Promising Practices for Meaningful 

Public Involvement in Transportation 

Decision-Making 

October 2022 
U.S. Department of Transportation 

CONTENTS 

1. FOREWORD............................................................................................................................. 1 

2. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 2 

3. ADDRESSING CRITICAL GAPS................................................................................................ 3 

4. MEANINGFUL PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN TRANSPORTATION DECISION-MAKING .............. 5 

5. BUILDING PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT CAPACITY ......................................................................11 

6. MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT STRATEGIES...............................16 

7. TECHNIQUES FOR MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT................................................................19 

8. CONCLUSION ... GET STARTED ............................................................................................21 

APPENDIX A. REQUIREMENTS TO CONDUCT PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT......................................A-1 

APPENDIX B. TECHNIQUES FOR MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT ...............................................B-1 

APPENDIX C. GLOSSARY.............................................................................................................C-1 

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1. FOREWORD 

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) is committed to reducing inequities 

across our transportation systems to ensure that communities benefit from the safe, efficient, 

and sustainable movement of people and goods. When done right, transportation policy can 

help level the playing field. It can transform economies, connect people to opportunities, and 

empower underserved communities to build generational wealth for the future. In partnership 

with the traveling public, community leaders, State, Tribal and local governments, and Federal 

agencies responsible for regulatory oversight, we at USDOT strive to empower communities 

through technical assistance resources such as this set of promising practices for meaningful 

public involvement. 

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2. INTRODUCTION 

Transportation practitioners have the power and obligation to incorporate the voices of their 

communities in transportation decision-making. The purpose of this document is to provide 

promising practices which can promote a shared understanding of meaningful public 

involvement. We aim to promote promising practices for transportation professionals to 

incorporate meaningful public involvement into each stage of the transportation decisionmaking process and project lifecycle, including operations and service provision. This guide is 

intended to support practitioners in all modes of transportation in various roles, including 

those working in policy, planning, engineering, operations, civil rights, environmental justice, 

and public involvement. In this document, we will prompt you to consider who makes up a 

community and how to effectively engage a broad representation of community members. This 

resource should be used as an adaptable framework to ensure communities have a voice in 

the transportation decision-making process. 

This guide contains promising practices that can help USDOT funding recipients meet the 

requirements of meaningful public involvement and participation under Title VI of the Civil 

Rights Act of 1964, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and other existing 

requirements. Appendix A contains a non-exhaustive overview of existing policies and 

processes where public involvement is a requirement. This may help identify areas where you 

can take immediate action to implement meaningful public involvement. In addition, the guide 

can help funding recipients ensure that public participation is meaningful. The section on 

Building Public Involvement Capacity discusses how meaningful public involvement should be 

a core organizational competency integrated into all aspects of your work and transportation 

decision-making. 

This guide highlights many benefits of meaningful public involvement. Meaningful public 

involvement early in the planning process that includes full representation from all 

communities affected is key to successful project delivery. Equitable access to public 

involvement opportunities ensures that underserved and overburdened populations are 

included. This is vital to informing project delivery, including NEPA’s requirement to review and 

consider effects for environmental justice communities. Therefore, this guide highlights the 

value of USDOT funding recipients and project sponsors meaningfully involving communities to 

develop publicly-supported, well-thought-out plans and designs for deployment at the outset. 

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3. ADDRESSING CRITICAL GAPS 

Achieving meaningful public involvement requires the creation and implementation of 

equitable programs and plans using a diverse and inclusive range of communications and 

outreach tools and methods throughout the project or program lifecycle. Public involvement is 

not an afterthought in the decision-making process, but rather a core tenet for agencies, 

organizations, partners, and individuals who work on USDOT funded projects to evaluate, plan, 

prioritize, design, construct, and maintain transportation improvements and investments. 

Engaging the public early and often can also help avoid costly re-work and delays later in the 

project lifecycle, including potential litigation or complaints from community members. 

To ensure that individuals and communities have an equitable voice in transportation decisionmaking processes, practitioners should address barriers to meaningful public involvement, 

especially in historically underserved communities. Barriers include internal thought processes 

such as “we’ve always done it this way,” reliance on one-size-fits-all methods, and a lack of 

organizational accountability. 

Over the years, Congress has refined and strengthened the transportation planning process as 

the foundation for project decisions, emphasizing public involvement, consideration of 

environmental and other factors, and a Federal role that oversees the transportation planning 

process. In implementation, “we’ve always done it this way” thinking can result in the 

treatment of public involvement as a one-time event or a box to check in the project lifecycle, 

as opposed to an intentional, dynamic process that continues throughout all stages of project 

development. In many cases, funding recipients fail to involve community members and 

partners in early discussions of project and program planning or problem solving. When 

organizations use limited communication and outreach methods, like only advertising a single 

meeting in an area’s largest newspaper, they often do not reach the broader audience who 

may not read the newspaper or who get news from other sources. 

In general, a reliance on one-size-fits-all methods of community engagement is 

counterproductive to the goals of meaningful public involvement. In-person public meetings 

are a common strategy, but for some people these meetings can be inconvenient or 

impossible to attend. Physical meeting locations can be inaccessible for persons with 

disabilities or for community members that might not feel comfortable attending events at 

government facilities, or people whose work schedules do not fall within typical daytime 

business hours. This should be considered when creating an organization-wide plan for 

community participation or a project-specific public involvement or community engagement 

plan. 

Virtual Public Involvement (VPI) has emerged to augment community outreach practices when 

in-person meetings are not possible. Using VPI tools enhances and broadens the reach of 

public engagement efforts by making participation more convenient, affordable, and enjoyable 

for greater numbers of people. Virtual tools provide increased transparency and access to 

transportation planning activities and project development and decision-making processes. 

Many virtual tools also provide information in visual and interactive formats that enhance 

public and stakeholder understanding of proposed projects and plans. By bringing more people 

to the table earlier in the process, transportation agencies can reduce project delays and lower 

staff time and costs per person engaged. Please see the Federal Highway Administration’s 

(FHWA) VPI Initiative for tips on how to consider meaningful virtual outreach to stakeholders 

and the community to help ensure equity. 

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A top-down style of interacting with the public can lead to suboptimal outcomes such as 

projects that are unveiled late in the decision-making process, one-sided public involvement 

limited only to taking comments at required public hearings, not making the public aware of 

how their feedback was used, and other undesirable outcomes, according to the 2012 

Transportation Research Board report for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program 

(NCHRP), Practical Approaches for Involving Traditionally Underserved Populations in 

Transportation Decision-making. 

Additionally, a lack of accountability in recording, measuring, and reporting on the 

effectiveness of public involvement activities and programs also presents a challenge to 

meaningful public involvement. It can be hard to determine what was or was not effective, and 

quantity is often favored over quality because it is an easier metric to track. Accountability 

tactics, such as asking the public to rate the effectiveness of engagement activities and 

measuring qualitative concepts such as changed perceptions, transportation projects leading 

to other community enhancements, or the changes made to a program as a direct result of 

community input, should be incorporated into performance metrics by the funding recipient. 

These results should be considered in the development of the organization’s next public 

involvement program or plan. Public involvement strategies should involve a combination of inperson, digital, virtual, and print tools, in languages spoken by community members, along with 

intentional and varied outreach methods to ensure that people with disabilities and diverse 

needs and experiences are aware of and can participate in opportunities to have a meaningful 

impact on decision-making. When specific to a project or program, public involvement 

strategies should also be tied to the expected impacts of the project or program. 

Robust engagement strategies are a worthwhile endeavor to ensure that projects are 

developed in a way that address community needs, especially those that include 

considerations for cultural differences. Addressing critical gaps is not just a matter of 

increasing equitable outcomes, it means building more sustainable, inclusive transportation 

infrastructure, programs, and services that meet the needs of all communities. Practitioners 

can address gaps in their public involvement strategies by using these engagement guides to 

define success and deploy promising practices to meaningfully involve the public every step of 

the way. 

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Document and 

share community's 

impact on decisions 

5. Use communitypreferred engagement 

techniques 

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1. Understand community 

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Public 

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4. Involve broad 

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2. Build durable 

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3. Understand 

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4. MEANINGFUL PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN 

TRANSPORTATION DECISION-MAKING 

4.1. What is Meaningful Public Involvement?

USDOT defines meaningful public involvement as a process that proactively seeks full 

representation from the community, considers public comments and feedback, and 

incorporates that feedback into a project, program, or plan when possible. The impact of 

community contributions encourages early and continuous public involvement and brings 

diverse viewpoints and values into the transportation decision-making process. This process 

enables the community and agencies to make better-informed decisions through collaborative 

efforts and improves the decision-making process. Features of meaningful public involvement 

include: 

• Understanding the demographics of the affected community 

• Building durable relationships with diverse community members outside of the project 

lifecycle to understand their transportation wants and needs 

• Proactively involving a broad representation of the community in the planning and 

project lifecycle 

• Using engagement techniques preferred by, and responsive to the needs of, these 

communities, including techniques that reach the historically underserved 

• Documenting how community input impacted the final projects, programs, or plans, 

and communicating with the affected communities how their input was used 

Features of meaningful public involvement 

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Meaningful public involvement is a process that lasts throughout the project lifecycle, not only 

during a single event or activity. It begins early in the planning process and includes full 

representation from all communities affected. Meaningful public involvement: 

• Increases trust between the organization and the community 

• Increases the likelihood that projects, programs, or plans will be accepted 

• Creates more effective solutions 

• Improves a community’s knowledge of the project, program, or plan 

• Empowers people from different backgrounds to become involved in transportation 

decision-making 

• Delivers a better project, program, or service with diverse ideas that promote equity 

and inclusion 

• Ensures against compliance concerns with authorities such as Title VI and NEPA that 

require public input and nondiscrimination 

Outreach to the full spectrum of interested or affected participants at all levels of a community 

should result in representation from a cross-section of the communities that an organization 

serves and impacts. This requires focused study and evaluation to identify community 

members that represent the full extent of the potential active participants in the transportation 

decision-making process. All people/groups will bring their agendas to the table. By practicing 

more effective engagement, practitioners build in checks and balances and include a range of 

voices and perspectives. Community members often know how best to reach and engage 

others in their community and can help unlock pathways to reach people who do not typically 

have access to or participate on traditional platforms. While it is important to identify and 

engage with these community representatives, it is not enough to rely solely on them to do the 

engagement work. They should be trusted partners that can help spread the word, make 

recommendations for whom to engage with, share information, and build relationships. 

Depending on how much work and reliance on key community representatives and 

organizations is needed, compensation should be considered for their time and efforts 

whenever possible. 

Implementing a thoughtful, respectful, and culturally competent project-specific public 

involvement plan or a community engagement plan early in transportation planning allows 

staff the time to identify community partners and advocates, and ways to more meaningfully 

involve the community. The result is transportation decisions informed by community input that 

maximize benefits and mitigate the risk of harm to communities. 

4.2. Who Is “the Public” in Public Involvement? 

When USDOT talks about involving the public (or community - this guidance document uses 

community to mean both geographic area and social affiliation/shared experience) in 

transportation decision-making, who do we mean? The public includes anyone who resides, 

works, visits, has an interest in, or does business in an area potentially affected by 

transportation decisions. This includes traditional transportation stakeholders, such as local 

government agencies and organizations and advocacy groups; as well as individuals and 

organized groups of community members such as neighborhood, homeowner, and civic 

associations and community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve communities. 

Full representation is based in equity. In order to ensure transportation systems reflect 

community needs, agencies need community representation reflective of the community’s 

demographics during the decision-making process. The public should be involved in the 

decision-making process from the start – when the problem or challenge that may require a 

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transportation solution is identified. 

Public demographic information at the local, state, and Federal level such as US Census data 

and the EPA EJ Screen are available as tools to help identify key components to define your 

“public.” Data for members of the public that provide input via surveys, meetings, and other 

methods should also be collected and analyzed to ground-truth broader data sources. 

Information such as education levels, home ownership, transit dependency, languages spoken 

at home, disability, age, and other key demographics can help identify not only who is present 

but who is missing from the conversation. 

People are a rich source of ideas that can contribute to improving transportation systems. 

Community members intimately know and experience their region’s transportation issues and 

challenges and are personally and often profoundly affected by transportation decisions, 

whether they played a role in those decisions or not. Therefore, when engaging the public, it is 

imperative to have a proactive strategy for seeking input from members of all parts of the 

project area, especially in underserved communities, including those who have been 

historically disadvantaged, marginalized, or adversely affected by persistent poverty. 

4.3. Including People Who Are Traditionally Underserved

Organizations are responsible for engaging with underserved populations and providing 

opportunities for meaningful involvement in the transportation decision-making process. 

Engaging underserved groups can improve transportation for the entire community, as well as 

minimize or avoid potential harm from a project. This outreach requires an understanding of 

community needs to tailor public involvement plans that offer meaningful engagement 

opportunities and encourage underserved communities to participate in the transportation 

decision-making process. 

Governments at various levels should strive to play a significant role in protecting the rights of 

traditionally underserved populations. Engagement guidance such as Executive Order 12898 – 

Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income 

Populations, stresses the importance of involving traditionally underserved populations in 

designing and implementing transportation plans, policies, and infrastructure investments. 

Diversity of thought in how to reach traditionally underserved populations creates opportunities 

for developing unique outreach strategies to address cultural and economic differences within 

a project area. Language differences are not the only hurdle to overcome when working 

effectively with culturally diverse groups. Social norms, barriers for people with disabilities, and 

economic barriers, such as the costs of childcare or access to transportation, also hinder 

participation and may even reinforce historic barriers. There is also a digital divide to consider. 

Not all communities have the same access to reliable internet, cell phone coverage, or 

computer resources. 

Most importantly, understanding and accommodating the ways people in culturally diverse 

communities interact, and empowering a range of voices, are two major elements of bringing 

the whole community together to work toward common goals. Thoughtful engagement with 

traditionally underserved populations allows agencies to identify specific barriers and find 

effective ways to overcome them in a culturally aware and sensitive manner. 

In addition to the basic aim of inclusive outreach to traditionally underserved groups, public 

involvement efforts should: 

• Convey issues in ways that are meaningful to various cultural groups 

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• Bridge racial, cultural, and economic barriers that affect participation 

• Use communication techniques that enable people to interact with other participants 

• Ensure meaningful access for persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) 

• Provide reasonable modifications and accommodations needed for participation of 

persons with disabilities 

• Develop partnerships on a one-on-one or small group basis to build deeper trust and 

relationships 

• Increase participation by underserved groups 

• Gain an understanding of the experiences and results of transportation decisionmaking processes that were not equitable 

Increased public participation efforts are particularly useful because they can: 

• Incorporate fresh perspectives 

• Provide first-hand information about community-specific issues and concerns 

otherwise unknown to the organization (these issues may not be transportation 

focused) 

• Flag potential controversies 

• Generate ideas for deeper community involvement 

• Identify solutions to problems that best meet community needs and also result in an 

efficient use of resources 

• Seek to mitigate institutional racism, barriers to people with disabilities, and legacy 

issues from previous plans and projects 

These efforts foster the relationship between agencies, organizations, and the community, 

often widening the consensus for a plan or project. The greater the consensus among 

community members, the more likely a plan or project will succeed. 

Funding recipients should start public involvement early during planning processes to identify 

issues specific to underserved groups. By hosting special forums for communities of color and 

other underserved groups at the outset of developing long-range, regional, or corridor plans, 

organizations can ensure that the entire planning process addresses their concerns. Local 

leadership may become more actively engaged by learning about and responding to issues 

that underserved groups have identified, thus increasing public trust and openness during the 

decision-making process. 

