

arrived early and spent a great deal 

of time looking at the display maps 

and drawings. He approached three 

different staff members. Each, in 

turn, had talked to him and then 

pointed to the comment table. 

Instead of going to the comment 

table, he approached a fourth staffer 

and voiced his concerns. Again he 

was asked to go to the comment 

table and fill out a comment sheet to 

document his concerns. Slowly, the 

older gentleman said he did not write 

very well. The staffer finally picked 

up a comment sheet, wrote down the 

man’s comments, and read them back 

to him. The man said thank you and 

left the meeting. The staffer added 

the comment sheet to the comment 

box.

Residents were taken in small groups into the display area and introduced to

the project.
19

Train staff members and use residents from the neighborhood

Not everyone makes a good 

interviewer. Many do not feel 

comfortable talking with those who 

are not like themselves or in settings 

that are foreign to them. Others 

may lack patience or be judgmental. 

Before sending anyone out to meet 

the public, engage them in roleplaying and present them with a 

variety of scenarios in which they 

may be placed. Since opportunities 

must be seized when they occur, staff 

members need to be comfortable 

anywhereon a front porch, in a 

back yard, under a clothesline, in 

an office, over a septic field, or in a 

Laundromat. Stress that everyone 

should be shown respect, addressed 

courteously, and treated with dignity.

...hire local residents

In Denver, CO, local residents were 

hired to interview people in their own 

community. This not only provided 

temporary jobs for many in the 

project corridor, but also eliminated 

the need to train outsiders. Nonresidents might ignore or miss the 

subliminal things that local residents 

would know; such as, how to talk 

to people, what kind of respect to 

show, how to engage them, and 

how to make them feel comfortable. 

Local residents also were hired as 

interpreters for those communities 

where many did not speak English.

...use someone who knows the 

people and their culture

A staff secretary, who was a former 

welfare mother and single parent, 

was asked to go out into the field and 

conduct interviews in a low-literate 

community. She was very effective 

because she knew what the residents

Local residents were hired to interview people in their own community.
20

were going through, what was 

important to them, and the lingo that 

they spoke. Other team members 

were able to learn a great deal by 

watching her.

...seek out the elders

Communities with low-literacy 

and limited-English-proficiency 

populations often do not have written 

histories because their residents 

could not write them. Instead, 

their histories are oral and kept 

alive by the community elders. 

Look for these elders, engage 

them in conversation, let them 

share their stories, and ask them to 

identify others who might be able 

to contribute to the community’s 

history. This can be time consuming, 

but the information conveyed in 

their remembrances will assist 

in identifying current concerns, 

uncovering past discriminations, and 

revealing familial relationships.

...use staff that reflects others in 

the community

In Atlanta, GA, the project 

involved widening an interstate and 

reconstructing an interchange in a 

predominantly minority and elderly 

community that had been divided 

by the construction of the original 

interstate. The Georgia Department 

of Transportation (DOT) staff sent to 

conduct interviews with the residents 

included a mix of ages and races. 

After visiting a community center 

and attempting to interview some of 

the residents, it became apparent that 

the residents talked more openly with 

those closer to their ages and of their 

same race. They wanted to talk with 

someone who appreciated their life 

experiences, respected their status in 

the community, and understood what 

they had gone through the first time.

Ask the elders to share their stories of the community’s history.
21

Provide food at the meetings

Often, food can serve as a catalyst in 

getting people to attend meetings. In 

many cases, it provides a backdrop 

for social interaction, demonstrates 

commitment to community vendors, 

and allows a parent to quickly pick 

up a child and get to a meeting 

without an extra stop. Still other 

times, it is a meal that otherwise 

might not have happened.

...the food, the chairs, and the 

tables

While being interviewed, residents 

in Denver, CO, were asked if they 

would sponsor a block meeting 

and invite their neighbors. Many 

were reluctant because their homes 

were small and their incomes were 

limited. They were told that the 

location and the food would be 

provided, and all they had to do was 

pick a day and time, and invite their 

neighbors. By using the neighbors to 

invite their neighbors, the invitations 

were conveyed by word of mouth. 

This meant that no one had to read 

anything and everyone got their 

invitation from someone they trusted 

in a language they understood. 

The block meetings were held in 

the middle of streets that had been 

closed off, in neighborhood parks, 

and in other convenient locations. 

The project team provided the food, 

chairs, and tables; and conducted 

presentations complete with displays. 

These small block meetings formed 

the foundation for the entire publicinvolvement effort. After holding 

more than 60 block meetings, larger 

multi-block neighborhood meetings 

were held. Following these, still 

larger corridor-wide meetings were 

held that brought together several 

neighborhoods. At each level, 

neighbors were still asked to invite 

neighbors and food was served.

The food, the chairs, and the tables were provided for block meetings

throughout the community. 
22

...culturally appropriate food

Food and drink are more appreciated 

in these settings than in others. It 

is not necessary to provide a meal, 

but the food can be used as a 

good icebreaker. The food should 

be culturally appropriate to the 

community. For example, Cuban 

sandwiches with pork would not 

be appropriate for a group that 

includes Muslims, Hindus, Jews, or 

vegetarians.

...a meal, not a snack

Instead of having just pizza at a 

meeting, food vendors from the I-70 

project corridor in Denver, CO, were 

used to provide meals. Even though 

this cost a little more, it showed the 

community that outside providers 

were not being brought into the area. 

These neighborhood food businesses 

ended up being partners with the 

project. In addition to food, as many 

services and products as possible 

were purchased within the project 

corridor, including printing services. 

This demonstrated to the community 

that the project coordinator was 

willing to spend money to strengthen 

the economic viability of the 

neighborhoods in the corridor.

...local spaghetti suppers

In Warren and Edmonson Counties, 

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 

(KYTC) asked local emergency 

management officials, volunteer fire 

department chiefs, and firefighters 

for help in getting the public to come 

out to meetings. The volunteer fire 

departments offered to let KYTC 

“piggyback” onto their scheduled 

chili suppers, spaghetti suppers, and 

auctions. This increased attendance 

by attracting people interested in 

both transportation and spaghetti. 

KYTC found this partnership more 

effective than holding big meetings 

at the public library.

Residents were served meals purchased from food vendors in the community.
23

Be aware that public meetings may not be part of some cultures, and/or government may 

have a negative connotation

Many who have limited English 

proficiency formerly lived 

in countries with repressive 

governments and may distrust 

government agencies. If providing 

community members with 

transportation to a meeting, or using 

an official government vehicle in 

the community, be aware that the 

color and type of vehicle used may 

have negative connotations. Until 

becoming part of the Department of 

Homeland Security, the Immigration 

and Naturalization Service used 

recognizable white vans and the 

Border Patrol used green sedans. 

State and Federal vehicles may 

frighten away residents because of 

the seals on their doors. 

