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Project Communication Plan

Integrated Planning and Federal Lands Access Programming Support: 

Oregon FLAP Statewide Needs Assessment

June 1, 2022

Communication Plan Purpose and Goals

The purpose of the Communication Plan for the Oregon FLAP Statewide Needs Assessment is to ensure that 

there are clear lines of communication between the public agencies responsible for making decisions and 

the constituents they represent in the planning process. This project is funded through the Federal Lands 

Planning Program (FLPP) and the Oregon State Planning and Research Program (SPR) and it is important 

that there is a high level of transparency to ensure the study is inclusive of all statewide user groups that 

rely on the state and local transportation system to gain access to adjacent federal land. The intent of the 

Communication Plan is to inform, solicit input, and gain support from public agency representatives and 

their partners from other organizations while also keeping the general public informed.

The Communication Plan is tailored to accommodate a variety of diverse interests. No formal process is 

required (i.e. no NEPA process) as part of the Needs Assessment; however, the outreach effort will be 

thorough enough such that buy-in is obtained and feedback is sought from multiple sources. The 

stakeholders are divided up by organizations, level of government, and roles and responsibilities, though 

there will be overlap among these groups. It will also be critical to identify groups that may potentially be 

opposed to this effort and to formulate a strategy to hear their dissenting opinions and strive to achieve 

common ground.

The communication goals for Oregon FLAP Statewide Needs Assessment are:

• Establish open lines of communication between the public agencies responsible for completing the 

Needs Assessment. 

• Provide timely information on project status and findings to all affected partners and stakeholders, 

defined later in this plan.

• Provide clarity on the development of key messages throughout the process, how messages will be 

disseminated and who is responsible for media contacts. 

• Solicit input early on and often from all those who are interested in informing the development of 

the Needs Assessment. 

• Provide opportunities for all interested parties to express their concerns, priorities, and ideas.

• Establish connections and foster increased coordination among local, regional, state, federal, and 

tribal partners in the transportation planning and programming process.

Content may need to be tailored to specific audiences, depending on their level of knowledge, level of 

interest, and awareness of both the planning process and the role of transportation. All communication 

materials and project deliverables shall be developed in close collaboration with a diverse set stakeholders 

with varying degrees of interested in the development of the Needs Assessment. After the Needs 

Assessment planning process has been initiated, the Project Delivery Team will develop a detailed Public 

and Stakeholder Involvement Strategy to guide engagement after the Scope of Work is finalized. A project 

website will be created for distributing information to stakeholders and the public. 
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Partners & Stakeholders

The level of outreach to each participant in this project will vary based on their status as a project partner or 

stakeholder: 

• Partners are defined as participants who have a decision-making role in the Federal transportation 

planning and programming process. This role will vary based on geography and system ownership. 

As these agencies have a higher level of authority associated with eventual implementation of this 

study, they are afforded the highest level of engagement.

• Stakeholders are defined as participants that may be affected by a transportation plan, program, or 

project. These agencies provide influence into the transportation planning and programming 

process.

Role Agencies Purpose

Lead Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Western 

Federal Lands Highway Division (WFL)* 

• Lead agency for project delivery.

• Develop and manage project scope, 

schedule, budget.

• Facilitate project outreach.

• Draft technical memos and final 

report.

Partners

• FHWA Oregon Division

• Federal Land Management Agencies (FLMA): 

o Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

o National Park Service (NPS)

o United States Army Corps of Engineers 

(USACE)

o United States Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)

o United States Forest Service (USFS)* 

o United States Fish and Wildlife Service 

(USFWS)*

• Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)* 

• Association of Oregon Counties (AOC)* 

• Tribal Governments

• Oregon Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) 

Programming Decisions Committee (PDC) 

• Oregon Metropolitan Planning Organizations 

(MPOs)

• Counties and municipalities

• Receive project updates from the 

project manager at regularly 

scheduled meetings

• Be informed when key milestones are 

reached

• Participate in needs identification and 

prioritization workshops. 

• Review project findings for accuracy 

and applicability.

• Ensure project documentation 

supports implementation.