Proactivity is perhaps the most important element in reaching people whose primary language is not 

English or who experience LEP. As required by Executive Order 13166 Improving Access to Services 

for Persons with Limited English Proficiency, programs and activities receiving Federal funding 

assistance must take reasonable steps to ensure that people with LEP have meaningful access. All 

agencies that receive Federal assistance must also comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and to 

do so, they must ensure access to its programs and activities to LEP persons. This involves 

examining the services they provide, identifying any need for services to those with limited English 

proficiency, and developing and implementing a system and/or plan to provide those services so LEP 

persons can have meaningful access to them. The intent is to find a balance between resources and 

needed depth of assessment that ensures meaningful access by LEP persons. 

One way to assess meaningful access and create an effective LEP plan is to balance the following 

four factors: 

• The number or proportion of people with LEP who are eligible to be served or likely to be 

encountered by the program or grantee 

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• The frequency with which LEP individuals come into contact with the program 

• The nature and importance of the program, activity, or service provided by the program 

to people's lives 

• The resources available to the grantee, recipient, or organization, and costs 

Under Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 

of 1990, federally assisted programs and activities must provide opportunities for engagement 

to people with disabilities in developing and improving public services that are equal to 

opportunities for engagement provided to persons who are not disabled. For example, in rail 

transit or other rail project planning, collaboration with people with disabilities is essential for 

railcar and station accessibility planning. Similarly, regular input from disability advisory 

committees is an effective practice for airport decisions for everything from seemingly minor 

airport operations issues to major facility renovations. Similar to communication with people 

who have LEP, steps to ensure effective communication with people who have disabilities is 

required. See 28 CFR § 35.160(a) and 49 CFR § 27.7(c). 

Locations where public involvement takes place must be ADA compliant and accessible to 

people with disabilities. See 28 CFR §§ 35.130(b)(2), 35.150, and 35.151; 49 CFR §§ 27.7, 

27.19(a), and 27.71(e). The ADA also requires information must be available to people with 

vision or hearing disabilities. Effective practices to ensure participation by people with 

disabilities include: 

• Outreach - developing contacts, mailing lists, and other means to communicate with 

people with disabilities 

• Consultation with individuals or organizations that represent people with disabilities 

• Providing accessible formats and alternate technology that meet requirements for 

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Section 255 of the 

Telecommunications Act of 1996 

4.4. Including Community Representatives

It may be helpful for funding recipients to form ad hoc groups or committees to evaluate, 

discuss, and guide planning for decision-making for their projects and initiatives. Some 

organizations even charge ad hoc groups with the responsibility of the ultimate decision. It may 

also be helpful for funding recipients to engage existing, ongoing groups and committees by 

providing plan and project briefings and meetings, requesting members to serve as 

representatives of their communities, where appropriate, in transportation planning processes, 

or as entities to review and validate information at key milestones. 

By meeting with key community leaders, stakeholder representatives, and elected/appointed 

officials, decision-makers learn more about the community, vet the goals and scope of the 

program, promote transparency, increase efficiency of resources, and validate the direction of 

the program. Empowering these representatives and officials as partners in public involvement 

helps build strong relationships with communities. Ask leaders of organizations who are often 

engaged in transportation decision-making to recommend other potential participants who can 

share their perspectives and experiences or to recommend other groups that represent the 

community or specific interests. Talking with an array of interested parties will help 

organizations learn about previous projects or programs that may influence current interaction 

with community members. They can also recommend communication methods and outreach 

tools that are most likely to have success with the community they represent. 

The following are examples of groups and committees that may aid transportation decisionmaking. 

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4.4.1. Civic Advisory Committees 

A civic advisory committee (CAC) is a representative group of residents, business owners, 

community leaders and other interested individuals that meet regularly to discuss issues of 

common concern. While these groups are often called citizens advisory committees, the term 

civic is used here because citizenship is not a requirement for participation. A CAC has the 

following basic features: 

• Representation from interest groups or individuals throughout a State or region 

• Regularly held meetings 

• Recorded comments documenting the points of view of participants 

• Consensus building, but consensus is not required 

• An important defined role in the transportation planning process 

4.4.2. Decision and Policy Boards 

People who serve on Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) decision and policy boards and 

similar entities are drawn from many sources. They include State departments of 

transportation, representatives of major modes of transportation such as transit agencies, 

community and business leaders, leaders from special interest groups, and interested 

individuals. A board may also include residents, business owners, and elected or appointed 

officials, or be composed entirely of community members. It may be assisted by staff members 

assigned by elected officials or organization representatives. Care should be taken to ensure 

that a broad cross-section of the community is represented with a focus on underserved and 

disadvantaged groups. The composition of a board, as well as its title, will vary based on its 

task. 

Some advisory groups are established by law, rule, or regulation, while others are set up by 

executive order. These committees may be temporary or permanent, and typically investigate 

specific topics. People are appointed to boards in a variety of ways - they may be nominated or 

appointed by public officials, elected by their peers, or self-identified. The ways they come to 

serve depend on the rules and nature of the policy body or self-identified based on proactive 

outreach within a neighborhood or in consultation with CBOs. 

4.4.3. Collaborative Task Forces 

A collaborative task force differs from a CAC and from decision and policy groups. While each 

of these groups focuses on similar issues, each also plays a different role contributing to the 

decision-making process. A collaborative task force usually helps solve a specific problem, 

working collaboratively toward consensus and presenting a strong and unified voice, and 

generally has a time limit for reaching a conclusion and resolving a difficult issue. These 

decisions are subject to approval by official decision-makers. Its membership usually includes 

a diverse array of community members and representatives from interest groups, appointed by 

elected officials or the organization's executives. Collaborative task forces have been used on 

a project level and for resolving issues within a project. A collaborative task force has the 

following basic features: 

• A sponsoring organization committed to the process 

• A broad range of representative interests 

• Emphasis on resolving an assigned issue through consensus 

• Detailed presentations of material and technical assistance for complete 

understanding of context and subject matter 

• Ongoing meetings to understand and discuss the issue 

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5. BUILDING PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT CAPACITY 

5.1. An Organization-wide Effort 

When practiced at all levels of an organization, public involvement is USDOT defines fundamental to the success of an organization’s plans, projects, and meaningful public programs. It is the responsibility of people throughout the involvement as a process organization to communicate with and seek feedback from all that proactively seeks full affected public parties about transportation projects, services, and representation from the decisions. Organization-wide public involvement practices are a community, considers foundation for effective collaboration, building positive community public comments and relationships, developing community capacity, and ensuring feedback, and acts on community leaders, diverse perspectives, and new voices all have that feedback to the opportunity to inform the work that impacts a community. This incorporate into a means that public involvement is not just a paperwork exercise but is project, program, or plan. prioritized, budgeted for, and overseen by qualified staff members 

dedicated to carrying out the process. 

A primary goal of a public involvement program should be to build trust between organizations 

and the public. When organizations work holistically to get to know the communities they work 

in, they can better design long-term initiatives that equitably serve and involve community 

members. Organizations can contribute to building capacity in communities through their 

outreach activities and assist the public in learning more about transportation and related 

topics, as well as model facilitation and team building skills that can help them collaborate to 

solve other community issues. 

Creating an organization-wide program and culture for institutionalizing meaningful public 

involvement will not only elicit the participation of the public and other state, Federal and local 

stakeholders, but it will also help ensure that any applicable legal requirements for public 

involvement are met, and that stakeholder and public expectations are proactively managed. 

Instilling a consistent organization-wide approach to public involvement means an organization 

provides the resources to follow through on public involvement commitments including hiring 

dedicated staff with community engagement and communications expertise, providing funding 

to implement robust community participation plans (CPPs), approving opportunities for staff to 

attend training in ever-evolving public engagement methods, and offering staff access to 

outreach tools and resources. This can also enable effective evaluation of the efficacy of the 

funding recipients’ public involvement activities and inform staff when additional community 

engagement is needed. 

Organization-wide public participation programs will provide consistency throughout: 

• Transportation Planning 

• Strategic Communications 

• Customer Service 

• Planning and Investment 

• Environmental Services 

• Capital Projects 

Since structure varies widely state to state and region to region, it is up to each organization to 

construct a centralized organization-wide program that works within the structure and the 

demographic makeup of the service area to provide consistency of practice. 

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Some recommendations include: 

• Create a dedicated staff position for a public involvement professional who is 

responsible for providing resources to or assisting project staff with their outreach 

needs and who will be active and involved in the area/community 

• In addition to Federal, State, and agency public involvement guidance and procedures, 

organizations should support public involvement training and certification from a 

variety of institutions and professional organizations for staff such as the International 

Association for Public Participation (IAP2); the International Association of Facilitators 

(IAF), the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the National Center for 

Environmental Conflict Resolution (NCECR), the National Transit Institute (NTI); the 

National Highway Institute (NHI); and various universities, institutions, and other 

organizations 

• Include a budget for internal staff or a professional public involvement consultant, 

including resources to support demographic analysis and development and tracking of 

metrics. For staff, ensure resources for their continuing training in related 

requirements and best practices. 

• Embed public involvement professionals as part of the decision-making process and 

consider their involvement in general programs and initiatives 

• Provide public involvement opportunities at all stages of a program or project lifecycle 

• Include a budget line item for public involvement in every project, use previous projects 

of similar size and scope to determine a baseline amount, and be prepared to adjust 

based on specific project/program or community needs 

By committing to an organization-wide program with dedicated staff and resources, 

organizations can more successfully build relationships in communities; more effectively 

design and implement public involvement activities; design and construct projects that meet 

the needs of communities; and contribute to building community capacity. 

5.2. Developing a Community Participation Plan 

Across the transportation sector, several terms are used to describe plans for public 

involvement based on different laws, regulations, and local practices. Terms include 

Community Participation Plans, Public Participation Plans, Public Involvement Plans, and 

Community Engagement Plans. Such documents also range in purpose and scope, from 

governing how your organization approaches public involvement overall to how you will 

approach public involvement for a specific project. For the purpose of this section, we use the 

term CPP as a catch-all to refer to both types of plans. Appendix A contains a non-exhaustive 

overview of policies and processes where public involvement is an existing requirement and 

terms, such as CPP, are defined in laws, regulations, and guidance. 

A well-constructed CPP is meaningful, purposeful, grounded, specific, and productive. To 

prepare for meaningful public involvement in transportation decision-making, organizations 

should begin with clearly defined goals that focus on addressing specific issues, the kinds of 

input needed, the segments of the public that should be involved, strategies to engage 

traditionally underserved and disadvantaged groups, and metrics to evaluate success. The 

more specific a CPP is, the greater its chances of producing input that an organization can use 

in decision-making are. The CPP can also help demonstrate how an organization meets or 

exceeds the public involvement requirements outlined in applicable Federal and state laws, 

rules, and guidance. 

CPPs are not marketing plans. The goal is not to convince the public that a project, plan, 

service or program is needed but rather to outline a process allowing for an interactive 

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dialogue with and gathering input from stakeholder organizations and members of the public, 

including early input on what they need. Meaningful public involvement requires adequate time 

and allocation of resources. Resource constraints are not a reason to dismiss engagement 

strategies necessary to reach a broad and diverse representation of the community. 

Organizations should carefully consider the long-term benefits of building community relations. 

5.2.1. Define Goals and Objectives 

Goals should be specific to the needs of the program. Ask: 

• Why is a public involvement process needed? 

• Who is the "public" for this effort? 

• How will the information obtained from the public be used to make decisions? 

• What information does the organization need to learn from the public? 

• When in the process will this information be most timely? 

• In what ways will the information gathered be used? 

• What metrics will be used for measuring success? 

• What are the demographics of the affected community? 

• How will effective engagement techniques be selected specific to the community? 

• How will the engagement strategy promote an equitable process? 

• Who are the communities and stakeholder groups that need to be engaged to ensure 

an equitable process? 

Using a framework for participation, such as the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum and 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Spectrum of Public Involvement can help community 

engagement practitioners define the strategies to employ, based on engagement goals and 

objectives. A framework will help the funding recipient establish and communicate clear, 

intentional expectations that support the appropriate level of public participation. In other 

words, the level of public participation should be directly tied to the potential maximum level of 

influence the organization intends for the public to have on the decision or action being 

considered. Potential levels of public influence can vary from low (informing the public of a 

decision) to medium (seeking public input for a decision made by the organization) to high 

(empowering the public to make the decision). 

It is important to recognize that we are only talking about potential influence. For example, five 

levels of public participation are described on the IAP2 Spectrum ranging from no influence 

(Inform) to total influence (Empower). Actual influence is generally not apparent until the end 

of a community participation program, when full consideration is given to the input received. 

However, basing the engagement effort on a framework will help the organization understand 

the likely nature of public input and provide opportunities to address public concerns and 

interests. 

5.2.2. Develop a CPP 

An organization prepares a CPP to outline the implementation methods the organization will 

use to ensure that members of the public are able to equitably participate in the decisionmaking process. The CPP presents information about the programs and planning efforts the 

organization is responsible for, contact information, and techniques that will be used to inform 

and involve the public. At a minimum, a CPP should include: 

• Organization program, project, or service background – state purpose, need, and 

context elements 

• Goals – define the purpose of engagement 

• Key audiences and level of engagement – define key audiences and the IAP2 level of 

engagement expected for decision-making 

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• Key messaging – provide core messages about the organization, program, project, 

and/or service 

• Outreach methods, tools, and techniques – outline what tools and techniques to use 

• Key organization/program/project team members – provide core team contact 

information (additional members of the larger team can be included in the overall 

distribution list) 

• Key partners/stakeholders/community leaders – create a community contact 

information list for key participants (additional partners/stakeholders can be included 

in the overall distribution list) 

• Program/project schedule and key milestones – outline the program or project 

schedule, key milestones, and key public involvement activities associated with each 

• Incorporating feedback – define how feedback will be collected and incorporated. 

State how what was (and wasn’t) incorporated will be communicated to the public 

• Evaluate success – include performance metrics and a timeframe for evaluation (after 

key milestones, quarterly, continuously, etc.) 

The review of the strategy will most likely involve key internal organization team members, but 

in some cases, it may be critical or helpful to vet the strategy through other organizations, key 

stakeholders, elected/appointed officials, or community leaders for additional insight. Once 

the plan is final and adopted, all staff who will be involved in engagement efforts should 

receive a copy. 

Remember that public involvement strategies are living documents that are never truly final – 

they will be continuously revised during a program/project lifecycle as efforts are evaluated 

and as priorities grow or change. Remain flexible and recognize the need to pivot if something 

is not working or if the tools and techniques you selected are not producing a high level of 

engagement. 

5.2.3. Implement the CPP 

Now that the strategy has been adopted, it is time to implement the plan, which usually 

involves specific action items and techniques. The Techniques for Meaningful Public 

Involvement section of this guide offers ideas and resources for strategy implementation and 

outreach to the public. These elements include determining the type of meetings or events to 

include, tools and activities to consider, and specifics on how to ensure equity when using 

each technique. 

Funding recipients, including State DOTs, MPOs, airport, transit, rail, and other authorities, 

develop CPPs in consultation with the public, sometimes in informal ways. Exercising 

meaningful public involvement in the development of a CPP – validating your organization’s 

overall approach to involving communities in decision-making – should be considered a best 

practice. Many large organizations do engage the public in a more formal process to review 

draft CPPs when major updates occur. This could include hosting formal public meetings, or 

less formal open houses, tabling events or pop ups, and other tools. Plans for engaging people 

with LEP and related requirements under DOT Orders and regulations also include information 

for reporting possible discrimination or other concerns, and for advising the public of related 

procedures. While the practices described above generally guide transit and highway planning, 

other transportation modes’ planning processes may differ in some ways but are equally 

beneficial to the early establishment and ongoing implementation of well-planned, 

comprehensive CPPs. 