...religious activities and ethnic 

festivals

In Columbus, OH, the Asian and 

Somalian populations are not 

predisposed to come to public 

meetings. Attending public meetings 

simply is not part of their culture. 

Because of their reluctance to attend 

meetings, churches and ethnic 

festivals were targeted along with 

social service agencies, schools, and 

the malls. 

...government buildings

Hispanic populations in Charlotte, 

NC, have been reluctant to attend 

meetings in government buildings. 

They preferred Hispanic-only 

meetings in safe environments, such 

California DOT consultant staff held a project meeting in a local school,

accessible to transit, and conducted in Spanish.
24

as churches. In many cases, they 

do not feel safe asking about or 

questioning a government action. 

When asked a “yes” or “no” 

question, the answer was generally 

“yes” because they did not wish to 

offend. This required that questions 

be posed in an open-ended format. 

Often, they came as a family, with 

the male answering any questions 

that were asked. The most effective 

presentations had limited written 

information, were filled with 

graphics, and included an interpreter.

...proximity to the police precinct

A neighborhood meeting was held 

at the local branch library, one of 

many functions housed in the new 

community complex. One of the 

other community functions housed in 

the same complex was a local police 

precinct. No one from the public 

attended the meeting. A debriefing 

with the neighbors revealed that the 

proximity to the police precinct kept 

people from attending.

...meetings just for them

In Milwaukee, WI, the project area 

was thought to include a Hmong 

community; however, it was 

difficulty to define it in terms of 

location and size. The Hmongs did 

not respond to mailings or telephone 

calls imploring them to attend a 

public meeting. This close-knit 

community was skittish among 

outsiders. Hmong America (http://

www.hmongamerica.com), a national 

group that helps Hmongs assimilate 

and assists with basic familyservice needs, provided assistance 

in communicating with the local 

Hmong community. The group’s 

director, who spoke both Hmong and 

English, suggested several methods 

to keep the community informed 

and recommended a service for 

interpretation and translation. As 

a result, an interpreter was used at 

meetings, and newsletters and fact 

sheets were translated into Hmong.

Wisconsin DOT held Hmong-only meetings in their community center that

improved attendance.
25

An individual who is low literate 

and/or limited English proficient 

often needs support services that 

others with better reading, writing, 

and comprehension skills in English 

may not need. Frequently, these 

services are federally funded; i.e., 

through USDA’s Nutrition Assistance 

Program (including Food Stamps 

for groceries) or HUD’s Housing 

Choice Vouchers (commonly known 

as Section 8 vouchers) for housing. 

Other times, a person’s immigration 

status requires interaction with 

government agencies, attorneys, 

and ministerial associations. New 

citizens may seek help from 

ethnic cultural associations, 

elected officials, and faith-based 

organizations. Such programs are 

often identified by word of mouth.

Immigrants often depend on ethnic 

or mainstream radio and television 

for information because they may 

not read or cannot afford “fee 

for services.” Such media and 

free ethnic newspapers provide 

excellent ways to give and receive 

information about a community. 

Radio and television call-in shows 

provide opportunities to exchange 

ideas or information via two-way 

communication. 

Organizations and municipalities 

often prepare a calendar of events 

that identify happenings where 

people gather and project information 

can be dispersed. Piggybacking on 

a scheduled event takes advantage 

of the public already in attendance. 

Being a part of a civic, social, 

Miami-Dade County (FL) MPO staff appeared on local Haitian television to

discuss projects.

What are the best ways to contact low-literacy and 

limited-English-proficiency populations?
26

educational, or sporting event 

provides an opportunity to interact 

with people in a situation where 

they are comfortable and feel safe. 

It also provides an opportunity to 

leverage the trust that an organization 

may have already established 

with their community. While 

elected officials and organizational 

leaders are appropriate places to 

start getting information about a 

community, building relationships 

with community insiders can provide 

a more day-to-day picture of the 

community. School principals, bus 

drivers, and ESL Coordinators are 

especially helpful. 

Students can be conduits to their 

parents and sources of information 

about when, where, and what time 

meetings could be held. They can 

also serve as beta-testers for surveys, 

newsletters, presentations, and 

displays.

Those with limited funds or who are 

just starting off in a new place often 

use Laundromats, discount stores 

like Wal-Mart, and grocery stores 

that accept Food Stamps and sell 

ethnic foods. They often depend on 

faith-based organizations for clothes, 

kitchenware, and furniture.

Each community has places where 

its members meet and interact. Often 

locating congregational places is 

as simple as driving through the 

community. Being in the community 

at various times of the day and night, 

and on weekdays and weekends is 

important because activities and 

varying travel patterns can turn an 

empty-area-during-the-week into a 

packed place on a weekend. 

Wal-Mart allowed Tennessee DOT’s consultant staff to distribute project

information and conduct interviews within a store.
27

Explore websites, national publications, and local newspapers

Federal websites for programs 

targeted to low-income populations 

provide information about where 

these populations may live and 

shop. National publications that 

target minority populations provide 

information on the location of 

offices of minority health, radio 

stations, newspapers, faith-based 

organizations, cultural groups, and 

political leaders. These provide 

information about where and how 

information can be disseminated and 

collected, and where meetings might 

be held. Even the Yellow Pages

and local newspapers can provide 

insight into communities and their 

representatives.

...Food Stamp program State 

field-office contacts

The U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Food and Nutrition 

Service field office website (http:

//www.fns.usda.gov/cga/Contacts/

FieldOffices/) identifies each State’s 

main field-office address, and phone 

and fax numbers. Each State’s 

Officer in Charge administers the 

agency’s Food Stamp program and 

can provide a list of businesses that 

accept Food Stamps, by zip code or 

county, with their address, phone 

number, type of business, and if they 

are open 24 hours or not. The Officer 

in Charge can also identify the period 

when the Electronic Benefits Transfer 

takes place in that State. Each State 

has the authority to designate its own 

period. During this time period, 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

electronically transfers benefits to 

each recipient’s Food Stamp credit 

card, which is the most likely time 

for recipients to shop.

Cashiers at a grocery store in Maysville, NC, placed project newsletters in

each grocery bag.
28

...U.S. Department of Housing 

and Urban Development

The U.S. Department of Housing 

and Urban Development websites 

(http://egis.hud.gov/egis and http:

//www.hud.gov/apps/section8/

index.cfm) provide information on 

Public and Indian Housing. The 

first website, under “Map Your 

Community,” provides thematic maps 

and detailed tabular information on 

multi-family complexes that accept 

Housing Choice Vouchers, on the 

elderly/disabled, and on the Internal 

Revenue Service Low-Income 

Housing Tax-Credit properties. The 

tabular information provides the 

property names, addresses, number 

of units, and number of Section 8 

units. The second website provides 

a list by county, city, and zip code 

of all subsidized apartments; for 

example, those accepting Section 8 

vouchers. It also provides a name 

and address for each complex, the 

complex manager’s phone number, 

and the type of complex (elderly, 

disabled, or family). Contact the 

complex manager about posting 

project information on the bulletin 

board and holding a meeting in the 

clubhouse. Using facilities in the 

complex eliminates the need for 

personal transportation, and makes it 

convenient and safe for residents to 

attend meetings.