Stakeholders

• Congressional representatives

• Special interest groups, including businesses

• Oregon Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) 

Transportation Advisory Group (TAG)

• Oregon-Washington Transportation Working 

(inspiration) Group (TWiG)

• ODOT Area Commissions on Transportation 

(ACT)

• Community members

• Be informed when key milestones are 

reached.

• Opportunity to review key 

deliverables and provide comment 

before the study is finalized.

*indicates core project management team representative
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Outreach Framework

The below table demonstrates the outreach approach through each task of the Oregon FLAP Needs Assessment. 

Study Task Estimated 

Timeframe

Key

Participants Outreach Purpose Outreach Strategies

Project 

Management

March 2022 – 

March 2024

WFLHD and 

Core PMT

o Inform project partners of project status.

o Seek feedback on project progress.

o Seek guidance on next steps throughout 

project.

o Kickoff meeting

o Monthly status meetings

o Develop briefing materials to share with 

partners

o Create and manage project website

o Presentations at recurring, non-FLH meetings

o Closeout meeting

Existing 

Conditions & 

Literature 

Review

March 2022 – 

August 2022

WFLHD,

Core PMT, 

and Partners

o Obtain existing data resources, plans, 

studies, and other related information to 

define current conditions of federal lands 

access. 

o GIS-based mapping of existing data resources

o Surveys and other feedback instruments

o Others, as applicable

Needs 

Assessment

September

2022 – March 

2023 

WFLHD,

Core PMT, 

and Partners

o Affirm accuracy of findings from Task 2 – 

Existing Conditions and Literature Review. 

o Identify additional transportation 

challenges and needs. 

o Facilitated workshops

o Collaborative needs mapping

o Direct communication

o Others, as applicable

Prioritization

Criteria & 

Needs 

Ranking

April 2023 – 

August 2023

WFLHD,

Core PMT, 

and Partners

o Define prioritization criteria inputs

o Confirm final prioritization criteria 

o Affirm results of access needs 

prioritization 

o Facilitated workshops

o Direct communication

o Others, as applicable

Final 

Reporting 

September

2023 – March 

2024

WFLHD,

Core PMT, 

Partners, 

and 

Stakeholders

o Ensure accuracy of final report.

o Communicate findings and share final 

report

o Direct communication
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Project Outreach Strategies

WFLHD, in coordination with the Core Project Management Team (PMT) and Advisory Groups detailed 

below, will conduct outreach through a variety of tools that meet the needs of the project partners and 

stakeholders. Public outreach strategies for the Oregon FLAP Needs Assessment are described in the 

following sections. 

PMT and Advisory Groups

A PMT was formed to ensure the project approach, findings, and deliverables align with project goals and 

community needs at key project milestones. This multi-agency team meets regularly to oversee issues 

related to project scope, schedule, and budget. The PMT includes one person from the following agency:

• United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FLMA – Department of the Interior)

• United States Forest Service (FLMA – Department of Agriculture)

• Oregon Department of Transportation

• Association of Oregon Counties

In addition to the PMT, the Oregon FLAP Needs Assessment will be guided by established working groups 

that are involved in transportation planning and programming. These groups include:

• Oregon FLAP Programming Decisions Committee (PDC) – The PDC, composed of a Federal, State, and 

Local representative, is responsible for making programming decisions for the Federal Lands Access 

Program in that state. The PDC develops statewide processes and evaluation criteria, establishes 

“Call for Projects”, reviews proposal applications, evaluates and selects projects, and monitors the 

health of the program of projects.

• Oregon FLAP Technical Advisory Group (TAG) – The TAG supports the PDC as requested, often during 

FLAP “Call for Projects”. TAG membership includes FLAP coordinators from the State DOT and 

FLMAs. 

• Oregon-Washington Transportation Working (inspiration) Group (OR-WA TWiG) – The OR-WA TWiG was 

established to implement the Pacific Northwest Federal Land Management Agency Collaborative 

Long Range Transportation Plan and has been meeting bi-monthly since 2019 to collaborate on 

federal lands transportation planning and programming activities. This working group resulted from 

a partnership among the NPS, USFWS, USFS, BLM, USACE, and FHWA, and includes all transportation 

system owners and their supporters within Oregon and Washington. In addition to the FLMAs, the 

OR-WA TWiG includes representation from the Oregon Department of Transportation, Washington 

State Department of Transportation, Association of Oregon Counties, Washington State County 

Road Administration Board, FHWA Oregon and Washington Division Offices, the Federal Lands Tribal 

Transportation Program, and the U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe National Transportation 

Systems Center.