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Along with knowing who the organization wants to engage in public involvement, it is important 

to know, once engaged, if a CPP was effective. The next section, Measuring the Success of 

Public Involvement Strategies, discusses metrics for evaluating engagement outputs and 

outcomes. 

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6. MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF PUBLIC 

INVOLVEMENT STRATEGIES 

Effective public engagement requires continuous, interactive communication between the 

organization and the community. To conduct effective public engagement, funding recipients 

should reach the desired community members to share information about the potential action 

and gather input from the community on their perspectives, needs, concerns, and ideas (Grant 

et al., 20181). For engagement to be successful and responsive to the community, the 

organization should use input gathered from the community to directly influence the decision 

about a project, program, or plan and demonstrate to the community how specific input was or 

was not incorporated and why. Meaningful community engagement is not simply public 

education, it is an opportunity for the community to influence what will happen in their 

community. 

Engagement Output and Outcome Metrics 

OUTPUTS of an engagement activity can be assessed as soon as the activity is complete and are 

easily observable. Output metrics include: 

• Counting the number of people who attend an event 

• Average response time to inquiries from the public 

• Presence of public officials at each event 

• Number of project website hits 

• Cost of putting together the public engagement plan 

Outputs are often evaluated through descriptive statistics or content analysis. 

OUTCOMES describe the changes in the planning process resulting from the outputs of an 

engagement activity. Outcome metrics include: 

• Whether the participants felt they had adequate notice of a public engagement activity 

• Whether participants felt their input was valued in the process 

• Tracking how public input was used 

• Whether public input affected the resulting planning documents 

Outcomes can be evaluated using a combination of both opinions and facts. 

Continuous evaluation of outreach is key to the success of the project. Evaluators should 

measure not only the immediate outputs of public engagement efforts, but also the longerterm outcomes that public engagement has on a project’s planning process. 

It is important to use both quantitative and qualitative measures to assess the outputs and 

outcomes of public engagement to support a clear understanding of changes in participation 

and actions taken in response to engagement efforts (Griffin et al., 2018). For example, project 

website hits may indicate awareness, but not satisfaction or understanding. Supplementing 

the quantitative measures (e.g., hits) with qualitative measures targeting the public’s 

1 Grant, M., Morris, A., Strum-Gilliam, T., & Brown, L. (2018). Community Impact Assessment: A Quick 

Reference for Transportation [2018 Update]. Retrieved from https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/50870 

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understanding (e.g., focus groups or interviews) provides a more well-rounded understanding 

of an outcome or output. 

A Transportation Research Board (TRB) project for the National Cooperative Highway Research 

Program (NCHRP) on Measuring the Effectiveness of Public Involvement found that there are six key 

indicators important to the success of a community engagement effort (Brown et al., 20192). These 

are: 

1. Influence and Impact: Public feedback has an impact on the project decisions and 

ensures that organizations are not just eliciting feedback from the public as part of a 

“checklist.” 

2. Transparency and Clarity: Trust of government agencies has increased or improved as 

a result of the public involvement processes, and agencies were appropriately 

transparent about the project. 

3. Timing: Public involvement started early enough and was of sufficient length and 

frequency to be valuable. 

4. Inclusion: Public involvement was inclusive and representative of all targeted and 

affected populations. 

5. Targeted Engagement: Public involvement included locations relevant to the targeted 

and affected populations. 

6. Accessibility: Public involvement activities used multiple methods for participation. 

For public involvement to be effective, funding recipients can design the outreach with these 

six overall aspects in mind, and then evaluate progress based on both the public’s input and 

the organization’ own self-evaluations both during and after the public involvement period(s). 

The NCHRP toolkit was tested, validated, and updated with five state DOTs. 

It provides a survey template for use with the public to gain feedback throughout the public 

involvement process. 

The NCHRP survey also includes demographic questions and a companion scoring tool to see 

how well the demographics of the public involvement participants are proportionally 

representative of the demographics of the project area. This is vital to ensure that the 

community members’ input being integrated into projects is not reflecting only the desires of a 

small, powerful few. The NCHRP toolkit includes companion questions for the organization to 

reflect on its own progress and room for improvement throughout the engagement phases. 

Organizations can also create their own custom survey(s) to evaluate their public involvement 

processes. 

Regardless of which tools are used to measure the public involvement process, teams leading 

the effort can benefit from following established guiding principles. Griffin et al., 20183 

suggests eight best practices for evaluating public participation throughout the project 

lifecycle: 

2 Brown, B., Gunby, K., Strausz-Clark, J., Frugé, A., Glaze, S., Findlay, M., Tuia, J., Hajnosz, I. (2019). 

Measuring the Effectiveness of Public Involvement in Transportation Planning and Project Development. 

(pp. 102p): Transportation Research Board. 

3 Griffin, G., Stoeltje, G., Geiselbrecht, T., Simek, C., Ettelman, B., & Metsker-Galarza, M. (2018). 

Performance Measures for Public Participation Methods: Final Report. Retrieved from 

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/34900. 

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• Coordinate expectations 

• Designate resources 

• Aim for fairness 

• Stay flexible 

• Distinguish outputs from outcomes 

• Use quantitative and qualitative measures consistently 

• Track results over time 

• Keep it simple – start small 

In general, organizations will benefit from incorporating and evaluating their process and 

focusing on equity at every step from planning through implementation and final decisionmaking. 

Continuous evaluation of outreach impact is key to the success of the project. Evaluators 

should measure not only the immediate outputs of public engagement efforts, but also the 

longer-term outcomes and impact that the public engagement has on a project’s planning 

process. 

Appendix B of this guide outlines specific techniques and tools for public engagement. There 

are many tactics available to practitioners. For ease of use, this guideline includes three 

categories: techniques for informing, techniques for gathering input, and tools to be used 

within these techniques. 

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7. TECHNIQUES FOR MEANINGFUL 

INVOLVEMENT 

Many stages of transportation decision-making require collaboration with the public during 

planning and project development. Funding recipients should meaningfully engage a broad 

spectrum of representatives from the community affected by a project to understand concerns, 

identify new opportunities, explore alternatives, and collaboratively create a vision for the 

future. 

Meaningful public involvement lays the groundwork for ongoing engagement well beyond the 

initial touchpoint with affected communities. Ongoing communication and relationship 

building cultivates trust and fosters transparency. Various techniques can be used to provide 

an opportunity for people to give input based upon their lived experiences and areas of 

expertise. The following section provides an overview of tools and techniques to consider. 

While the costs of implementation will vary, the short- and long-range benefits of meaningful 

involvement should be considered when evaluating program budgets. 

When choosing an engagement tool or technique, focus on outcomes. Consider: 

• Is the budget adequate for the breadth and depth of the outreach goals? 

• Who is/are the priority audience(s)? 

• Are specific accommodations needed for the audience, including literacy levels? 

• Do members of the public primarily use languages other than English? 

• Does the community need American Sign Language (ASL), other sign language, or large 

print/braille accommodations? 

• Will adaptive technology (such as captioning or other tools) be needed for people with 

disabilities? 

• Is the audience in a remote area? 

• Are in-person meetings and events accessible through public transportation? 

• Will the audience be able to access reliable services (internet, transportation, etc.)? 

• What is the engagement timeline, and can thorough outreach be done in that 

timeframe? 

Meaningful public participation does not have a one-size-fits-all solution, and there is no simple 

formula that dictates the number of techniques to use. The project timeline, budget, and level 

of effort influence the selection. It is important to evaluate the outreach plan early and often to 

determine if the level of effort needs adjusting. If the chosen techniques are not adequately 

reaching your audience, work with decision makers to add more tools, time, and budget. 

Appendix B provides information on a variety of techniques. They are organized by primary use, 

techniques that seek to inform, those used to seek input from the public, and specific tools 

that can be used within techniques. Inclusive public involvement programs include techniques 

that seek to inform and gather input. Each technique sample includes a Promising Practice 

example of how an organization has used the technique effectively along with an icon(s) to 

denote when a technique may be specifically helpful under certain circumstances. 

7.1. Virtual Public Involvement 

Public involvement practices have changed significantly over the past decades due to 

advances in electronic communication tools, computer and mobile device technology, access 

to internet service, and lifestyle changes. From social media platforms to virtual meeting tools, 

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the ways people access information and provide input continues to evolve. A combination of 

virtual and in-person activities may be necessary to conduct meaningful public involvement. 

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in mandates and guidelines for social distancing and 

restrictions on in-person meetings. Innovations in technology quickly filled the gaps so 

community engagement and regulatory requirements could continue through virtual 

participation whether online, by phone, or by paper drop box. Although many benefits of 

meeting in-person cannot be replaced, VPI tools provide access to information, public meetings 

and hearings, and other engagement tools for audiences who may not have ever been reached 

without advances in virtual technology. As a result, transportation professionals have the 

opportunity to expand the traditional venues of in-person meetings and provide the opportunity 

to reach out directly to the public in ways that are convenient and equitable to a broader and 

more diverse population – online, at home, on the phone, and in gathering places. 

Organizations can increase meaningful public involvement in planning and project 

development by integrating virtual tools into their overall public involvement approach. The 

FHWA Virtual Public Involvement Initiative, led by the Office of Planning and the Office of 

Project Development and Environmental Review, promotes the understanding that no one tool 

or strategy is likely to meet everyone’s needs and in most cases, organizations will find the 

most success by combining in-person and digital public involvement strategies. The FHWA has 

case studies and video conversations with professionals involved in VPI efforts throughout the 

nation to assist public involvement practitioners in understanding the varied benefits of virtual 

public outreach and community engagement. These video case studies highlight how some 

transportation agencies are using VPI tools combined with other techniques for robust and 

equitable public involvement campaigns that reach diverse audiences for meaningful 

community engagement. 

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8. CONCLUSION ... GET STARTED 

Effective and equitable transportation decision-making needs to incorporate input from and 

reflect the diverse communities that our systems serve. Successful projects and plans are the 

result of processes that center meaningful public involvement and balance the potential 

benefits with the impacts to the natural and human environment. The USDOT is committed to 

providing guidance, support, and oversight to state and local recipients of Federal funding to 

assure that equity and meaningful public involvement meet the spirit and intent of laws, 

regulations, policies, and guidance documents. We believe that sound decision-making occurs 

when all factors are fully considered, and historically underserved communities are included. 

This means gathering input from communities to learn their needs, and informing communities 

about the projects, programs, and initiatives that organizations seek to undertake while 

planning for safe, efficient, equitable, and reliable transportation systems. 

We hope that this set of promising practices provides a framework for funding recipients to 

develop policies, make engagement funding commitments, provide training for internal and 

consultant staff, and develop oversight mechanisms to build, implement, and measure the 

success of meaningful public involvement efforts. This guide can help supplement regulatory 

requirements and implementing processes to make engagement more meaningful, as well as 

help organizations and practitioners develop and implement CPPs. The USDOT holds several 

public involvement trainings and workshops and provides resources such as this document to 

support organizations, and practitioners. Further, the USDOT attends and participates in 

community events and hosts outreach events to inform the public of our services and 

commitment. Related information, and any future updates to this document, can be found on 

the USDOT website. 

Organization-wide CPPs and project specific public involvement or community engagement 

plans outline the strategies used by an organization to ensure that members of the public can 

participate in the decision-making process in ways that are meaningful and inclusive. Efforts 

should be proactive and utilize strategies that both inform and obtain input from communities. 

They also establish the activities that meet and/or exceed the requirements outlined in 

applicable Federal and state guidelines. Meaningful public involvement should: 

• Provide the public with information on ways to get and stay involved 

• Actively engage the public in the transportation decision-making process 

• Keep the public informed of ongoing transportation-related activities on an ongoing 

basis 

• Identify and seek to engage underserved communities 

• Encourage participation of community members in the transportation decision-making 

process 

• Continuously strive to measure effectiveness and improve public participation 

Along with knowing how to set policy and a framework for a public participation program and 

project specific public involvement plan that foster meaningful engagement through innovative 

techniques to inform and obtain input from the public, it is important to know the legal basis 

and to have additional details on the techniques. To help practitioners move forward, Appendix 

A provides a detailed overview of the Federal laws, statutes, executive orders, and policies that 

govern public involvement and an overview of the typical planning processes in which public 

involvement is beneficial or required. Appendix B provides a set of technique descriptions and 

exemplars. Appendix C includes a list of commonly used acronyms throughout this document. 

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APPENDIX A. REQUIREMENTS TO CONDUCT 

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 

Several laws and regulations require DOT funding recipients to develop and implement public 

involvement strategies and plans, and such plans must align with current regulations. This 

section provides a non-exhaustive, quick-reference overview of key activities where this guide 

may help an organization incorporate meaningful public involvement that is consistent with the 

letter and spirit of the law. In addition, each state or organization will have specific public 

involvement requirements for projects, programs, and plans which may be informed by the 

promising practices in this guide. 

As described in the section on Building Public Involvement Capacity, you should not limit 

yourself or your organization to exercising meaningful public involvement in these specific, 

required activities. Rather, meaningful public involvement should be a core competency 

integrated into all aspects of your work and transportation decision-making. 

Title VI 

The following resources may be helpful in incorporating and complying with Title VI during 

public involvement initiatives and activities: 

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in programs and activities 

receiving Federal financial assistance. Specifically, Title VI provides that “no person in the 

United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin be excluded from 

participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program 

or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” All recipients of Federal funds must comply 

with Title VI requirements, which apply broadly to recipients’ and subrecipients’ programs and 

activities. 

Community Participation Plan 

The USDOT Title VI program requires that DOT operating administrations develop 

comprehensive community participation requirements that applicants and recipients must 

satisfy as a condition of receiving an award of Federal financial assistance (U.S. DOT Order 

1000.12C.) A community participation plan facilitates full compliance with Title VI of the Civil 

Rights Act of 1964 through meaningful public participation and engagement to ensure funding 

recipients and organizations are adequately informed about how programs or activities will 

potentially impact affected communities, and that diverse views are heard and considered 

throughout all stages of the consultation, planning, and decision-making process. A Community 

Participation Plan, which may be an update to an existing Public Participation Plan or other 

policies, should inform the organization’s overall public involvement activities. USDOT 

operating administrations will issue guidelines establishing expectations for CPPs for their 

grant recipients (DOT Order 1000.12C, Ch. II, Sec. 4). 

Limited English Proficiency Plan or Language Assistance Plan 

Members of the American public may be limited in their English proficiency because of their 

national origin. Limited English proficiency (LEP) individuals have a limited ability to read, 

speak, write, or understand English. As described in Executive Order 13166, DOT and the 

Federal government are required to ensure that LEP individuals have meaningful access to 

information that affect their lives. Per the USDOT’s Departmental Office of Civil Rights (DOCR), 

and as described in Policy Guidance Concerning Recipients' Responsibilities to Limited English 

Proficient (LEP) Persons, this obligation extends to organizations and state and local agencies 

that receive monetary assistance from DOT and the Federal government. Funding recipients 

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serving LEP populations should develop an LEP implementation plan to address the identified 

needs of the LEP populations they serve. The US Department of Justice provides resources and 

further guidance at LEP.gov. 

Department of Justice (DOJ) LEP Guidance 

The DOJ’s Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against 

National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons provides guidance to 

Federal financial assistance recipients regarding Title VI prohibition against national origin 

discrimination affecting LEP persons, pursuant to Executive Order 13166. 

Tribal Consultation 

The following resources may be helpful when consulting with Federally recognized Indian tribes 

during public involvement initiatives and activities: 

Executive Order 13175 

Executive Order 13175, "Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments 

requires Federal departments and agencies to consult with Indian tribal governments when 

considering policies that would impact tribal communities. 