...Administration on Aging

The Administration on Aging 

website (http://www.aoa.gov) 

includes an eldercare locator that 

provides the name and location of 

the local agency on aging by State, 

county, and/or city of organizations. 

These local agencies can provide 

more detailed information on their 

individual websites; information such 

as, senior-daycare facilities, housing 

and long-term-care facilities, and 

senior centers as well as scheduled 

events that could offer “piggyback” 

opportunities. Often these centers 

have their own buses that take their 

people to meetings. 

Utah DOT staff visited a senior center to conduct interviews.
29

Shepherd’s Centers, a national 

network of interfaith communitybased organizations provides 

social services and learning 

opportunities. Their website (http:

//www.shepherdcenters.org) provides 

location and contact information. 

...targeted national publications

There are several national 

publications that target selected 

populations. These include, but 

are not limited to, the African

American Yearbook, the Hispanic

Yearbook, and the People of Color

Environmental Groups.

The African American Yearbook is 

available in paper form and its data 

online via “Search the Database” at 

http://africanamericanyearbook.com. 

It provides information about:

•	 African American members 

of the U.S. Congress, State 

Representatives and Senators, 

National Black Caucus of State 

Legislators, and Mayors.

•	 African American conventions 

and events.

•	 Federal and State offices of 

minority health within each 

State.

•	 Historically Black colleges and 

universities, African American 

organizations, publications, 

radio stations, and faith-based 

organizations by city within each 

State.

The Hispanic Yearbook is available 

in paper form and its data online 

via “Search the Database” at http:

//hispanicyearbook.com. It provides 

information in English and Spanish 

about:

•	 Hispanics in the Nation’s and 

States’ legislative branches.

•	 Hispanic conventions and events.

•	 Federal and State offices of 

minority health within each 

State.

•	 Hispanic organizations, 

publications, television stations, 

radio stations, and faith-based 

organizations by city within each 

State.

•	 Hispanic-serving institutions 

(those colleges and universities 

where Hispanics constitute 25 

percent of the total enrollment).

The People of Color Environmental

Groups is available in paper form 

by ordering on the website (http:

//www.mott.org) under “Publications, 

browse” and “Special Publications” 

or for download online at http:

//www.ejrc.cau.edu/poc2000.htm. 

It provides information about 

environmental groups at the State 

and city level.

...local agencies, organizations, 

and groups

There are often many local agencies, 

organizations, and groups that have 

inroads to all levels of a community. 

Some of these include:

•	 The county and/or city in which 

the project is located can provide 

a calendar of local events, fairs, 

and festivals.
30

•	 The Chamber of Commerce can 

provide a list of its members who 

represent selected populations.

•	 Colleges or universities can 

provide the phone number 

of their international student 

association.

•	 The Public Information Officer 

at a military base can provide 

the name and phone number of 

ethnic associations.

Contact information for many of 

these local agencies, organizations, 

and groups can be found in the 

following places:

•	 The Yellow Pages can provide 

the phone number and address 

of ministerial associations, 

faith-based organizations that 

have non-English services, 

ethnic restaurants and grocers, 

and attorneys that provide 

immigration, green card, and visa 

services.

•	 Internet search engines can 

provide lists by typing in key 

words; such as, Hispanic or other 

group, plus the city or county of 

interest, plus organizations.

•	 The “Black Churches” website 

(http://www.theblackchurch

page.com) includes a church 

locator that provides the names, 

addresses, and phone numbers 

of African American churches; 

and their minister’s name and 

telephone number by State and 

city.

•	 The National Congress of 

American Indians website 

(http://www.ncai.org) 

includes tribal governments 

by area of the United States, 

tribe, representative, and 

contact information; tribal 

organizations by website and 

telephone number; Federal 

government contacts by website 

and telephone number; and 

associated organizations by 

website. 

•	 This website (http://www.mobile

homeparkstore.com/list.htm) can 

provide a list of manufacturedhome communities by State and 

city.

...local and regional newspapers

Reading the local and regional 

newspapers online provides a 

convenient and inexpensive way 

to monitor a project area. Copies 

of non-online newspapers can be 

obtained during site visits, and 

subscriptions can be placed for 

these newspapers. Through these 

news sources, a variety of local 

information can be gleaned about 

hot topics, local leaders, cultural 

activities, upcoming sports and 

special events, shopping locations, 

letters to the editor, project opinions, 

and multi-language services at faithbased organizations.
31

Talk to local officials and community insiders

While most projects begin with 

visits to formal leaders, such as 

elected or appointed officials, it is 

just as important to visit community 

insiders who have daily contact 

with the public. Information from 

these individuals should be verified 

for accuracy and used discretely to 

protect residents’ privacy.

...elementary school principals

In Jones County, NC, principals at 

the two elementary schools within 

the project area said that a high 

percentage of their students were 

eligible for the Free and Reduced 

Price Meal programs and 35 to 40 

percent of the students’ parents could 

not read or write. This discovery 

changed the way information was 

presented and collectedfrom 

sole reliance on written materials 

to the addition of one-on-one oral 

interviews.

...English as a Second Language 

coordinators

Through a Cumming, GA, local 

school’s English as a Second 

Language Coordinator, the Hispanic 

population was identified. This 

primarily Mexican population 

included many illegal aliens, but 

this was not an issue with the school 

staff since a high level of trust had 

been forged between the parents 

and the staff. Because members of 

the Hispanic community could be 

impacted by a transportation project, 

the Georgia DOT asked if they could 

“piggyback” on one of the school’s 

regularly scheduled meetings and 

address the parents. The Georgia 

DOT also asked the ESL Coordinator 

to assist as an interpreter in addition 

to providing native Spanish speakers 

A school principal discussed the number of students eligible for the Free and

Reduced Price Meal programs.
32

familiar with transportation and its 

language set. The trust between 

the school staff and the parents 

was evidenced by the question and 

answer exchanges. Parents were 

comfortable saying “I own my trailer. 

What will happen to me? I am not 

legal.” Reaching these residents 

and being able to discuss an array of 

project issues with them was possible 

because of several factors, including:

•	 The parents’ level of interest in 

their children’s education.

•	 The level of trust that existed 

between the parents and the 

school’s staff.

•	 The school staff’s willingness to 

allow the DOT to leverage this 

trust and address the parents.

•	 The utilization of a location 

where the parents felt safe, and 

at a time convenient for them.