The PMT and Advisory Groups will provide oversight and guidance throughout the Needs Assessment 

planning process, and will also serve as project liaisons. The PMT and Advisory Groups know the 

communities they serve best and WFLHD will rely on these individuals to assist with outreach to ensure 

stakeholders and the public are aware of opportunities for engagement. In addition to facilitating the PMT 

monthly meetings, the project manager will provide regular updates to the above advisory groups 

throughout the duration of the Needs Assessment.
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Other Recurring Meetings and Conferences to Leverage

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Area Commissions on Transportation (ACT)

ODOT ACTs are advisory groups chartered by the Oregon Transportation Commission that provide a forum 

for stakeholders to collaborate on transportation issues. The ACTs are intended to strengthen state and 

local partnerships in transportation planning, programming and development, and play a key advisory role 

in the development of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). There are twelve (12) 

ACTs in Oregon, with broad membership representation from local, state, federal, and tribal entities. 

WFLHD will coordinate with the ODOT Statewide ACT Liaison to deliver a short presentation on the Oregon 

FLAP Needs Assessment at each ACT. The presentation will highlight the purpose of the project, scope, 

schedule, and opportunities for involvement from interested ACT participants. It is anticipated that WFLHD 

will engage with and provide updates to ACT at key milestones throughout the FLAP Needs Assessment

planning process. 

Oregon Association of County Engineers and Surveyors (OACES)

The OACES hosts annual meetings and conferences that convene county officials familiar with local 

transportation system needs. WFLHD will provide an overview of the FLAP Needs Assessment at the May 

and June 2022 OACES virtual meetings and use these meetings to gather initial feedback from local partners 

on federal lands access. The 2022 OACES Fall Conference is another existing event that the project delivery 

team will leverage to meet with a broad range of local partners during the Needs Identification Workshop 

task.

Tribal Outreach

Tribal consultation will be conducted in accordance with the USDOT Tribal Consultation Plan, the ODOT 

Government-to-Government Relations Policy (Policy INT 13), and the ODOT Tribal Consultation for Statewide 

Transportation Plans and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program process, as well as applicable 

Federal Land Management Agency and partner policies. In addition to engaging with tribal governments 

through the ODOT ACTs, WFLHD will reach out to the Oregon Legislative Commission on Indian Services to 

deliver a presentation on the project scope and solicit feedback on how to best engage with the tribes 

during the FLAP Needs Assessment. WFLHD will provide a copy of the draft report to Tribal Governments for 

review and comment. 

The Project Communication Plan will be updated to reflect input received from the Oregon Legislative 

Commission on Indian Services.

Online Presence

Maintain Project Website and Inbox

A project website will be created early in the planning process with key information related to the Needs 

Assessment background, purpose, scope, timeline, opportunities for engagement, and project management 

contact information. The website will be hosted by WFLHD and the project manager will be responsible for 

updating its content as new material is available. A project e-mail and inbox will be available for capturing 

and responding to public comments and inquiries.

Publishing Deliverables for Review and Comment

All draft project deliverables will be posted to the project website for public review and comment. Final 

deliverables will also be made available on the project website, following public review and comment.
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Addressing Media Inquiries

All media inquiries and interview requests should be directed to the Office of Public Affairs at 202-366-0660 

or by email to FHWA.PressOffice@dot.gov. 

The Oregon FLAP Needs Assessment will include virtual, in-person, and hybrid workshop events to 

collaboratively identify access needs and priorities across the state. These workshops will be hosted and 

facilitated by WFLHD, with a focused invitee list composed of transportation system owners, Federal Land 

Management Agencies, and other key stakeholders. It is anticipated that these workshops will take place in late 

2022 and early 2023. A separate workshop “playbook” will be developed at a later date and will include 

detailed information related to invitee lists, meeting materials, and workshop engagement approaches. This 

Project Communication Plan will be updated to include more information about the workshop events when it’s