USDOT’s Tribal Consultation Plan 

The USDOT seeks to foster and facilitate positive government-to-government relations between the 

Department and all Federally recognized Indian tribes. The purpose of the Tribal Consultation Plan is 

to develop, improve, and maintain partnerships with Indian tribes by using agreed upon processes 

when the Department develops, changes, or implements policies, programs, or services with tribal 

implications. 

Planning Processes

The following state and local planning processes typically require a robust public involvement 

approach: 

Long-Range Transportation Plan 

A Statewide Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) or Metropolitan Transportation Plan is a 

multi-year, performance-driven document plan that is developed as a result of a regional or 

statewide planning process. This collaborative process engages policy makers, elected 

officials, stakeholders and the public through consensus building to determine the needs of a 

region or state’s transportation system. Known as a vision document, meaningful input is 

necessary to determine service gaps, and prioritize system elements and funding. Within the 

context of the LRTP, care should be taken to educate the public on the long-term nature of 

these plans, which have a planning horizon of 20 years. Organizations must use the decisionmaking process to explain this foundational step that eventually leads to project design and 

construction for many of the projects included in the plan. 

Transportation Improvement Program and Statewide Transportation Improvement 

Program 

After the LRTP is prepared, a Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) or a 

Transportation Improvement Program (Metropolitan TIP) are created. These multi-year, 

performance-driven document improvement programs are usually developed on a two to threeyear cycle but can be updated through amendments. The STIP or TIP include planned 

transportation improvements and projects. All projects must be part of an approved STIP to be 

implemented by state and local agencies. To balance the prioritization of projects included in 

the STIP and TIP, public outreach is key. Processes that do not include full representation 

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often prioritize segments of the transportation system that may unknowingly fund 

transportation infrastructure or services that continue to limit investment in underserved or 

disadvantaged communities. 

Strategic Highway Safety Plans 

A Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) is a multi-year, performance-driven document that 

defines safety needs across specific emphasis areas for both the built roadway environment 

and in terms of behavioral safety programs. Developed by state DOTs through a cooperative 

process with local jurisdictions and other stakeholders, the SHSP presents the overarching 

framework for reducing highway fatalities and injuries on all public roads and provides the 

overarching vision for Highway Safety Improvement Plans and Highway Safety Plans. 

Meaningful public involvement can help ensure outcome-oriented safety activities are inclusive 

of, and benefit, underserved and at-risk communities. 

Per NHTSA, the Highway Safety Plan (HSP) documents the State’s behavioral highway safety 

program that is data-driven in establishing performance targets and selecting the 

countermeasure strategies for programming funds to meet those performance targets. Grant 

program regulations are found at 23 CFR Part 1300. The HSP is a three-year planning 

document and includes discussion of the State’s public participation and engagement efforts 

in the highway safety program. States must continue public participation and engagement 

efforts throughout the grant cycle. Public participation requirements were explicitly included in 

the grant program via 23 U.S.C. 402(b)(1)(B). 

Several agencies and organizations have requirements, best practices, and other resources for 

conducting public involvement activities during planning processes. Helpful resources include: 

FAA’s Community Involvement Manual 

This manual provides FAA practitioners with an understanding of the value of community 

involvement and describes practices and effective techniques for community participation: 

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/community_engagement/media/FAA_CIM.pdf 

FHWA Public Involvement Website 

To assist those who would like to improve public participation processes and strategies, this 

site provides links to relevant information and exemplary case studies and examples: 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/public_involvement/ 

Federal Transit Public Involvement Website 

This site outlines the planning process requirements related to surface transportation plans, 

and provides other helpful resources: https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-andguidance/transportation-planning/public-involvement-outreach U.S.C. Title 23 

Additional guidance for MPOs and state agencies regarding public involvement requirements 

during planning activities can be found in 23 CFR 450.316 [MPO] and 23 CFR 450.210 

[Statewide]. 

The National Environmental Policy Act

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) generally requires that environmental 

information is available to decisionmakers and the public before decisions are made and 

before actions are taken. It establishes a requirement that organizations examine the 

environmental effects of “major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human 

environment.” This requirement includes examining impacts to both the natural and built 

environment, and the consideration of such effects before an organization takes steps to 

implement the project (e.g., purchasing capital equipment). 

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An important component of NEPA is public disclosure. Regulations established by the Council 

on Environmental Quality (CEQ), which implements NEPA, emphasize the importance of public 

participation in decision-making for many projects, both large and small. The level and extent 

of public involvement is commensurate with the potential for significant impacts, and in 

compliance with other applicable environmental laws and requirements. Generally, the higher 

the level of potential significant impacts, the more opportunities for public involvement are 

needed. The environmental analyses or studies outline the range of potential environmental 

impacts and benefits and may document commitments to the public and other Federal and 

state agencies charged with protecting people, animals, and other environmental attributes 

such as water and air quality. Public involvement may also be required to comply with other 

environmental laws (e.g., Section 106 of National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Section 4(f) 

requirements). 

Public or stakeholder involvement and input helps to inform the issues to be considered within 

the NEPA analysis. This involvement can also alert the organization to the matters or resources 

important to the community. 

Several agencies and organizations have requirements, best practices, and other resources for 

public involvement during NEPA and related environmental procedures. Helpful resources 

include: 

DOT Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts 

This order establishes procedures for consideration of environmental impacts in decision-making on 

proposed DOT actions: 

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/Procedures_Considering_Environmental_I 

mpacts_5610_1C.pdf 

Federal Aviation Administration Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures 

This Order serves as the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) policy and procedures for 

compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and implementing regulations issued 

by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ): 

https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/media/order/faa_order_1050_1f.pdf 

Federal Highway Administration Environmental Impact and Related Procedures 

This part prescribes the policies and procedures of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for 

implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as amended (NEPA), and supplements 

the NEPA regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ): 

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-23/part-771 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration NEPA Procedures 

Now that FMCSA is a separate agency within DOT, it has developed its own environmental 

procedures for complying with NEPA, other pertinent environmental regulations, Executive Orders, 

statutes, and laws to ensure that it actively incorporates environmental considerations into informed 

decision-making: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2004/03/01/04-4338/nationalenvironmental-policy-act-implementing-procedures 

Federal Railroad Administration Environmental Impact and Related Procedures 

FRA conducts environmental reviews according to the revised NEPA legislation and 

regulations contained in 23 CFR Part 771 Environmental Impact and Related Procedures, 

and 23 CFR Part 774, Parks, Recreation Areas, Wildlife and Waterfowl Refuges, and Historic 

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Sites (Section 4(f)) for transportation projects. For more information, follow this link: 

Environment | FRA (dot.gov). 

Federal Transit Administration Environmental Impact and Related Procedures 

This part prescribes the policies and procedures of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for 

implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as amended (NEPA), and supplements 

the NEPA regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ): 

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-23/part-771 

Maritime Administration Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts 

This order prescribes the policies and procedures for consideration of environmental impacts in 

decision-making on proposed Maritime Administration actions: 

https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/docs/environment-security-safety/officeenvironment/596/mao600-001-0.pdf 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Procedures for Considering Environmental 

Impacts 

This part specifies National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) procedures for conducting 

environmental assessments and reviews, and for the preparation of environmental impact 

statements on proposals for legislation and other major agency actions significantly affecting the 

quality of the human environment: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/textidx?SID=2c1a9872fe3198d3416f4d080d57c34c&mc=true&node=pt49.6.520&rgn=div5 

Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation NEPA Implementing 

Procedures 

This final order revises the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation procedures for 

considering environmental impacts to conform with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 

regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act: 

https://www.seaway.dot.gov/sites/seaway.dot.gov/files/docs/SLSDC%20NEPA%20Regulations.pdf 

Environmental Justice 

Executive Order 12898 Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority 

Populations and Low-Income Populations amplifies Title VI and NEPA by stating that “each 

Federal agency shall make achieving environmental justice part of its mission by identifying 

and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health or 

environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and lowincome populations.” The order also directs Federal agencies and organizations that receive 

Federal funds to not exclude minority and low-income populations from participating in or 

benefitting from programs, policies, and activities. Those populations can often be included by 

modifying existing participatory programs. 

Public engagement for environmental justice (EJ) communities should have an intentional 

approach to ensuring meaningful involvement of affected communities and proactive 

community inclusion. 

Executive Order 13166 Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English 

Proficiency, requires Federal agencies “to examine the services they provide, identify any need 

for services to those with limited English proficiency (LEP), and develop and implement a 

system to provide those services so LEP persons can have meaningful access to them.” 

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Presidential Memorandum on Environmental Justice 

The Presidential Memorandum, or Cover Memo, transmitting Executive Order 

12898 underscores certain provisions of existing law that can help ensure that all 

communities and persons across the nation live in a safe and healthy environment. 

Additional References 

The excerpts in this section are organized by topic area and include statutes, regulations, and 

executive orders with public engagement requirements and are provided as a reference tool. 

This is not an exhaustive list of legal requirements. 

The following resources provide guidance and regulations pertaining to accessible locations and 

activities: 

Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability on Programs or Activities Receiving 

Federal Assistance - 49 CFR Part 27 

“The purpose of this part is to carry out the intent of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 

1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) as amended, to the end that “no otherwise qualified individual with a 

disability in the United States shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from 

the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under 

any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance administered by the Department 

of Transportation.” 

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Title II 

“Except as otherwise provided in §35.149, no qualified individual with a disability shall, 

because a publicentity's facilities are inaccessible to or unusable by individuals with 

disabilities, be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of the services, 

programs, or activities of a public entity, or besubjected to discrimination by any public entity.” 

Please also reference USDOT’s ADA regulations: 49 CFR Part 37 

The following resources provide guidance and regulations pertaining to air quality conformity: 

Title 40, Chapter 1, Part 51, Subpart T, §93.105 

“Affected agencies making conformity determinations on transportation plans, programs, and 

projects shall establish a proactive public involvement process which provides opportunity for 

public review andcomment by, at a minimum, providing reasonable public access to technical 

and policy information considered by the agency at the beginning of the public comment period 

and prior to taking formal action on a conformity determination for all transportation plans and 

TIPs, consistent with these requirements and those of 23 CFR 450.316(a).” 

The following resources provide guidance and regulations pertaining to early coordination, public 

involvement, and project development: 

Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter H, Part 771, §771.111 (a)(1) 

“Early coordination with appropriate agencies and the public aids in determining the type of 

environmental review documents an action requires, the scope of the document, the level of 

analysis,and related environmental requirements.” 

Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter H, Part 771, §771.111 (h)(I) 

“For the Federal-aid highway program, each State must have procedures approved by the 

FHWAto carry out a public involvement/public hearing program.” 

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Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter H, Part 771, §771.111 (i)(I) 

“For FTA capital assistance program, achieve public participation on proposed actions through 

activities that engage the public, including public hearings, town meetings, and charrettes, and 

seek input from the public through scoping for the environmental review process.” 

The following resources provide guidance and regulations pertaining to electronic information: 

Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter E, Part 450, Subpart B, §450.210 (vi) 

“To the maximum extent practicable, make public information available in electronically 

accessible format and means, such as the World Wide Web, as appropriate to afford 

reasonable opportunity forconsideration of public information.” 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 508 

“(i) individuals with disabilities who are Federal employees to have access to and use of 

information and data that is comparable to the access to and use of the information and data 

by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities; and 

(ii) individuals with disabilities who are members of the public seeking information or services 

from a Federal department or agency to have access to and use of information and data that is 

comparable to the access to and use of the information and data by such members of the 

public who are not individuals with disabilities. 

Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 

“A manufacturer of telecommunications equipment or customer premises equipment shall 

ensure that the equipment is designed, developed, and fabricated to be accessible to and 

usable by individuals with disabilities, if readily achievable.” 

The following resources provide guidance and regulations pertaining to stakeholders: 

Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter E, Part 450, Subpart C, §450.316 (a) 

“The MPO shall develop and use a documented participation plan that defines a process for 

providing individuals, affected public agencies, representatives of public transportation 

employees, public ports, freightshippers, providers of freight transportation services, private 

providers of transportation, representatives of users of public transportation (including intercity 

bus operators, employer-based commuting programs, such as carpool program, vanpool 

program, transit benefit program, parking cash-out program, shuttle program, or telework 

program), representatives of users of pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportation facilities, 

representatives of the disabled, and other interested parties with reasonable opportunities to 

be involved in the transportation planning process.” 

Title 23, Chapter 1, §109 (h) 

“Assure that possible adverse economic, social, and environmental effects relating to any 

proposed project on any Federal-aid system have been fully considered in developing such 

project, and that thefinal decisions on the project are made in the best overall public interest.” 

Title 42, §6101 

“It is the purpose of this chapter to prohibit discrimination on the basis of age in programs or 

activitiesreceiving Federal financial assistance.” 

Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter E, Part 450, Subpart B, §450.210 (viii) 

“Include a process for seeking out and considering the needs of those traditionally 

underserved by existing transportation systems, such as low-income and minority households, 

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who may face challengesaccessing employment and other services.” 

The following resources provide guidance and regulations pertaining to public hearings: 

Title 23, Chapter 1, §128 

“Any State transportation department which submits plans for a Federal-aid highway project 

involvingthe by passing of or, going through any city, town, or village, either incorporated or 

unincorporated, shall certify to the Secretary that it has had public hearings, or has afforded 

the opportunity for such hearings, and has considered the economic and social effects of such 

a location, its impact on the environment, and its consistency with the goals and objectives of 

such urban planning as has been promulgated by the community.” 

Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter E, Part 450, Subpart B, §450.210 (iv) 

“To the maximum extent practicable, ensure that public meetings are held at convenient and 

accessible locations and times.” 

Title 40, Chapter V, Part 1506, §1506.6 (b) 

“Provide public notice of NEPA-related hearings, public meetings, and the availability of 

environmentaldocuments so as to inform those persons and agencies who may be interested 

or affected.” 

Government in the Sunshine Act, §552b (e)(I) 

“In the case of each meeting, the agency shall make public announcement, at least one week 

before themeeting, of the time, place, and subject matter of the meeting, whether it is to be 

open or closed to thepublic, and the name and phone number of the official designated by the 

agency to respond to requestsfor information about the meeting.” 

Government in the Sunshine Act, §552b (f)(II) 

“The agency shall make promptly available to the public, in a place easily accessible to the 

public, thetranscript, electronic recording, or minutes.” 

The following resources provide guidance and regulations pertaining to public input on 

performance-based planning: 

Title 23, Chapter 1, §135 (h)(I) 

“The Secretary shall establish criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of the performance-based 

planningprocesses of States, taking into consideration the following: 

• The extent to which the State is making progress toward achieving, the performance 

targets described in subsection (d)(2), taking into account whether the State developed 

appropriate performance targets. 

• The extent to which the State has made transportation investments that are efficient 

and cost- effective. 

• The extent to which the State 

• has developed an investment process that relies on public input and awareness to 

ensure that investments are transparent and accountable; and 

• provides reports allowing the public to access the information being collected in a 

format that allows the public to meaningfully assess the performance of the State.” 

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The following resources provide guidance and regulations pertaining to participation plans: 

Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter E, Part 450, Subpart B, §450.210 

“The State shall develop and use a documented public involvement process that provides 

opportunitiesfor public review and comment at key decision points.” 

Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter E, Part 450, Subpart B 

450.212(d) and 450.318(e). Public ports and intercity bus operators are added to the list of 

entities that a State shall provide early and continuous public involvement opportunities as 

part of the statewide transportation planning process. New authority for using planning 

information in the environmental review process, sections 450.212(d) and 450.318(e) are 

added to reference FAST section 1305 (23 U.S.C. 168). 