•	 The inclusion of the ESL 

Coordinator and other nativeSpanish speakers.

•	 The minimization of the parents’ 

time by using one meeting to 

accomplish two purposes. 

...school bus drivers

While driving through a project area 

in Taylor County, KY, several school 

buses were sighted. The bus drivers’ 

names and contact information were 

obtained through the County school 

system and they were contacted by 

telephone about the families along 

their routes. They were able to 

identify the race, ethnicity, and size 

of each household. In addition, they 

knew if the households were multigenerational, the approximate ages 

of those in the households, if any 

household members had physical 

disabilities or had special needs, 

and how long the residents had 

lived in their homes. Many of the 

older bus drivers who were longterm area residents knew family 

histories and were able to identify 

where members of the same family 

lived. This information was helpful 

in understanding the fabric of the 

community and the co-dependences 

that existed between households. 

A bus driver shared information about those living along her route.
33

Form alliances with existing organizations

Forming alliances with existing 

organizations eliminates starting 

from scratch and provides an 

opportunity to leverage trust that 

these organizations have already 

established in their communities. 

These organizations can be helpful 

in identifying important individuals, 

being an intermediary between other 

organizations, and acting as a 

cosponsor for the project. In 

addition, these organizations can 

help distribute project information 

through their own membership.

...bus drivers’ unions

In Cincinnati, OH, interviewers rode 

the buses. They talked to riders 

and completed questionnaires with 

them while on the buses. Both the 

bus drivers and their union were 

involved in the process and allowed 

“tear-off” sheets with meeting times 

and places to be hung on the fare 

box. The bus drivers also assisted 

by telling their riders about the 

importance of planned meetings in 

terms of improving service, and often 

attended the meetings themselves.

...Native American tribal 

organizations

In Alaska, the Association of Village 

Presidents is an important liaison to 

the State’s 287 federally recognized 

tribes. This group provides an 

understanding of the culture, knows 

the best times for meetings, and 

identifies the importance of oral 

communications. This group has led 

public involvement, set up meetings, 

brought people to the meetings, 

and provided interpreters where 

necessary.

An Inupiat interpreter facilitates a public-involvement meeting for Alaska

DOT.
34

...health-care and faith-based 

organizations

Going through health-care 

organizations and personnel 

proved to be another successful 

way of accessing migrant farm 

workers, as did using faith-based 

organizations that provided them 

with housing, clothing, and food. 

These organizations served as 

intermediaries, delivering messages 

between the agency and the farm 

workers. This was important because 

the farm workers generally were 

unable to attend meetings during 

the day. They did not have “sick” 

or “vacation” days and could not 

take time off from work to attend 

meetings without fear of losing 

their jobs. This population had a 

great deal of fear in meeting with 

any “official” organization that was 

associated with the Federal or State 

government. By utilizing faithbased, health-care, and legal-aid 

workers to assist in meeting with 

migrant workers, a level of trust was 

developed. In several instances, the 

legal-aid workers actually conducted 

the interviews and reported 

the results back to the project 

consultants. In addition, migrantworker fairs were used to pass out 

information in Spanish and English 

to this population.

...community-based 

organizations 

At California DOT, a variety of 

community-based organizations 

were retained to help organize 

community meetings. Each of these 

organizations was familiar with 

their target communities and had 

connections within the communities 

that were respected by others. This 

respect chain opened many doors 

that might have been difficult to 

open otherwise. The communitybased organizations reviewed all 

information that would be sent to 

the communities to determine its 

effectiveness, and disseminated 

information in writing and verbally 

through their community networks.

Faith-based organizations often assist in meeting hard-to-reach populations.
35

Attend scheduled and special events

Being a part of scheduled and 

special events, and fairs provides an 

opportunity for exposure to a broader 

cross-section of the public and a 

larger number of people. In urban 

and rural areas, local school sporting 

events draw large, diverse crowds. 

In addition swap meets, rummage 

sales, flea markets, and farmers’ 

markets are effective places to rent 

space and conduct interviews.

...downtown weekly concerts

The website for the city of Mebane, 

NC, provided a schedule of their 

Friday night downtown weekly 

summer concert series. The City 

Manager was contacted and gave the 

project team permission to pass out 

project information across the street 

from the bandstand. A table was 

set up and a map of the alternatives 

was taped to the side of a building. 

As citizens walked toward or away 

from the bandstand, they were given 

a fact sheet and project newsletter, 

and asked to provide their names 

and addresses for the project’s 

mailing list. Local business owners 

and the general public reviewed the 

alternatives’ map, asked questions, 

and completed interviews. In 

addition, a local newspaper reporter 

stopped by, interviewed the project 

team, and wrote an article about the 

project.

...Mid-State fairs

For the California Statewide 

Transportation Plan, California DOT 

and AMTRAK formed a partnership. 

They set up an information booth 

at the Mid-State Fair in San Luis 

Obispo and raffled off an AMTRAK 

round-trip ticket from San Luis 

Obispo to San Diego. To be eligible 

A map of the alternatives was taped to a wall near the bandstand before the

concert.
36

for the raffle, the public had to fill 

out a questionnaire. As a result, 450 

people completed the California 

Statewide Transportation Plan 

questionnaire. In addition, California 

DOT took pictures of children 

wearing a hardhat and orange vest, 

and gave these to them. 

...voter polling places

During the week of the 2000 

presidential election, the project 

team was in the field in Maysville, 

NC. The county Voter Registrar was 

contacted and identified three polling 

places in the project area. During 

the previous election more than 70 

percent of those eligible to vote had 

voted in each of these polling places. 

At each polling place, a staff member 

was positioned at a table with chairs, 

project signs, maps of alternatives, 

newsletters, and questionnaires. For 

those completing questionnaires, 

cookies and soft drinks were 

provided. In addition, information 

was also distributed about the dates 

and time for upcoming meetings. At 

one of the polling places, members of 

the National Black Caucus directed 

voters to visit the project table. More 

than 80 interviews were conducted 

that day.

...mud sales

In Pennsylvania, “mud sales” are 

events that attract farmers and 

local citizens. This is a colloquial 

description for auctions that are 

typically held in the spring during 

mud season to benefit the local 

fire companies. The project was 

assigned a booth right next to a 

farmer selling horse manure. Project 

maps were displayed, a little banner 

was hung, and team members talked 

to attendees about the project. In 

addition, project articles were sent 

to the Amish newspaper and to local 

organizations that had their own 

newsletters.

Residents were interviewed outside of the polling places after they voted.
37

Visit Laundromats, grocery stores that accept Food Stamps, and discount stores.

Low-income populations often shop 

at discount stores and grocery stores 

that accept Food Stamps, and do their 

wash at coin-operated Laundromats. 

Wal-Mart has a history of being 

community-oriented and has been 

willing to work with local groups. 

Non-franchised national chains and 

independently owned local grocery 

stores also have a history of being 

civic minded.

...Laundromats

As part of the project’s 

reconnaissance, the only Laundromat 

in Mebane, NC, was identified. On 

Saturday morning, team members 

visited the Laundromat to conduct 

interviews. Because of the length of 

the wash and dry cycles, everyone 

had time to be interviewed. As the 

day wore on, the customer base 

began changing from Englishspeaking Whites to Spanish-speaking 

Hispanics. This was unexpected 

since the Census information had not 

identified any Hispanic population. 

Having no interpreter present and 

no translated materials, the team 

was unable to interview any of the 

Hispanic customers. However, 

the English-speaking customers 

identified several mobile home parks 

where Hispanics lived and described 

a growing Hispanic presence. 

...Independent Grocery 

Association stores

A survey of the project area revealed 

that the Independent Grocery 

Association store in Maysville, 

NC, was the only grocery store that 

accepted Food Stamps. The manager 

was familiar with his customers’ 

Residents at a Laundromat were interviewed as they waited for their clothes

to wash.
38

shopping habits, and identified both 

the days and actual times of the 

month when Food Stamp recipients 

generally shopped. He provided a 

table and chairs, and allowed staff 

members to display and hand out 

project information just inside the 

store’s entrance near the produce 

section. This location insured that 

almost all of the store’s customers 

would pass by the display table. 

Some customers had children waiting 

outside in the car or someone at 

home waiting for a meal and did not 

have time to complete questionnaires. 

However, most of them did have the 

time to answer a few questions. It 

was possible to determine who had 

received the project newsletter and 

whether or not they had heard of the 

project. Many of the elder shoppers 

took the time to be interviewed. 

Staff members were able to hand 

out information about an upcoming 

meeting, add names to the mailing 

list, and schedule times for one-onone interviews. In addition, the store 

manager agreed to place a project 

newsletter in every customer’s bag. 

He also asked for a project map and 

displayed it on the wall outside his 

office at the store’s other entrance.

...major discount stores

Wal-Mart allowed Missouri DOT to 

place a questionnaire on a kiosk in 

front of a store. The kiosk received 

1,000 hits per week during the 

2 months it was in operation. One 

of the questions asked was how had 

the person heard about the project. 

Almost every single person who 

responded said they had not heard 

about the project before filling out 

the questionnaire. Using Wal-Mart’s 

huge drawing power provided an 

opportunity to introduce a large 

number of people to the project. 

Project information was distributed and interviews conducted in a local

grocery store that accepted Food Stamps.
39

Use word of mouth, radio, television, and newspapers

The effectiveness of word of mouth 

is greatly underestimated. In 

communities where low literacy 

and limited English proficiency are 

common, the trust associated with 

the carrier of the news is transferred 

to the news itself. Public-awareness 

programs and public-service 

announcements on local mainstream 

and ethnic radio, television, and 

cable-access channels are also major 

news sources. 

...announcements from the 

pulpit

Local pastors in Denver, CO, 

announced from their pulpits that 

project staff would be visiting 

the schools, coming through the 

neighborhoods, and wearing yellow 

shirts and name badges with 

“I-70” stamped on them. Special 

emphasis was placed on recognition 

of the “I-70” logo because many 

community residents could not 

read. The ministers beckoned their 

congregations to open their doors and 

complete interviews. 

...radio reading services for the 

blind

Radio reading services, while 

they initially targeted the visually 

impaired, also serve those who 

cannot read and are a source of 

information dissemination. These 

services can be identified by 

searching on-line with the key words 

“reading services for the blind.” 

...media directories

Public relations companies, 

such as Gebbie Press (http://

www.gebbieinc.com), sell annual 

State media directories that provide 

information on print media (all daily, 

weekly, African American, and 

Hispanic newspapers) and broadcast 

Live media (all radio, TV, African coverage of a public hearings generated larger crowds than expected.
40

American and Hispanic radio) 

by format. Also, a variety of 

online services provide free media 

directories, including:

•	 http://www.radioblack.com

provides a list of African 

American radio stations by State 

and city.

•	 http://www.shgresources.com/

resources/radio provides a list of 

radio stations by State, city and 

format.

•	 http://www.shgresources.com/

resources/tv provides a list of 

television stations by State and 

city.

•	 http://www.shgresources.com/

resources/newspapers provides a 

list of newspapers by State and 

city.

•	 http://www.blackpressusa.com/

Network.asp provides a directory 

of local African American press 

websites by State.

•	 http://www.abyznewslinks.com/

unite.htm provides a list 

of ethnic and non-ethnic 

newspapers by State and city. 

...radio call-in shows

During a field visit to a Maysville, 

NC, project area, a staff member was 

approached by the owner of a local 

African American radio station and 

asked if the project manager would 

participate in a call-in show. The 

project manager agreed, and the 

station owner initiated a conference 

call with the project manager located 

more than 2 hours away. The callin show provided an opportunity to 

reach a focused audience, answer 

questions, discuss issues, dispel 

rumors, and provide information 

about upcoming events.

Miami-Dade County (FL) MPO participated in a local call-in show on

Haitian radio.
41

Involve school students

School students can serve as 

information conduits to their parents 

who may not be able to read in 

any language or speak English. In 

addition, their involvement in a 

project often spurs their parents’ 

interest to participate and builds 

community support. 

...an art contest for bridge 

designs

Through the Great American Teachin event, Florida DOT asked two art 

classes from a Tampa high school 

for help in designing the aesthetics 

for a new roadway and bridge so it 

would reflect their community. The 

students provided 40 out-of-thebox ideas and the project engineer 

selected the top eight ideas based 

on concept. The Florida DOT’s 

local district landscape architect and 

structural engineer then selected 

the four top designs based on the 

constructability and maintainability. 

The four student designers met with 

the Mayor of Tampa, who awarded 

a $100 gift certificate to the grandprize winner. As a result of the 

design contest, community support 

for the project was created.

...survey design

In Bowling Green, KY, the local 

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 

district office asked a third-grade 

class to beta-test a survey. The 

class included a number of students 

from low-income households, 

and recent Hispanic and Bosnian 

immigrants. They were told about 

the project and given a test survey to 

see if they could understand it. The 

survey was revised to incorporate 

their comments. Then, they were 

asked to take the survey home and 

interview adults, such as their parents 

or grandparents. The next day the 

students returned the interviews and 

were shown how their information 

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet staff asked third graders to beta-test a

survey before it was given to their parents.
42

would be used in the project. Later 

in the process, the students were 

asked to conduct a second interview 

to verify the project was on track. 

The student interviews increased 

parent interest in the project, the 

number of visits to project office, and 

the project mailing list.