The following resources provide guidance and regulations pertaining to visualization: 

Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter E, Part 450, Subpart B, §450.210 (v) 

“To the maximum extent practicable, use visualization techniques to describe the proposed 

long-rangestatewide transportation plan and supporting studies.” 

Administrative Procedures 

The following resources provide guidance and regulations on administrative procedures. 

The Administrative Procedure Act 

The Administrative Procedure Act is a Federal statute that governs the way in which administrative 

agencies of the Federal government of the United States may propose and establish regulations and 

grants U.S. Federal courts oversight over all agency actions. 

Executive Order 12866 

Executive Order 12866 encourages stakeholder engagement in rulemaking development related to 

regulatory planning and review activities. 

Federal Advisory Committee Act 

The Federal Advisory Committee Act is the legal foundation defining how Federal advisory 

committees operate. The law has special emphasis on open meetings, chartering, public 

involvement, and reporting. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act 

The Regulatory Flexibility Act is a law designed to make government agencies review all regulations 

that they impose to ensure that they do not place a disproportionate economic burden on small 

business owners and other small entities. 

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$ 

APPENDIX B. TECHNIQUES FOR MEANINGFUL 

INVOLVEMENT 

The following techniques for meaningful involvement are organized by primary use: techniques 

that seek to inform, techniques to seek input from the public, and specific tools that can be 

used within techniques. Inclusive programs include techniques that seek to inform and gather 

input. Each technique includes a Promising Practice example of how an organization has used 

the technique effectively and an icon(s) to denote when a technique may be specifically helpful 

under certain circumstances. 

Description of Icons 

TIME 

I have a lot of time I have some time Time is short 

MONEY 

I have a lot of money I have some money Budget is tight 

LANGUAGE NEEDS 

My audience uses a language(s) other than English 

EXPANDING AWARENESS 

I need to reach a lot of people from a broad range of communities 

AUDIENCE SIZE 

One-to-one engagement Small audiences Online/virtual 

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Table of Contents 

Description of Icons ................................................................................................................................... B-1 

ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR INFORMING THE PUBLIC..................................................... B-3 

Briefings...................................................................................................................................................... B-4 

Games and Contests ................................................................................................................................. B-6 

Site Visits .................................................................................................................................................... B-8 

Social Media.............................................................................................................................................B-10 

Speakers’ Bureaus and Public Involvement Volunteers .......................................................................B-12 

Transportation Fairs.................................................................................................................................B-14 

ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR GATHERING INPUT.............................................................B-16 

Brainstorming...........................................................................................................................................B-17 

Charrettes.................................................................................................................................................B-19 

Drop-in Centers ........................................................................................................................................B-21 

Focus Groups ...........................................................................................................................................B-22 

Hotlines.....................................................................................................................................................B-24 

Interactive Broadcasts.............................................................................................................................B-26 

Interactive Displays and Kiosks ..............................................................................................................B-28 

Key Person Interviews .............................................................................................................................B-30 

Non-traditional Events .............................................................................................................................B-32 

Partner or Community Hosted Meetings ................................................................................................B-34 

Telephone Outreach ................................................................................................................................B-36 

Public Hearings and Open Forum Hearings ...........................................................................................B-38 

Public Meetings and Open Houses.........................................................................................................B-40 

Scenario Planning ....................................................................................................................................B-42 

Small Group Discussion...........................................................................................................................B-44 

Surveys .....................................................................................................................................................B-46 

Visioning ...................................................................................................................................................B-48 

Visual Preference Surveys.......................................................................................................................B-50 

Voting and Polling ....................................................................................................................................B-52 

Workshops and Retreats .........................................................................................................................B-54 

TOOLS TO USE WITHIN ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES ..............................................................B-56 

Websites ...................................................................................................................................................B-57 

Virtual Presentations and Simulations ...................................................................................................B-59 

Electronic Contact Management Systems .............................................................................................B-61 

Geographic Information Systems............................................................................................................B-63 

Public Information Materials ...................................................................................................................B-65 

Media Outreach Strategies......................................................................................................................B-68 

Remote Sensing.......................................................................................................................................B-70 

Videos .......................................................................................................................................................B-72 

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Engagement Techniques for Informing the Public 

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A~ . ~··· .a.a.a 

Briefings

Briefings are issue-focused meetings between 

organization representatives and an individual or a 

small group. They can provide an opportunity for 

focused communication around a specific community 

concern. Briefings allow key groups affected by a 

project the opportunity to meet with the project team 

and ask questions specific to their concerns.Briefings: 

• May be used to establish rapport with 

community groups. 

• Create an opportunity for members of 

specifically affected communities to provide 

candid feedback. 

• Are led by a well-informed organization 

representative with exceptional communication 

skills, aided by experts or the project team to 

discuss technical components of the project 

and answer questions. 

• Are tailored according to the interests and 

concerns of the group or individual. 

• Typically include a question and answer session after a formal presentation. 

• Can include opportunities for input from attendees. 

Equity 

The following should be considered to ensure this technique is used and implemented equitably 

(you will see some of these fundamental considerations repeated throughout this section): 

• The organization and project team interact in a small group setting with key project 

stakeholders such as civic advisory committees, elected or public officials, various 

boards, advisory groups, neighborhood residents or business owners, or special interest 

groups. 

• Consider the needs of the group. Tailor the briefing by identifying key people for 

participation and the best way to present the information. 

• Briefings may help amplify voices that may otherwise not be heard. 

• Briefings may break through barriers to public participation by providing a personalized 

opportunity for engagement in circumstances when communication is difficult or 

complicated. 

• Prioritize intentional outreach to underserved communities. 

• Collaborate with the group or individual to tailor language access services. Provide 

multilingual staff or qualified interpreters where potential attendees include people who 

use languages other than English. 

• For online meetings, consider technology limitations including WiFi access, device 

limitations, and platform compatibility with screen readers. 

• For in-person briefings, be aware of weather and health advisories as well as access for 

people with disabilities and proximity to public transportation. 

Promising Practice 

King County Metro is upgrading one of 

Seattle’s busiest bus routes in the Rainer 

Valley with a new RapidRide line. Metro is 

prioritizing engaging people who are 

transit-dependent in planning the route 

and placing stations. This inclusive 

engagement effort includes hosting 

briefings in partnership with communitybased organizations to reach people 

where they are and share easy-tounderstand project information. Between 

early 2019 and late 2020, Metro engaged 

over 1,500 community members. 

Community input helped Metro place bus 

stations near places people want to go 

and prioritize projects to make it easier 

and safer to get to the bus. 

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Why use this technique? 

Briefings are a good way to introduce a new program or provide project updates to groups 

already familiar with an existing project. They create a unique opportunity for interest groups to 

feel heard and get the attention of public officials, boards, and advisory groups. These meetings 

can break through temporary barriers with a stakeholder group and potentially build trust and 

repair damage caused by previous misunderstandings or historic wrongs. 

Briefings give potential critics a better understanding of a project and a chance to respondin 

detail, away from a larger meeting setting that may reduce theirparticipation. 

When to use this tool 

Briefings are used as part of a larger public involvement plan to supplement interaction 

between community groups and the organization. For transparency and inclusivity, briefings 

should be used in combination with other public involvement techniques. 

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Games and Contests 

Games and contests are unique ways to attract and engage people 

who might not otherwise participate in transportation planning. They 

encourage participation by giving people accessible activities that 

help them learn about a program or project. No one is an expert at a 

custom-made game, so everyone starts at an equal level of skill. 

Although games and contests do not interest everyone, it is a lighthearted technique that may appeal to many types of participants. 

Games and contests: 

• Clearly and easily demonstrate project details. 

• May include board and card games, crossword puzzles or 

other word games, essays, art, or design and poster contests. 

• Can be held in-person or online. 

• Can involve a broad variety of people. 

• Can increase familiarity with an organization, making it more 

likely the same audience will engage in the future. 

During games and contests: 

• Fun is part of the goal. 

• Publicity and press coverage may be generated because 

games and contests tend to grab people’s attention. 

• People can quickly engage, needing only time to play. 

• Youth are given an opportunity to participate in something 

they otherwise might have difficulty understanding. 

Equity 

Games and contests are useful in a variety of settings and circumstances and can be used to 

incentivize community members who might not otherwise participate or are difficult to reach, 

such as youth or seniors. The following should be considered to ensure this technique is used 

and implemented equitably: 

• To reach a large audience, widely publicize information on how to participate. 

• Strive for cultural sensitivity; engage community members from the population you are 

inviting to participate in developing the games, contests, and prizes. 

• Offer the game or contest in languages other than English. 

• If using computer-based, mobile, or handheld technology, comply with 508 guidelines. 

• When possible, offer an incentive, such as a chance to win a gift card, to encourage 

people to participate. 

Why use this technique? 

Although often used as a tool to inform, input from games and contests can be used to gauge 

people’s priorities, preferences, and concerns about a project or program. Games that include 

ranking elements help organizations learn about public preferences. They make effective ice 

breakers; games can be used as a technique to help people understand different perspectives 

or difficult concepts. 

Promising Practice 

The Massachusetts Bay 

Transportation Authority 

(MBTA) sponsored a contest 

for children to provide 

designs to be incorporated 

into the ceramic tiles of a 

new transit station in their 

neighborhood. Displaying 

community artwork 

permanently on the walls of 

the new station showed 

MBTA’s interest and 

commitment in involving the 

neighborhood in the transitline extension. 

The MBTA also developed a 

picture guidebook for 

children called Anna 

Discovers the T, designed to 

teach children how to use 

the transit systems. 

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When to use this tool 

Games and contests are particularly effective at the beginning of a process to increase 

awareness, educate participants, and gauge the level of community interest or knowledge of a 

program of project. They are used in combination with other public participation tools to engage 

an audience that may be hard to reach or needs an incentive. They are especially useful when 

used in a combination of tactics that bring people together, such as meetings and open houses. 

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Site Visits 

Site visits are trips to proposed or existing project areas, corridors, 

or affected properties.Also known as field visits or site tours, they 

provide attendees with first-hand knowledge of a site. They can 

include community members, officials, agencies, organizations, 

and consultants. Site visits: 

• Are usually organized as tours and allow community 

members access to informal interaction with organization 

representatives and project or program experts. 

• Help people understand the physical characteristics of a 

project area. 

• Can be at locations that are similar to a project site or a 

proposed project to provide examples. 

• Can include options for participants to either travel 

together or meet on site. 

• Have varying costs depending on distance, transportation, 

and duration. 

• Are documented with detailed notes and may include a 

video recording posted to the organization or project 

website. 

Equity 

The following should be considered to ensure this technique is used and implemented 

equitably: 

• Schedule site visits at times convenient to the intended audience, which might be in the 

evening or on a weekend. 

• Consider a video or virtual tour as an option for people who are unable to attend inperson. 

• Reach out to community leaders personally to gauge interest and to coordinate 

availability. 

• To reach a broad audience, advertise in local newspapers, on social media platforms, 

and with postcard mailings. 

• Prioritize outreach to people in underserved communities. 

• Provide qualified interpreters for all the languages in the project area, including ASL 

and/or other sign language. 

• Provide accommodations for people who use wheelchairs and other mobility assistance 

devices. 

• Provide descriptive materials, including a project summary, event program with the 

purpose of the site visit, and maps ahead of time. 

• Be aware of weather and health advisories and have a plan for rain, including umbrellas 

and tents, or rescheduling. 

Why use this technique? 

Site visits show participants the physical context of a project or proposal. They are an 

opportunityfor community members to share their insight with project planners, engineers, and 

Promising Practice 

When participants in the Boston’s 

Central Artery North Area project, 

also known as the “Big Dig,” had 

difficulty envisioning the 

dimensions of a park proposed to 

cap a depressed highway, a site 

visit gave them a better 

understanding. Going to the 

location on a low- traffic morning, 

agency staff used chalk to outline 

the area. With a rooftop view of 

the outlined space, participants 

could envision the size of the 

park. The local newspaper 

featured the visit, providing 

information to members of the 

larger community who were 

unable to participate. 

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other organization staff, and for organization staff to directly answer questions that might not 

have been asked without seeing the site in person. Because of their more informal nature, site 

visits provide an opportunity for participation by people who are less likely to attend a meeting. 

They provide an opportunity to address potential issues such as noise, sight lines, safety, and 

other site-specific community concerns. Because site visits allow participants to better 

understand the physical environment of a project area and its surroundings, participants 

provide more informed comments that can influence the project team’s decision-making. 

Site visits create a unique opportunity for community members to feel heard and get the 

attention of public officials, boards, and advisory groups. These events can break through 

temporary barriers with a stakeholder group and potentially build trust and repair damage 

caused by previous misunderstandings or historic wrongs. Site visits give potential critics a 

better understanding of a project and a chance to respond in detail, away from a meeting 

setting that may reduce their participation. 

Site visits provide opportunities for media coverage and can improve the accuracy of reporting. 

A reporter who spends several hours at a site visit and has the opportunity to ask site-specific 

questions may write more clearly about complex issues and details. 

When to use this tool 

Site visits can be used at all phases of transportation decision-making and are especially useful 

as a first step of community engagement for a controversial project. They are useful in providing 

an introduction and context to a project during visioning and are also useful for continued 

engagement during design and construction. They provide the best result when followed by 

other activities such as advisory team meetings, charettes, and small discussion groups. 

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Social Media 

Social media is made up of various interactive technologies 

and digital channels that allow users to create and share 

materials, network, follow topics that interest them, and 

create online communities. Social media strategies should 

be a part of a larger media campaign (see Media Outreach 

Strategies in the Tools section of this document.) Different 

social media platforms appeal to different people, share 

information in different ways, and have different priorities. 

Someexamples include Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, 

YouTube, Meetup, Next Door, Twitter, Tumblr, WeChat, and 

WhatsApp. Platforms are always evolving, so organizations 

need to stay aware of newtools and trends. Social media 

campaigns: 

• Are most successful when messages are actionable. 

• Include tailored approaches for each platform rather 

than one single approach across multiple platforms. 

• Can reach a wide audience with a high level of user 

engagement. 

• Can be used to both broadcast information and 

solicit feedback. 

• Social media campaigns work best when 

incorporated into a broader communications strategy. 

To increase the effectiveness of social media campaigns and manage risk, develop a 

policy for how to use social networks and a governance model for how employees are to 

engage in conversations on behalf of the organization. 

• Social media management platforms such as Hootsuite and Sprout Social can be used 

to automate scheduling, posting, activity monitoring, and engagement, all in one place. 

Effective social media posts: 

• Are tailored to the audience’s particular needs. 

• Use photographs and graphics to tell a story. 

• Can build trust with the public when organizations quickly respond to comments, 

questions, and requests. 

• Can increase audience reach when partners share your posts on their social media 

channels. 

In addition, podcasts are an effective outreach tool, and programs/episodes are usually shared to 

social media or on websites. Podcasts can include just audio or audio and video, and formats may 

include interviews, single host, or multi-host. They can usually be accessed and listened to and/or 

watch at a time convenient to the consumer. They are an effective and engaging way to provide 

information to the public. 

Equity 

Social media is not an effective way to reach all members of a community. Some community 

Promising Practice 

Sound Transit led a collaborative 

community engagement process to 

plan transit-oriented development near 

Lynnwood City Center Light Rail 

Station. To build awareness and 

engage a diverse audience in an online 

survey, Sound Transit posted organic 

and paid content on Facebook and 

Instagram. 

This social media campaign reached 

1,241 people living near the station 

who use Spanish or English through 

organic posts with an above average 

click through rate to the survey site. 