...yearly calendar design

Each year the Chicago Area 

Transportation Study produces a 

calendar illustrated with student 

artwork. A theme is identified, and a 

letter is sent to every elementary and 

middle school in the six-county area 

asking them to provide a picture that 

could be used for one of the months. 

Additional materials are sent to the 

schools including a transportation 

teaching unit and an offer to speak to 

a class.

...“Where Do Roads Come 

From?”

The principal asked the project team 

to make a presentation to the fourth 

and fifth graders as a civics lesson in 

how roads are planned and located. 

A PowerPoint presentation called 

Where Do Roads Come From? was 

created and tested for clarity using 

one 11-year old. The presentation 

addressed three topics: the variety 

of professions involved, the impact 

categories examined, and the Federal 

laws that governed. At the end of 

the presentation, each student was 

given a homework assignment. They 

were asked to take home a map 

of their hometown, Pollocksville, 

NC, with all its environmentally 

sensitive areas identified, and talk to 

their parents about where the road 

should go. The next day, almost all 

the students returned the maps. In 

exchange, a certificate as a “junior 

environmentalist” was given to each 

student. This created the possibility 

of writing the project newsletter at 

the fifth-grade reading level so the 

students could read it to their parents 

if their parents could not read.

Third graders were asked to find out where their parents thought the road

should go as a homework assignment.
43

Let the public choose the meeting time, place, and size

In order to have well attended 

meetings, a myriad of cultural, 

social, employment, marital, and 

psychological considerations must 

be undertaken. Rather than assume 

when, where, what size, and what 

type of meetings to have–ask the 

residents!

...just ask

The Chicago Area Transportation 

Study has found that using people 

from the area was effective in 

reaching out to other people in 

the area. Listening to the public 

simplified their information-gathering 

process and kept the agency from 

choosing the wrong venue, the wrong 

time, and the wrong mechanism for 

public involvement. The agency let 

communities tailor the type of public 

involvement they wanted by asking 

them three questions:

•	 What ways do you normally get 

and give information? 

•	 What successful communication 

techniques do you use?

•	 What hours and locations are 

convenient for you to attend a 

meeting or other get-together? 

...community-based 

organizations

When updating their long-range 

plan, the Metropolitan Transportation 

Commission in Oakland, CA, gave 

community-based organizations 

grants to help design meetings that 

were appropriate for low-income and 

minority communities. They advised 

translating project materials, using 

large print, and teaching staff how to 

recognize when someone could not 

read. In addition, they recommended 

a number of techniques on how to 

recognize when someone could not 

Door-to-door interviews identified handicapped residents and their need for

transportation to a meeting.
44

read. They also recommended a 

number of techniques on how to 

invite people to come to a meeting. 

Some went door-to-door, while 

others distributed leaflets, used 

the media, issued press releases, 

and tried to get on community 

calendars. Those with active, large 

memberships just worked within 

their organizations. In addition, 

the Metropolitan Transportation 

Commission relied on their elderly, 

disabled, and minority/low-income 

advisory committees for ideas and 

oversight. 

...locational bias

On a project in Augusta, the Maine 

DOT held its first meeting at City 

Hall. It was not well attended. 

Citizens were asked why attendance 

had been poor. Several answered 

that people only went to City Hall 

to buy a dog license, pay taxes, or 

get a permit; but they did not go 

to meetings there. Upon further 

questioning of the public, the Maine 

DOT discovered that the poor 

attendance at the first meeting was 

because many residents opposed 

construction of the City Hall, still 

harbored resentment that their taxes 

had been used to build it, and refused 

to go there. Rather than have one 

second meeting, two meetings were 

heldneither was at City Hall. One 

meeting was on the east side of 

Augusta at a local elementary school 

and the other was on the west side of 

Augusta at another local elementary 

school. Both were well attended. 

Many of those who attended the 

second meetings had either attended 

these schools, or their children had 

attended these schools. 

Surveys included questions on where and when to hold public meetings.
45

...dangerous locations

The first meeting was held at Town 

Hall in Calhoun Falls, SC, a small 

town that was 50-percent African 

American and 50-percent White. 

Only about 18 of the 90 people who 

attended were African American, 

although one of the alternatives 

went through the African American 

community. After the meeting, the 

Mayor, who was African American, 

said the Ku Klux Klan was still 

active in the area. While everyone 

knew where Town Hall was, it was in 

the middle of a White neighborhood 

and African Americans were afraid 

to go through a White neighborhood 

after dark. The Mayor said there 

was a community center in the 

African American community where 

a meeting could be held. Two weeks 

later, on the Monday after Easter, 

a meeting was held in the African 

American community and more 

than 90 African Americans attended. 

In addition, four Whites attended. 

The attendance showed the African 

American residents were very 

interested in the project; however, 

they were not willing to put their 

lives at risk to attend a meeting 

at Town Hall. 

...childcare availability

Childcare, under the supervision of 

a licensed and bonded caregiver, 

was provided at the I-70 meetings 

in Denver, CO, so people could 

attend and bring their children. The 

childcare director had the children 

write short, one-act plays they 

performed at the end of the meetings. 

The children had such fun they 

encouraged their parents to take them 

to the corridor-wide meeting so they 

might do it again. By starting the 

meetings at 6:00 p.m. and providing 

a meal, the parents could leave work

Meetings held in a safe location like the community center increased

participation.
46

and pick up their children on the way 

to the meeting without having to stop 

and get supper. The meetings were 

over by 8:00 p.m. so the children 

could get home in time for bed. If 

childcare had not been provided, 

many single parents would not have 

been able to attend the meeting. 

...Sunday after services

In Clemson, SC, when project staff 

asked to address the congregation 

at the Wednesday prayer meeting, 

the minister suggested a better 

time would be on Sunday after the 

morning service, when every family 

brought a covered dish and ate 

together.

...one-on-one and/or small

meetings

During a 2-year study in Milwaukee, 

WI, approximately 200 one-on-one 

conversations and small meetings; 

and four, large, formal publicinvolvement meetings were held at 

various times of the day and night. 

The most productive meetings were 

the one-on-one and small meetings 

with neighborhood groups around the 

community. These were held in their 

churches or local offices, at whatever 

time was convenient for them, 

whether it was day or night.

...small neighborhood meetings

Approximately 60 small meetings 

were held on the I-70 project in 

Denver, CO, because many residents 

were uncomfortable voicing their 

opinions in front of others at large 

meetings. These small meetings 

were attended by 8 to 12 residents, 

were held in the neighborhoods, and 

provided the opportunity to address 

issues and concerns in detail. Small meetings with neighborhood groups were held in a community church.
47

Use interpreters and translated materials

Interpreting and translating apply 

not only to languages but also to 

concepts, such as noise attenuation. 

...dueling blenders

In Denver, CO, at a community 

meeting on the I-70 project, noise 

levels were explained using blenders 

and noise meters. In a silent room, 

first, everyone was asked to look 

at the meter readings. Then, one 

blender was turned on and the meters 

were re-examined. Following that, 

a second blender was turned on and 

the meters were again re-examined. 

The residents saw the noise levels 

did not double although the number 

of blenders did. To demonstrate 

the effect that distance from a noise 

source makes, the blenders were 

moved away from the noise meters 

at different intervals and the meters 

examined at each interval. The last 

experiment moved the blenders 

behind a blackboard to show the 

effect of a noise wall on noise 

reduction.

...language paddles and “fare 

box Spanish” 

At TriMet, the public transit 

agency in Portland, OR, their 

bus and light-rail operators work 

alongside outreach workers from the 

Immigrant and Refugee Community 

Organization to educate newly 

arrived immigrants on how to use 

transit services. Operators also 

receive on-going Spanish language 

tips called “fare box Spanish.” The 

tips include phrases that operators 

might use daily; such as, answering 

fare questions, providing directions, 

encouraging safe behavior, and 

informing customers of transfer 

Blenders were used to explain and demonstrate the effect of distance on

noise levels.
48

points. In addition, operators are 

provided with a language paddle 

that provides key transit phrases 

in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and 

Vietnamese. Customers are also 

encouraged to use the Customer 

Service Call Center, where operators 

work alongside a contracted local 

interpretation agency to provide 

second-language services in 17 

different languages.

...limited English proficiency

California DOT asked the California 

Department of Education to 

identify the largest student groups 

of limited-English-proficient 

students Statewide. Using this 

information, the California Statewide 

Transportation Plan’s tri-fold 

brochure was translated into Spanish, 

Chinese, and Vietnamese.

...local interpreters

The New Mexico DOT has one of 

their information centers in a local 

business that is off a reservation, 

but on the main road. The business 

owner speaks English and the native 

language, and is known by the locals. 

When residents come into the store 

to buy their food, they receive project 

information from a trusted source in 

their own language at the same time. 

...bilingual staff

One of the New Mexico DOT 

Regional Transportation Districts 

is located where Spanish is the 

predominant language, so all the staff 

members speak Spanish. Everything 

they do is in Spanish and in English. 

Being bilingual enables them to 

go out into the community, attend 

local meetings, and get to know the 

residents.

Bilingual staff were able to conduct meetings in both Spanish and English

communities.
49

Play a public-involvement game

Games that minimize the use of 

written material and give each 

participant the same influence 

provide a level playing field for 

everyone.

...“Strings and Ribbons”

The Volusia County (FL) 

Metropolitan Planning Organization 

(MPO) used “Strings and Ribbons” 

as their main public-involvement tool 

for their Long-Range Transportation 

Plan (LRTP). This game offered 

a number of advantages over 

traditional public involvement, such 

as:

•	 Leveling the playing field by 

giving every player the same 

amount of money and influence.

•	 Eliminating the conflict between 

the public and the MPO, or 

another agency, by requiring 

the public to reach a consensus 

among themselves.

•	 Relying on almost no written 

information, all populations 

including low literacy, limited 

English proficient, and visually 

impaired can play.

•	 Providing project-specific 

recommendations. 

•	 Constructing maps that 

visually document the citizens’ 

transportation choices.

•	 Letting citizens explain their 

choices to others.

•	 Including a mechanism for 

ranking the choices.

The MPO displayed each map 

by session on their website (http:

//www.vcmpo2025.com/input.html), 

took the improvements identified by 

the public, prioritized them based 

on how many times an improvement 

was listed. The MPO defined the

Volusia County (FL) MPO plays “Strings and Ribbons” during a Spanish

Association scheduled meeting. 
50

“Public’s LRTP” by taking the 

LRTP budget and applying it to this 

prioritized improvement’s list until 

the budget was expended. This list 

was then given to the MPO Board 

and modeled along with other plans. 

High school and college students, 

Hispanic associations, housing 

authority residents, emergency 

response personnel, bicycle and 

walking clubs, senior groups, 

faith-based organizations, visually 

impaired groups, and members of 

the general public have played. 

As a result, interest in the MPO 

process and participation at the MPO 

meetings have increased.

...Transopoly

The Center for Neighborhood 

Technology (CNT) in Chicago, 

IL, utilizes Transopoly, a version 

of “Strings and Ribbons” played 

with ribbons and dots. It is a good 

process for identifying transportation 

infrastructure needs as part of 

the Long-Range Transportation 

Planning (LRTP) process. The 

game documents the public’s LRTP; 

then it is sent to the Chicago Area 

Transportation Study, the area’s 

MPO. One year, information was 

collected at each of 19 small group 

meetings held throughout the area. 

From this information, a series of 

small group reports was drafted 

and returned to the game players 

for them to verify that their vision, 

values, problems, and solutions had 

been correctly stated. Once public 

approval was obtained, an area plan 

was prepared. After all of the area 

plans were completed, one plan was 

created for the region. The game 

has been played with residents who 

cannot read, do not speak English, 

are deaf or hard of hearing, and are 

visually challenged.

The CNT’s Transopoly game allows a player to explain his team’s concept in

sign language.
51

Incorporate magnets, color, and symbols

Project magnets have lasting power, 

color can increase visibility and 

provide an element of protection, and 

symbols easily convey information.

...refrigerator magnets

Maine DOT created project 

refrigerator magnets and passed these 

out at public advisory committee, 

scoping, and public information 

meetings. On the magnets were 

the Maine DOT logo, the project 

name and website address, and the 

project manager’s division telephone 

number. The magnets proved 

effective because people kept them 

and displayed them in an area they 

see every time the refrigerator is 

opened. 

...colored T-shirts

The mayor asked each of the team 

members to wear a plain bright green 

T-shirt to the project’s first series of 

public-involvement meetings. She 

anticipated a large crowd and wanted 

to make it easy for anyone to identify 

a team member, even from across 

the room. Although more than 250 

residents packed the gymnasium, 

the public could pick out the team 

members without having to get close 

enough to see a name tag. 

...visual protection

Everyone going into the Denver, CO, 

neighborhoods to conduct interviews 

wore a yellow shirt with the I-70 

logo and a picture identification card 

around their neck. This was done 

to protect both those conducting 

the interviews and those being 

interviewed. Yellow was chosen 

because it was easy to spot and 

could be seen from a distance. For 

additional safety, two-person teams 

were used and each team had a 

walkie-talkie. The 10 or more teams 

stayed together and moved through 

Staff wore green T-shirts so they could be identified without the public

having to read a name tag.
52

the neighborhood block by block. 