Sound Transit received 4,425 survey 

responses. This input helped the 

agency understand community 

interests and preferences for 

development near this station. 

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members may have limited access to the internet, WiFi, cellphone data plans, or to computers 

and smart phones. The following should be considered to ensure this technique is used and 

implemented equitably: 

• Research the demographics of the community you are trying to connect with to guide 

the choice of platform(s). There is no “best” social media network to use. 

• Consider paid “boosts” to supplement non-paid “organic” posts and advertising to 

increase reach. 

• Add alt text (text used to describe a visual element) to graphics and comply with 508 

requirements to convey information to people with visual disabilities. 

• Create posts in multiple languages. 

• Tailor messages for cultural appropriateness. 

• Reach out to community and public “influencers” for specific audiences. 

Why use this technique? 

Using social media networks is a fast and inexpensive way for organizations to engage a large 

audience. Short messages can be tailored to specific audiences. Social media is a good tool for 

introducinga project and providing links to more detailed information. As people “like” and 

“share” posts, the audience can grow exponentially. Although not everyone uses social media, it 

can successfully engage a large segment of a population, particularly youth, older people, and 

people who use languages other than English. 

Input received through social media can range from a simple post about the issue to likes, 

dislikes and questions about a project or program. Depending on the platform, input received 

can be inthe form of a photo, a brief response or answer, or a lengthy post. Even simple input 

such as athumbs-up or thumbs down can help the organization gauge project interest, likes, 

dislikes, andquestions. 

When to use this tool 

Use social media as part of a larger media strategy. Because social media is not used by 

everyone,it is best used in combination with other engagement techniques. Social media can be 

used effectively to make announcements, solicit feedback, and share information. It can also be 

a quick way to send and receive emergency notifications and public service announcements. 

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Speakers’ Bureaus and Public Involvement Volunteers

Speakers’ bureaus, sometimes called listeners’ bureaus, are groups of 

trained representatives from the community who speak about a Promising Practice 

process or program. They meet with other communitymembers, Multi-lingual speakers can 

address civic groups, social clubs, business organizations, and other serve as public involvement 

groups to better reach specific segments of the community. Speakers’ volunteers and help with 

bureaus: inclusive engagement by 

• May be comprised of organization board members, partner providing interpretation at 

agencies, members of the community, and public officials. events with audiences that 

• Provide an opportunity for two-way communication through use languages other than 

question and answers. English. The Alaska DOT 

• Are particularly useful at events such as in-person open recruits community volunteers 

houses and fairs where person-to-person communication is to serve as Inuit interpreters 

important. for council meetings and for 

• Speakers and volunteers can be matched to community meetings in rural areas. 

groups so that their particular backgrounds and skills are 

effectively used during the event. 

Public involvement volunteers are also people from the community who assist the organization 

in developing and implementing an engagement plan. Public involvement volunteers can be 

used in addition to speakers’ bureaus to add capacity and gain trust withina community. They 

can help the organization understand a community’s perspective since a volunteer who lives in 

the community may offer insight for better engagement. 

When using a speakers’ bureau (with or without public involvement volunteers): 

• Speakers function as project ambassadors and should be trained for their specific role 

and topic. 

• Speakers need adequate materials and preparation for the event, including thorough 

knowledge of presentations, handouts, maps, videos, etc. 

• Consider compensating these volunteers for their time and effort. If monetary 

compensation is not possible, consider providing a meal, gift cards, coupons, etc. 

Equity 

The following should be considered to ensure this technique is used and implemented 

equitably: 

• Prioritize intentional outreach to members of underserved communities. 

• Multilingual speakers and volunteers can help bridge communication gaps and 

materials provided at the event should be available in appropriate languages. 

• Reach diverse segments of communities by scheduling meetings with neighborhood 

associations, homeowner and tenant organizations, chambers of commerce, business 

associations, labor unions, faith-based organizations, and educational institutions. 

• Organizations should not over-rely on volunteers, especially representatives from 

community-based organizations who participate on multiple committees and are often 

asked to provide free services. A stipend or compensation for time and travel should be 

considered when possible. 

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Why use this technique? 

Community representatives are especially effective when participants may need a locally 

centered perspective. Participation of speakers’ bureaus and public involvement volunteers is 

unique inthat they are members of the community and are often perceived as more neutral 

than organization staff. 

Because of this, their perspective, as well as the information shared with them by members of 

the community, may be different and more personal than what would be shared with an 

unknown organization staff member or consultant. 

When to use this tool 

Speakers’ bureaus and public involvement volunteers are an effective tool when projects or 

studies are beginning, and the project team needs to get to know the community to start 

building relationships and trust. They are also helpful at public meetings, transportation fairs, 

andin-person open houses where large audiences are expected, and individual conversations 

with manypeople will take place. They are useful when a project is approaching a milestone 

event or a critical decision when representation from a member of the community may help an 

organization’sefforts. 

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Transportation Fairs 

A transportation fair is an event used to generate interest for transportation in general or to 

reach a broad audience who may be interested in a specific project or program. Through a fair, 

an organization can present information to a broad range of people in a unique, educational, 

and excitingformat. Transportation fairs: 

• Include a variety of visuals including maps, photos, models, simulations, and 

presentations to convey a message. 

• Are preceded by extensive publicity to attract participants. 

• Can result in comments and perspectives from a broad and diverse group of 

participants. 

• Are an opportunity for candid, casual input. 

• May be held in high foot-traffic locations such as a centrally located public space, town 

center, or shopping mall. 

• Are not typically invitation-based events and are usually drop-in events. 

• Are used for sharing information. They are not for developing community consensus. 

• Can include a presentation or speaker to help draw attendees. 

• Can include hands on, science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics 

(STEAM)-focused educational programming to engage youth. 

Equity 

Transportation fair attendees are self-selected, allowingindividuals the opportunity to 

participate based on their comfort level. The following should be considered to ensure this 

technique is used and implemented equitably: 

• Encourage participants to view exhibits, ask questions, consider information, and give 

comments. 

• Provide multilingual staff or interpreters to interact with community members who use 

languages other than English. 

• Do not expect a representative sample of the community given the drop-in nature of a 

fair. 

• Consider holding multiple fairs in different, diverse geographic locations to increase 

participant diversity. 

• Schedule fairs at times when attendance can be maximized, such as weekends, at 

lunchtime, or in the early evening. 

• Be aware of weather and health advisories and have a plan for cancellation or 

rescheduling. 

Why use this technique? 

Transportation fairs are a casual way to engage with the community and, if sited well, may 

successfully engage a subset of the community that has been difficult to reach, such as youth, 

seniors, young families, or other underserved populations. Fairs can help organization staff 

identify candidates for greater participation, such as in a site visit, community advisory 

committee,briefing, or focus group. People can engage based on their own comfort level, 

choosing to speak with organization staff or taking home information to read at their 

convenience. 

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When to use this tool 

Transportation fairs work best when part of a broader public involvement strategy and used 

along with other techniques. Use this tool when seeking casual input rather than formal 

comment. This tool can be used at any stage of the project. During scoping and visioning, an 

exhibit at a transportation fair can capture unusual ideas. During development or project design 

and construction, organization staff can inform and update the community on project progress. 

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Engagement Techniques for Gathering Input 

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Brainstorming

Brainstorming is where people come together in a freethinking forum to generate ideas. 

Brainstorming can be an effective method of creating a common understanding of a program or 

project as participants work together to define goals or solve problems. The freethinking 

atmosphere nurtures creativity and innovative thinking because individuals are encouraged to 

bring up all suggestions — even those that might seem outrageous. 

Brainstorming: 

• Generates ideas to develop programs and projects or to find solutions to a problem. 

• Lists every idea offered without comment or judgement. 

• Prioritizes solutions. 

• Evaluates ideas to reach consensus. 

Brainstorming sessions are most effective when led by a skilled facilitator, either from the group 

itself, the organization, or a consultant. Materials can be provided in advance, and the 

brainstorming session is carefully planned with objectives and an agenda to focus the 

conversation, lay the ground rules, and work toward solutions. A typical brainstorming session 

has a small group of five to 10 participants. 

Equity 

Anyone can participate in a brainstorming session; participants do not need to be trained 

professionals or experts. The following considerations will improve the outcome ofbrainstorming 

sessions: 

• Include representatives from the community that will be directly affected by the program 

or project. 

• Include a cross-section of people who may hold differing opinions. 

• Use trained facilitators who will engage participants who may be less vocal than others. 

• Provide background information to invited participants in advance. 

• Have monolingual brainstorming sessions in multiple languages to increase 

participation for people who use languages other than English. Having a facilitator in the 

language of the group is especially helpful. If facilitated non-English monolingual groups 

are not possible, provide qualified interpreters for people who use languages other than 

English. Provide all of the materials to the interpreters in advance so they have ample 

time for preparation. 

• Translate materials to provide resources to people who use languages other than 

English. 

• Have monolingual ASL brainstorming sessions, with an ASL facilitator, so people who 

use ASL have an opportunity to participate fully with ease. If facilitated monolingual ASL 

groups are not possible, provide qualified interpreters for people who use ASL or other 

sign language. Provide all of the materials to the interpreters in advance so they have 

ample time for preparation. 

• Provide materials in large print, braille, or tactile graphics (a way to convey non-textual 

information from pictures, maps, graphs, etc. to people who are blind or visually 

impaired using raised lines and surfaces for people with visual disabilities.) 

• Provide materials such as maps, photos, concept sketches, and graphics that can be 

drawn on, and materials for drawing, for people to express ideas visually. 

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• Have a virtual brainstorming session that includes participation options for people who 

use assistive technology. Provide electronic materials that are compatible with 

accessibility software along with a way for participants to access those materials 

• Hold sessions over a series of days and evenings to provide flexibility in participants’ 

schedules 

• If held in-person, choose a location that is accessible to all. Consider a location for 

participants that may not feel comfortable attending a meeting in a municipalbuilding. 

Why use this technique? 

Through brainstorming, organizations can hear from people with differing perspectives, 

generate new ideas, increase their own awareness of issues important to the community, 

discover potential problems, and determine solutions that might not otherwise come to light. 

New ideasgleaned directly from participants help organizations craft compromise solutions or 

program alternatives andset priorities in collaboration with community representatives. 

Brainstorming also providesorganizations information about the community’s current 

understanding and perceptions of the organization and project. 

When to use this tool 

Brainstorming is used as part of a larger process and is an effective tool for focus groups, 

charrettes, advisory committees, or public meetings. When planning projects, brainstorming is 

effective when used at the beginning of a lengthy or complex process to help the community 

and the projectteam come to an early understanding. It is especially effective during visioning 

or at times when aproject or program is facing an issue that has halted progress. It can be used 

at the beginning of every phase of work, especially after debriefing the prior phase. 

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Charrettes 

Charrettes, sometimes referred to as design workshops, are taskspecific, collaborative, usually full- or multi-day events held as 

either a planning or design activity. Facilitators experienced in 

collaboration techniques lead the event. Charrette participants 

include interdisciplinary teams, stakeholders, community 

members, and organization staff who have knowledge of project 

details and related issues or policies and understand how input 

will be used. 

Equity 

To be most effective, charrettes include a wide range of people 

with differing viewpoints. Attendees do not need to be a 

professional or expert on the project or subject. Rather any 

individual with an interest can attend and contribute meaningfully. 

Other considerations when planning a charrette include: 

• Hire a skilled facilitator to create opportunities for all 

participants to fully engage and be heard without criticism. 

• Invite multi-disciplinary and interagency representatives 

and people with different perspectives. 

• Include representatives from the community that will be 

directly affected by the program or project. 

• Include community members on the planning committee 

to provide insight on how best to structure the event, 

promote it, and recruit community participation. 

• Provide qualified interpreters for people who use 

languages other than spoken English, including ASL or 

other sign language. Provide interpreters with materials in 

advance so they have ample time for preparation. 

• Consider small group facilitators who can lead 

monolingual small group conversations in languages other 

than spoken English. 

• Provide materials such as maps, photos, concept sketches, and graphics that can be 

drawn on, and materials for drawing, for people to express ideas visually. 

• Provide materials in large print, braille, or tactile graphics. 

• Provide electronic materials that are compatible with accessibility software along with a 

way for participants to access those materials. 

• Hold charrettes over a series of days and evenings to provide flexibility in participants’ 

schedules. 

• If held in-person, choose a location that is accessible to all. 

• Consider a location for participants that may not feel comfortable attending a meeting in 

a municipalbuilding. 

Promising Practice 

In Jacksonville, FL, the City 

hosted a week-long public 

design charrette to help guide 

the downtown master plan. 

Business and civic leaders and 

people from surrounding 

neighborhoods participated in 

the charrette to help shape 

the Downtown Jacksonville 

Master Plan. 

Preparation for the charrette 

took several months. The 

event included a public 

walking tour, formal and 

informal meetings, interviews, 

brainstorming session, and a 

series of workshops featuring 

interactive input methods 

such as dot-voting and sketch 

pads for participants to 

express ideas. These activities 

ultimately advised the plan’s 

final recommendations, while 

embodying the vision that the 

city proposes to carry out in 

the future. 

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Why use this technique? 

Charrettes help sharpen an organization’s understanding of the various perspectives of interest 

groups and other stakeholders. Specifically, they can provide insights that are not immediately 

visible to organization staff on how the community uses and views a road, park, or other 

community resource.They are useful for creating a shared understanding of a project or 

program or for finding resolutionto alternatives. Charrettes frequently generate creative 

alternatives that organization staff might not have considered. Including the community in the 

planning process through charrettes builds trustand project support, especially when 

community-influenced outcomes are implemented. 

When to use this tool 

Charrettes are used with other engagement tools, such as workshops, open houses, or as a 

follow-up to brainstorming and visioning sessions. They are useful at any stage in the planning 

process, especially in early planning process to provide ideas and perspectives from concerned 

interest groups. Later in the planning process, a charrette can be useful in resolving unexpected 

issues or overcoming unforeseen impasses. 

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Drop-in Centers

Drop-in centers are non-traditional meeting locations that offer Promising Practice neutral and informal space for community members to get project The MPO in Portland, OR, information, ask questions, and make comments. Drop-in centers used a rehabilitated city bus 

may go by other names, such as a field office, site office, or kiosk, in its planning for system-wide and are often used during long-term, high-visibility projects with fare changes. MPO staff drove major impacts. the bus to schools, business 

Equity areas, and grocery stores, 

Locate a drop-in center at an easy-to-find, convenient place in the staying as long as a week in 

project area or at a specific project site. A location such as a each location. Fare collectors 

storefront in the community’s shopping district, or a station set up explained new fare 

in the local library or community center may provide effective information to 150,000 

options. people. 

A mobile drop-in center such as a van or trailer can be parked at 

an accessible and visible location or used to attend events such as The MPO also created a video 

fairs, block parties and sporting or cultural events. The following about the fare changes. 

should be considered to ensure this technique is used and 

implemented equitably: 

• Provide multilingual staff or interpreters to interact with community members who use 

languages other than English. 

• Staff a drop-in center with temporary employees hired from the community to build trust 

and showcommitment from the organization. 

• Include operating hours that are convenient to the community, like evenings and 

weekends, not just during weekday business hours. 

Why use this technique? 

A drop-in center alerts the community that the organization is committed to hearing from them 

andmeeting them where they are. They provide continuity for long-term projects, especially 

when an organization is based far from a project site. Drop-in centers provide a low-risk 

alternative to public meetings where some people may not be comfortable attending or 

speaking. Input received atdrop-in centers provide an organization with on-going, in-person 

feedback from community members, and an opportunity to gauge how the project is being 

received from inception through completion. Staffat drop-in centers can assess additional 

outreach needs and alert decision-makers whenproblems arise. 

When to use this tool 

Drop-in centers are used when organizations seek to reach people who don’t typically 

participate because meeting venues may not be convenient, or an organization’s office is far 

away. They are used during all phases of a project but are especially useful during 

implementation and construction when an in-person presence in the community will provide an 

opportunity for one-on- one interactions between community members and the project team. 

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Focus Groups

A focus group is a small group conversation led by a 

skilled facilitator and used to gaugepublic opinion 

and listen to concerns, needs, wants, and 

expectations. They are useful for identifying major 

points of agreement and/or divergence of opinions. 

Focus groups are not typically used forproblem 

solving or information sharing, but rather as a way to 

gather perspectives, insights, and opinionsof 

participants through conversation and interaction. 

Focus groups typically have the following basic 

features: 

• Groups are made up of six to eight 

participants. 

• Sessions lasts two to three hours. 

• Groups are guided by a professional 

facilitator with a carefully crafted agenda and 

questions developed by the sponsoring 

organization. 

• Other tools such as video or websites provide 

context. 

• Sessions are observed and recorded. 

Participants are selected in two ways: random 

selection, to ensure all segments of the community 

are represented, or non-random selection to elicit 

responses from a specific group of people. A 

combination of selection methods can be used to 

engage people both well-versed and unfamiliar with a 

topic, service, or product. 

For non-random selection, participants might be pre-screened by going through a series of 

interviews that will lead to selection based on criteria developed for creating a specific 

audience. 

Focus groups are not usually statistically representative of the greater community. 

Equity 

Engaging people from underserved communities may require oversampling of invitations, a 

method used to mitigate for typically low response and attendance at events sponsored by 

government organizations. The following should be considered to ensure this technique is used 

and implemented equitably: 

• Have multiple focus groups in different languages so that people who use languages 

other than spoken English, including ASL or other sign language, can participate in 

monolingual conversations, which produce the best results. Where facilitators in 

multiple languagesare not available, provide qualified interpreters. 

Promising Practice 

During planning for the Central Artery 

project in Boston, also known as the 

“Big Dig” planners used focus groups 

to learn about the preferences of 

people who live in Boston’s North End 

neighborhood, an area isolated from 

most of the city by an elevated 

structure. 

Planners learned that their 

assumption - that removing the 

structure would be welcome - was 

incorrect. Instead, discussion 

revealed that many community 

members opposed removing the 

structure because of the desire to 

maintain the ethnic character of 

neighborhood and concerns about 

gentrification. The project built a 

series of parks with water features 

and other amenities in the path of the 

old elevated Central Artery. From 

Chinatown through the Wharf District 

and North End, this is now known as 

the Rose Kennedy Greenway. 

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• Include materials in large print, braille, and tactile graphics that are accessible to people 

with sight disabilities. 

• Hire a facilitator to keep the group on topic, elicit opinions from each participant, and 

prevent one participant from dominating. 

• Focus groups are typically held in the evening after daytime business hours. 

• Provide compensation and a meal to encourage participation when possible. 

Why use this technique? 

Information gained from focus groups help organizations assess policy, inform program 

objectives,and understand public sentiment. They are used to assess potential public reaction 

and acquire a deeper understanding of people’s viewpoints on a subject before presenting it to 

a broader audience.The informal atmosphere and small size of a focus group promote 

participation and can provide aforum where differing opinions are encouraged, and people are 

invited to speak out withoutcriticism. 

When to use this tool 

Focus groups supplement other community engagement techniques and are often part of a 

larger project or program evaluation. They are used to identify concerns and issues prior to 

implementing a broader media or outreach strategy. They can be repeated at intervals to gauge 

changes inpublic opinion. They also provide a qualitative supplement to quantitative community 

surveys. 

Focus groups are not recommended for input on technical issues or as a problem-solving 

technique. 

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Hotlines 

A hotline, sometimes called a voice bulletin board, is an Promising Practice organization’s telephone line for receivinginquiries and The Tennessee Department of comments from the general public. They sometimes offer Transportation offers an online project information updates orgeneral information regarding a hotline for community program. Hotlines can be staffed by a live representative for members to report drivers who real-time response or operate automatically with recorded litter on state roadways. messages. They can also be used to coverlarge geographic People can either call the areas for conducting community surveys. hotline or anonymously submit 

Equity an online form. 

Telephone techniques such as hotlines reach people who might The owner of the vehicle 

not otherwise participate in transportation decision-making receives a letter in the mail 

processes. Community members who are not comfortable with informing them of the negative 

large events or in-person meetings may be more apt to consequences of their littering 

participate using a hotline. A hotline can be an easy way for actions and educational 

people who do not have the time to attend meetings to stay materials are provided. 

informed. The following should be considered to ensure this 

technique is used and implemented equitably: 

• Provide a 24-hour toll-free 800 number. 

• Program messages in multiple languages. 

• Use technology that can be adapted for people with hearing disabilities. 

• Indicate when the caller can expect a return call in the outgoing message. Return 

messages within a reasonable timeframe to alleviate a caller’s frustration with not being 

able to speak with someone directly. For issues that require immediate attention, return 

the call within 24 hours. 

• Inform callers of how their comments are being recorded, considered, and used. 

Community members have varying levels of literacy in English and other languages. Hotlines 

allow people with low literacy levels to access information easily and without revealing their 

literacy level. 

Why use this technique? 

Hotlines can be updated quickly to provide the most current information about a project or 

announce upcoming community meetings and events. Providing outgoing messages in multiple 

languages is an inexpensive way to communicate a message. 

Regularly monitored hotlines can be used in an ongoing way for community members to report 

issues such as downed wires, accidents, or other hazards. They can also be used to provide 

accurate and up-to-date information during times of emergency. 

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When to use this tool 

Hotlines are used for the duration of a program or project. Although telephone techniques such 

as hotlines cannot replace in-person interactions, they can be an effective part of a broader 

strategy that includes information sharing techniques such as advertising and printed and 

social media announcements. 

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Interactive Broadcasts 

Interactive broadcasts allow participants to interact by telephone or 

computer. This techniqueuses platforms such as local public 

television, YouTube, Zoom, WebEx, Skype, and Microsoft Teams to 

connect with the community through broadcasting, 

teleconferencing, computer, and webcam. A professional facilitator 

leads the meeting and participants use a call-in number, website, or 

platform application to comment or ask questions from their homes 

or other locations. In some cases, a meeting, presentation, or 

conversation is held in a central location with an audience, while a 

video crew records and broadcasts the proceedings. Home viewers 

call or type in questions and participate in polls or surveys. Webbased interactive broadcasts can be combined with an electronic 

contact management system to build a stakeholder list for future 

reference. 

Equity 

Interactive broadcasts provide direct and immediate access to inperson public meetings and events for people who cannot attend inperson. The following should be considered to ensure this technique 

is used and implemented equitably: 

• Reach people who are older by broadcasting on local public television networks. 

• Broadcast on television networks that have audiences who use languages other than 

English. Have qualified interpreters available and provide captioning in languages other 

than English. 

• Use platforms that are mobile friendly so that people with low incomes, people who use 

languages other than English, and people who access the internet through phones or 

other mobile devices have the best chance to fully participate. 

• Use platforms that are compatible with screen readers and other accessibility software 

so people with a range of disabilities can participate fully and easily. 

• Provide the recording on an easily accessible public website and offer opportunities for 

viewers who did not attend the event live to provide input after the fact. Add captions 

and make sure the recording is compatible with screen readers and other accessibility 

software so people with a wide range of disabilities can view and participate. 

There is the risk that the dialogue in an interactive broadcast may not reflect the full range of 

community opinions. Input from interactive broadcasts may not be statistically representative of 

the community. 

Why use this technique? 

Interactive broadcasts are a part of a larger effort to engage the community and gauge public 

perceptions about an issue. Interactive broadcasts can help build momentum for or against a 

project or program, which can be particularly critical when funding sources are in question or 

support is needed from political leaders. Information organizations receive from interactive 

broadcasts through viewer comments can help them evaluate community perceptions about 

critical or sensitive issues and identify ways to improve plans or make responsive decisions. 

Promising Practice 

The Central Puget Sound RTA 

(Sound Transit) in partnership 

with a local commercial 

station, presented a twohour, prime time program on 

its proposed rapid transit 

system. Moderated by a local 

TV personality, the program 

highlighted transit systems 

from other cities and the 

100-person audience showed 

their approval or disapproval 

for various options through 

handheld opinion meters. A 

panel of diverse experts kept 

the discussion balanced. 

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When to use this tool 

Use interactive broadcasts when broad engagement is required to reach audiences that may 

not use other engagement tools such as in-person meetings and are more likely to participate 

from their homes. For polling and surveys, augment data collected in interactive broadcasts 

with other tools such as direct mail. 

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Interactive Displays and Kiosks 

Interactive video displays and kiosks are stand-alone 

electronic systems similar toautomatic teller machines (ATMs.) 

A pre-programmed presentation allows viewers to direct the 

flow ofinformation by activating the program with a 

touchscreen, keyboard, or mouse. Interactive displays may be 

operated as a network of terminals; however, these can be 

costly. When consideringinteractive displays as part of a public 

involvement program, a separate study should be conductedto 

confirm expected use, types of information perceived to be 

valued by the public, potential locations, and message content 

and format. An interactive display or kiosk: 

• Can be stationary or mobile. 

• Delivers information to the user without in-person 

contact. 

• Elicits specific responses, acting as asurvey 

instrument. 

• Enables the user to enter a special request to the 

organization or join a contact list. 

• Receives and stores user input. 

Equity 

Interactive displays in public places allow an organization to reach people who otherwise may 

not participate in transportation processes by providing independent opportunities in nontraditional settings. The following should be considered to ensure this technique is used and 

implemented equitably: 

• Place interactive displays and kiosks in shopping centers, plazas, and parks and at large 

public events. 

• Offer choices to view information in languages other than English. 

• Provide information at a reading level that will allow people of varying levels of 

educationto participate. Writing at the eighth-grade reading level or lower is generally 

accepted. 

• Display information in a way that is easy to navigate for people with low computerliteracy. 

• Follow 508 guidelines for all visuals, including creating alternative text (a short,written 

description of an image, which offers context about that image when it cannot be 

viewed.) 

Why use this technique? 

The decision to use kiosks depends on the nature of the project, other public involvement 

techniques being used, community norms, and available resources. Interactive displays can 

provide specific, controlled information to people who do not normally attend other engagement 

eventssuch as hearings or meetings. By using graphics and visual content, people can quickly 

understandplans or complex programs. Participants can provide contact information for future 

involvement. 

Promising Practice 

Interactive displays can provide 

information about areas that are 

distant or dangerous to visit. The 

Tennessee Valley Authority and 

the Florida Power and Light 

Company used interactive 

displays to illustrate how nuclear 

power facilities work. These 

interactive displays include flat 

and GIS mapping of current and 

future plans, dashboards that 

pinpoint time and location of the 

most energy usage, and real-time 

power trackers to find power 

outages affecting an area. 

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When to use this tool 

Interactive displays are appropriate as an initial contact and for providing general information. 

They should be located where large numbers of people gather — for instance, in shopping malls, 

campuses, business centers, public buildings, and airports. 

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Key Person Interviews 

A key person interview is a one-on-one conversation about a specific 

topic or issue with an individual recognized or designated as a 

community leader or representing an organization with an interestin 

the project or program. A key person might be a spokesperson for 

the community, an electedofficial, or the head of a communitybased organization, advocacy, or stakeholdergroup. 

While basic information is provided to set the stage for discussion, 

interviews are designedprimarily to elicit the interviewee’s reactions 

and suggestions. The goal is to gain insight to the person’s views, as 

a representative of a constituency, about the project or program, and 

the political setting in which work is being done. 

Equity 

Key person interviews are useful when a project affects a small 

group in a unique way — for example, a block of businesses or a 

specific neighborhood. The following should be considered to ensure 

this technique is used and implemented equitably: 

• Provide options for holding the interview (in-person, online, 

or on the phone.) 

• For interviews with people who prefer to use a language 

other than English, engage an interpreter who is familiar with 

basic program or project information. 

• Provide interview questions in advance. 

• Interview people from a range of viewpoints, including those who may be in opposition 

to the project or program. 

• Follow up interviews with a written summary to the interviewee, for agreement and 

confirmation of key points. 

• Include options for people with a range of disabilities. 

Why use this technique? 

Key person interviews can enhance an organization’s credibility. They show interest in the 

community and in understanding the concerns of a leader’s constituents. Conducting interviews 

sets a positive tone for subsequentpublic involvement activities. 

One-on-one interviews can defuse a potentially confrontational situation. This is particularly 

useful in enhancing an organization’s understanding of opposing viewpoints. Key individuals are 

likely to have knowledge, wisdom, and insight that can help an organization gain awareness of 

the community, understand residents’ priorities, and identify points that should be covered 

during larger meetings. Key person interviews also help identify local participants who may be 

interested in taking a larger role in a project or program, such as on an advisorycommittee. 

Organizations can enhance credibility if their staff seek key people for advice on designing a 

public involvement program. Key person interviews are often the fastest way to find out who in 

the community is perceived as credible, who is difficult to communicate with, and who is a 

Promising Practice 

For a Newark subway 

rehabilitation project, 

interviews led New Jersey 

Transit to set up several 

station task forces rather than 

a single advisory committee, 

as originally proposed. The 

Newark interviews also 

identified safety as the 

overwhelming issue of 

community concern, which led 

to changes in the work and 

improving the pedestrian 

experience so that there is 

better connection to the 

downtown area, as well as 

reconfigured traffic lanes for 

ride services. 

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potentialally. Interviews help build a network of critical people to contact and establish lines of 

communication between community members and organizations. Key people may be aware of a 

former process that went awry. Their insights on past stumbles can help an organization avoid 

continued missteps. Inaddition, they have a sense of how a project or proposal will be received 

within their community. This information aids an organization in modifying plans to be more 

responsive to community concerns. 

When to use this tool 

Key person interviews are useful at the start of a process and just before decision-making. They 

are often held prior to larger engagement efforts. It may be necessary and desirable to continue 

contact throughout the process. Credibility will suffer if an organization does not follow up on 

the interviews or maintain contact with key people. 

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Non-traditional Events 

Non-traditional events are meetings and experiences 

scheduled at locations that are not theusual meeting halls 

or public buildings where many government-sponsored 

events are held.A non-traditional event may be a site-visit or 

project area tour. An event could also be a table or booth at 

larger events or specific locations such as: 

• Fairs and festivals 

• Neighborhood block parties 

• Sporting events 

• Shopping centers and malls 

• College campuses 

• Train stations and bus stops 

People who attend the event have direct interaction with 

staff and receive information from brochures, factsheets, 

display boards, videos, or other visual tools. 

Equity 

Non-traditional events are an opportunity for members of the 

public to participate informally based on their comfort level. 

Non-traditional events allow for participation by people who 

may not be free to attend meetings during business hours. 

The following should be considered to ensure this technique 

is used and implemented equitably: 

• Provide multilingual staff or interpreters to interact with community members who use 

languages other than English. 

• Encourage participants to view materials and ask questions. Include materials in 

multiple languages. 

• Be mindful of cultural norms for engaging audiences of diverse backgrounds. 

• Include a variety of visuals including maps and photos to convey a message. An 

interactive display board that asks an engagement question that people can read from a 

distance, then choose to approach the booth is often an effective way to draw attention. 

• Provide postage-paid comment cards for people to take home with them and mail later. 

Include options for people with a range of disabilities and for those who speak 

languages other than English. 

Why use this technique? 