Seeing a large number of yellowshirted interviewers in their block 

made it easier for residents to feel 

safe about opening their doors. It 

peaked their interest and made 

them want to know what was going 

on in their neighborhood. If team 

members were invited into a home, a 

project bag was hung on the outside 

of the front door to let the project 

manager know their location. All 

teams waited until everyone was 

present until moving on to the next 

block. This strategy kept all the 

teams in sight of each other and 

provided a way to keep the length of 

the interviews within a reasonable 

time limit.

...squares of paper with pictures

On a small neighborhood project, 

2- by 2-inch squares of paper with 

pictures of stop signs, landscaping, 

sidewalks, potholes, a speeding car, 

and water standing in the road were 

used in place of questionnaires. 

Street names were written on the 

neighborhood map because most 

people knew how to read and write 

their address. Residents were asked 

for their address and shown where 

they lived. Staff members engaged 

the public in conversation about 

neighborhood problems and possible 

solutions. The meaning of each 

square was identified, and residents 

were asked to tape the squares 

on the map where they thought 

improvements should be made. Staff 

also offered to place the squares on 

the map for residents. Blank squares 

were also available to illustrate 

any other problems the residents 

identified. 

Team members wore yellow shirts to identify themselves while out in the

neighborhoods, and at all project functions.
53

Use photographs, 3D animations, and videos

Pictures are worth a thousand words 

in any language. They can quickly 

simplify the most complex concept. 

...color-coded roadway

alternatives

While people might not be able to 

read the word yellow, most know it 

by sight. Rather than label roadway 

alternatives with written descriptions, 

each was shown in a different 

color. Care was taken to make 

sure colorblind individuals could 

distinguish the colors used. Each 

alternative’s color was also shown on 

the corresponding cross-section view 

that the driver sees. If the red and 

yellow alternatives were used, then 

the broad stripes of red and yellow 

would be shown under that crosssection view. To make the crosssection views look realistic, trees, 

grass, people, sidewalks, and cars 

were included.

...before-and-after photos, 

morphs, and 3D animations

Depending upon the size and 

complexity of a project, a 

combination of visual techniques 

may be used. If the project is 

a simple widening, before-andafter photos are used. One photo 

shows the existing conditions and a 

photographic rendering shows the 

“after” conditions. This technique 

provides a relatively inexpensive way 

to show several widening alternatives 

at the same location and/or at 

different locations.

Each alternative was identified by using a different color, rather than a

different name.
54

If the project is a more complex 

widening, either before-and-after 

photos or a computer-generated 

series of different pictures (a morph) 

are used. The morph presentation 

starts out as a still photograph and 

then slowly adds features; such as, 

additional lanes, a planted median, 

bike lanes, sidewalks, or bus pull 

offs. This presentation is repeated in 

30-second cycles.

If the project is a new multi-lane 

road, a computer-animated “3D drive 

through” can be used. This shows 

what it would be like to drive the 

new facility.

...looped videos at public 

hearings

Mississippi DOT’s in-house 

video group produces videos for 

approximately 85 percent of their 

public hearings. For most projects, 

a 10- to 12-minute, continuously 

running, loop video is prepared. 

However, larger, more complex 

projects require longer videos. 

The video begins with the DOT’s 

Executive Director welcoming 

citizens to the meeting and providing 

an introduction to the project. 

The environmental and projectdevelopment processes are described, 

project-specific issues are identified, 

and the project’s purpose and need 

are discussed. Footage of the project 

corridor is shown from a driver’s 

perspective, and environmentally 

sensitive areas are highlighted. 

The video provides the public with 

background information before they 

proceed into the next part of the 

public hearing, with the viewing of 

aerial photographs, cross-section 

views, and the alternatives. To date, 

the videos have been in English only, 

although it would be easy to provide 

voice tracks in other languages.

Mississippi DOT uses a continuously running, looped video at public

hearings to welcome residents, introduce the project, and describe the

process.
55

What were the lessons learned?

Several lessons emerged during the 

research of this “best practices” report.

...some are unaware of the 

levels of low literacy and limited 

English proficiency that exist

The first lesson is how many 

practitioners are unaware of the 

state of literacy in America and 

the impact of limited English 

proficiency. Overall, practitioners 

are not conscious of the scale 

and distribution of the literacy 

and limited English proficiency 

problems. As a result, they do not 

understand the apparent correlations 

to low literacy and limited English 

proficiency of such characteristics as: 

•	 Low-income.

•	 Second- and third-shift work 

hours.

•	 Transportation dependency. 

•	 Single head-of-household 

families. 

•	 Level of governmental distrust. 

•	 Ιmportance of meeting location. 

•	 Lack of access to subscription 

media, including newspapers and 

websites. 

Independent or combined, these 

factors are barriers that affect the 

success of outreach and level of 

public engagement. 

Not having anyone attend a public 

meeting is most likely a sign of lack 

of effective engagement rather than 

lack of public interest. Low turnout 

can be due to the public’s constraints 

and abilities to participate. In 

other instances, it is simply an 

unwillingness to change the way it 

has always been done.

...some find creative ways to 

include those who are low 

literate and have limited English

proficiency

The second lesson is that there 

are ways to include low-literacy 

and limited-English-proficiency 

populations. It is feasible to consider 

the correlations associated with low 

literacy and limited English

Holding meetings at times that conflict with the public’s work schedule often

results in poor attendance.
56

proficiency, and devise solutions 

to engage these populations. 

Solutions can involve leveraging, 

innovation, flexibility, adaptability, 

creativity, frugalness, common 

sense, politeness, and humbleness. 

Successful practitioners are alert to 

the subtleties often overlooked or 

misunderstood by others. Rather 

than assume, they ask. They 

realize that data obtained through 

conventional sources is twodimensional, and that a community’s 

true picture and willingness to 

participate often emerges with faceto-face engagement. 

The “best practices” described in this 

report are a testament to practitioners 

who use their ingenuity and 

determination to communicate with 

and engage the public in whatever 

manner is necessary.

...educators and literacy 

counselors indicate that low 

literacy and limited English

proficiency will be a long-term 

condition

The third lesson is that low literacy 

and limited English proficiency 

will continue to be a long-term 

issue. Large numbers of students 

still dropout before completing high 

school, while many others finish high 

school but cannot read. Utilizing the 

data sources and incorporating the 

techniques identified and described 

in this report will equip practitioners 

with valuable, proven tools in 

providing everyone with meaningful 

access to relevant information and 

decisionmaking.

...in closing

This publication ultimately acts as 

a resource guide for transportation 

planners and practitioners. While 

this publication has many detailed 

examples of “best practices,” 

planners and practitioners are not 

limited to these examples. It is reemphasized that when doing surveys 

and interviews, confidentiality 

and right-to-privacy issues must 

be taken into consideration. It is 

important to understand the abilities 

and limitations of low-literacy 

and limited-English-proficiency 

Considering the public’s abilities and constraints when planning public populations when planning outreach.

outreach can result in well attended meetings.