By going to where people congregate in large numbers, an organization leverages access to a 

pre-existing audience and has an opportunity to engage a wide range of people. They also 

demonstrateinterest in the community by tailoring engagement to a local event. It is an 

opportunity to promoteother engagement tools such as meetings, surveys, or signing up for 

email or following on social media. 

Promising Practice 

Representatives of the Maryland 

DOT State Highway Administration 

attended the two-day Rockville Arts 

Festival to discuss the Op Lanes 

Maryland P3 Program. Their goal 

was to increase awareness of the 

variable toll lane project on the 

Capital Beltway (I-495), I- 270 and 

the 60-year old American Legion 

Bridge, which connects Maryland to 

Virginia. The Program team 

distributed informational flyers and 

brochures, referenced Program 

benefits on several large maps and 

interactive boards, and spoke 

directly with approximately 91 

community members to answer 

questions, gather feedback and 

concerns, and provide clarity about 

the P3 Program during the two-day 

festival in downtown Rockville. 

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When to use this tool 

Non-traditional events are used as part of in-person engagement strategy. They are useful at 

any phase of planning, especially when the organization needs to raise awareness with 

audiences in a specific project area that may not follow transportation topics on social media or 

other means. Although non-traditional events are typically one-time events, attending multiple 

events, or consistentlyattending recurring events during a multi-year project, creates an ongoing 

presence in the community forthe organization. 

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Partner or Community Hosted Meetings 

Community organizations and other partner groups 

sometimes hold their own meetings andevents to which Promising Practice 

organizations can be invited. Groups may be a subset of a Representatives of the Baltimore City 

larger community such as local community-based DOT were invited speakers at 

organizations, advocacy groups, civic groups, sports or community meetings during the study 

activity-based organizations, social clubs, business for redesigning Druid Park Lake Drive 

associations, culture-based institutions, faith-based with the goal of increasing safety 

organizations, homeowners’ and tenants’ associations, while reconnecting the community to 

etc. the adjacent park. By attending 

Groups may also be a part of a larger institutions such as community-hosted meetings, they 

rotary clubs, service organizations, national advocacy and were able to hear from multiple 

issue-based non-profits, and government or tribal neighborhood groups, advocacy 

leadership. organizations, and nearby neighbors 

to better understand community and Equity commuter concerns for reconfiguring Attending an already established meeting helps with the roadway. attendance because participants already planned to 

attend as opposed to having to accommodate another 

meeting. When looking for meetings to join, web-based community calendars, city meeting and 

elected officials’ calendars, and city and community websites are useful sources of information. 

The following should be considered to ensure this technique is used and implemented 

equitably: 

• Familiarize yourself with cultural norms when requesting an invitation to and attending 

an organization’s meeting. 

• Ask the organization the best way to present information to their group. This may or may 

not be in the form of a presentation. 

• Provide meeting materials such as presentations and fact sheets in advance. 

• Translate materials for organizations whose members include people who use 

languages other than English. 

• For groups who use languages other than English, use an interpreter or, if appropriate, 

offer to compensate the organization if they can provide interpretation. 

• Be flexible in your timing. If your topic is only one portion of the agenda, plan to attend 

the entire meeting as a show of respect. Arrive early. Be willing to stay late. 

• Allow ample time for questions. 

• Be prepared for off-topic questions and be willing to find the right person for peopleto 

contact if it is out of your area of knowledge. Offer communication options for people 

with a range of disabilities and for those who speak languages other than English. 

Why use this technique? 

Organizations whose members represent groups that might not otherwise engage in 

transportation planning may bring fresh perspective and insight to the transportation planning 

process. Attending an existing partner or community meeting provides an organization the 

opportunity to leverage thetrust that an organization has with their community and interact with 

people in an alreadyestablished setting where they are comfortable. Regularly attending 

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community hosted meetings in yourproject area, even when transportation is not specifically on 

the agenda, will help the organization build a trusting relationship with community members and 

can go a long way in gaining support for a project or program as well as build long-term trust 

with community members. 

When to use this tool 

This technique can be considered one of the most important in an overall public involvement 

strategy. Partner or community hosted meetings can be used during all phases oftransportation 

project decision-making. Begin having community and partner meetings before your project 

starts, and attend the meetings regularly through the duration of the project. Consider attending 

meetingspast project completion to assess the impact of the project on the community and 

make possible adjustments. When used in conjunction with other public involvement tools such 

as socialmedia, flyer distribution, and project specific meetings, this tool is very effective for 

gathering feedback and keeping a community up to date on a project or program. 

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Telephone Outreach

Outreach to the public via telephone has long been used 

for community involvement to bothprovide information 

and gather opinions. Methods of telephone outreach 

include town halls, hotlines, and auto dial and auto text 

services. 

A Telephone Town Hall is a meeting that allows 

participants to call in. Some are listen-only, but others may 

be similar to a large conference call. Telephone Town Halls 

may be combined with a webcast or scheduled television 

program for viewing as well as call-in options. 

• Auto dial or auto text messages: automated 

services are often used for conducting surveys to 

reach a statistically viable sample of a general 

population. An auto dial or text message service 

can be programmed for many purposes such as 

providing meeting reminders and updates to 

people who have signed up for project/program 

communications, news, and updates. 

• Information bureau: a staff person responds to a 

broad variety of standard queries, such as 

questions about updated bus schedules or providing upcoming meeting dates. 

• Hotlines or voice bulletin boards: a staff person or auto attendant with recorded 

answers, provides responses to questions about a specific project or program. Hotlines 

often have the option to leave a message for a return call. 

• Interactive voice response system: information retrieval from a main computer with an 

auto attendant feature that has a series of tiered recordings leading to either a prerecorded topic-specific answer or a staff person. 

• Interactive cable television information: a series of information boards or videos that 

can be brought up by phone to a television screen. 

Equity 

Telephone techniques reach a variety of people who might not otherwise participatein 

transportation processes by providing a way to participate throughtechnology. The following 

should be considered to ensure this technique is used and implemented equitably: 

• Use technology that can be adapted for people with hearing disabilities. 

• Program recordings, audio services, and telephone options in multiple languages. 

• Provide a 24-hour toll-free 800 number. 

• Indicate when the caller can expect a return call in the outgoing message. Return 

messages within a reasonable timeframe to alleviate a caller’s frustration with not being 

able to speak with someone directly. For issues that require immediate attention, return 

the call within 24 hours. 

• Inform callers of how their comments are being recorded, considered, and used. 

Promising Practice 

The City of Redmond Planning 

Commission holds their meetings inperson and offers a dial-in number for 

members of the community to listen to 

the meeting in real- time. Although the 

commission cannot view and respond 

to comments “live” they do accept 

comments and questions in advance 

and address them during the meeting. 

When people register for a meeting, 

they receive a text message reminder 

when the meeting starts and can join 

through a link in the text message. 

The meetings are also streamed 

through Facebook Live and on three 

local television channels. 

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Why use this technique? 

Community members who are not comfortable with large or in-person meetings, or are unableto 

attend in person, may participate using a phone option for telephone townhalls. 

Auto dial and auto text messages can quickly reach a high number of people and, especially in 

the case of an emergency, can help an organization disseminate accurate informationquickly. 

When to use this tool 

Telephone town halls can be used throughout the duration of a project or program and atkey 

times such as project kickoff, major milestones, unexpected changes, and project/program 

wrap up. 

Hotlines, interactive voice response systems, and auto dial and text messages can be used 

throughout the project to alert community members of meetings and importantupdates. 

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Public Hearings and Open Forum Hearings

Public hearings are meetings that allow members of the community to be formally heard and 

have their comments recorded. They are structured events that typically occur near the end of 

data-gathering activities. An open forum hearing is a public hearing with elements of an open 

house. After reviewing exhibits and other information, participants can provide comments that 

will be included in the hearing transcript. Both types of hearings can be conducted in person or 

online. 

Public hearings may be required as part of the NEPA or a 

project planning process, including those that are part of 

the transportation system, and are intended to gather 

community input for public record. Public hearings: 

• Can fulfill statutory and regulatory requirements. 

• Require that reasonable notice of the event be 

given to the community. 

• May require transcripts and public comments to be 

submitted to Federal, State or local agencies. 

• Are led by a trained public hearing officer who is 

typically an organizational representative. 

• Are often a one-sided interaction where the public 

provides comments, but the organization does not 

typically respond or enter into a dialogue with 

attendees. 

• Are sometimes preceded by an open house, 

providing time for participants to review 

information. 

An open forum hearing is a less formal event and can be 

useful in identifying project issues, goals, objectives, 

values and concerns. The format focuses on project details 

rather than conflicting positions. It is often used when a 

planning process requires it as part of the NEPA process 

such as an environmental impact study. In addition to 

having the features of an open house, an open forum 

hearing: 

• Must publish formal notice of the time and date. 

• Comments are officially recorded and transcripts are made public. 

• Participants have a chance to clarify comments by reviewing transcripts before putting 

their opinions on the record. 

Equity 

Formal hearings may intimidate people who are not used to providing public comments, causing 

them to be hesitant, especially as part of a public record. The following should be considered to 

ensure this technique is used and implemented equitably: 

• Allow written comments and provide the opportunity for a private session that includes 

Promising Practice 

The Maryland Department of 

Transportation State Highway 

Administration (MDOT SHA) leads the 

Op Lanes Maryland P3 (I-495 and I270 Public-Private Partnership) and 

Managed Lanes Study. In 2021 MDOT 

SHA led a Supplemental Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement 

(SDEIS) public comment period and 

public hearing to seek public 

feedback on the SDEIS. To encourage 

participation, the team produced 

emails, press releases, public meeting 

notices, social media posts, 20+ 

display boards, flyers, radio spots 

(English and Spanish), print and 

online media ads. Staff developed a 

20-page SDEIS executive summary 

and flyers in Spanish, French, Korean, 

simplified Chinese and Amharic. The 

team planned the public hearing, 

provided notetaking and 

interpretation services and received 

more than 2,000 comments during 

the 45-day comment period. 

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a transcriber for recording purposes. 

• Provide qualified interpreters for people who use languages other than spoken English 

including ASL or other sign language. 

• Prioritize outreach to underserved communities by advertising in local media outlets 

that are culture and/or ethnicity specific. Include both print and online media. 

• Consider using a postcard mailer to advertise a public hearing to hard-to-reach and rural 

communities. 

• Prioritize intentional outreach to communities who have not participated in the 

organization’s public participation processes in the past. 

• Provide multilingual staff or interpreters to interact with community members who use 

languages other than English. 

• Use multiple formats in print, online, and through electronic communications for event 

announcements, including using media to advertise for audiences that use languages 

other than English, and ethnic or cultural media. 

• For online open houses, consider technology limitations including mobile phone data 

limits, access to broadband and internet, and access to personal computers. 

• Ensure presentations and online materials are 508 compliant, and that print materials 

are accessible to those with a range of disabilities or who speak languages other than 

English. 

• Provide more than one engagement tool for people who may have alternative access 

needs. 

• Be aware of weather and health advisories and have a plan for cancellation or 

rescheduling of in-person events. 

Why use this technique? 

Public hearings are sometimes the focal point of a public involvement process, especially when 

required for Federal processes. Comments received at public hearings and open forum hearings 

are used by organizations for guidance in planning or project development. Formal comments 

made on the record help organizations understand the community perspective and assess 

community agreement or disagreement with a project, shape and modify plans, and record 

reactions of individuals and stakeholder groups most affected by the project or program. 

When to use this tool 

Public hearings are used during key stages of the NEPA process and in conjunction with less 

formal outreach methods including public meetings and open houses. 

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• ~.a.a.a A"'7J.J..l 

Public Meetings and Open Houses 

Public meetings and open houses are used to share 

information, provide a setting for public discussion, and 

gather feedback from community members. They can be 

held in-person, online, or both. Public meetings: 

• Provide an opportunity for organizations and the 

public to connect through a structured conversation. 

• Typically have a presentation followed by questions 

and answers. 

• May include interactive tools such as polls and 

surveys. 

• Have informational materials to take home or 

download. 

An open house, often used in conjunction with a public 

meeting, is a less formal event during which people receive 

information about a plan or project at their own pace, 

asking questions as they arise. Often, organizations collect 

comments during open houses through comment cards or 

through conversations with attendees. During open houses: 

• Organizational staff and project team members 

engage in open dialogue with attendees who may 

share opinions, comments, andpreferences. 

• Organizational staff answer attendee questions. 

• Information is displayed as posters, boards, maps, models, or projected images. 

• Attendance is possible over several hours or several days. 

• Non-organizational displays and information may be available. 

• Websites are used as an online option in which materials are presented digitally and 

may include interactive features such as white-boards, comment areas, polls, and 

surveys. 

• Feedback is received though print or digital comment cards. 

• Informational materials are provided to take home or download. 

Equity 

Emphasize what the project means for the community and why people should attend the 

meetingor open house. The following should be considered to ensure this technique is used 

and implemented equitably: 

• Schedule events at convenient times that will allow for participation by people who are 

not available during a business-oriented 9:00 to 5:00 schedule, such as during the 

evening or on weekends. 

• Hold in-person meetings and open houses at accessible locations. For underserved 

communities, this could mean avoiding a courthouse or municipal building asa meeting 

location. 

• Prioritize intentional outreach to communities who have not participated in the 

Promising Practice 

Accessible event times are essential 

for controversial or large-scale 

projects to provide opportunities for 

the most people to participate. 

The Sacramento Regional Transit 

District held ongoing evening and 

Saturday open houses between 

1994 and 2009 to review 

alternatives for South Sacramento 

Corridor Phase 1 and 2 light rail 

extension projects. Ultimately, the 

Cosumnes River College was 

selected as the terminus station for 

Phase 2, with construction beginning 

in 2012, and service opening in 

August 2015. In 2016, the first full 

year after the project opened to 

service, ridership on the project 

averaged 4,300 trips on weekdays. 

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organization’s public participation processes in the past. 

• Provide multilingual staff or interpreters to interact with community members who use 

languages other than English. 

• Use multiple formats in print, online, and through electronic communications for event 

announcements, including using media to advertise for audiences that use languages 

other than English, and ethnic or cultural media. 

• For online open houses, consider technology limitations including mobile phone data 

limits, access to broadband and internet, and access to personal computers. 

• Ensure presentations and online materials are 508 compliant, and that print materials 

are accessible to those with a range of disabilities or who speak languages other than 

English. 

• Provide more than one engagement tool for people who may have alternative access 

needs. 

• Be aware of weather and health advisories and have a plan for cancellation or 

rescheduling of in-person events. 

Why use this technique? 

Public meetings provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions and provide input that 

can help organizations gauge community reactions and, when possible, modify plans 

accordingly. Theycan also provide insight into additional engagement techniques that best suit 

the needs of the community. Having broad community events where the presentations and 

materials have the same information as more focused outreach builds trust that everyone is 

receiving the sameinformation. 

When to use this tool 

Public meetings and open houses are suggested in the NEPA process during the development 

of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. Public meetings can also 

be held for projects, initiatives, and processes not going through the NEPA process as an 

effective way to share information and gather public feedback. 

Open houses and online open houses are used when a lot of information needs to be shared, 

particularly early in the project process. 

Complement public meetings and open houses with other engagement tools such as nontraditional events, briefings, attendance at partner and community-hosted meetings. 

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(9 

(9(9 

Scenario Planning

Scenario planning is a method of imagining outcomes and 

evaluating predicted effects of multiple alternatives when 

planning the future of a community or region. It can be a 

useful tool when comparing policies, plans and/or programs. 

Scenario planning uses analytics, data, and other metrics, to 

identify preferred scenarios for future growth and considers 

how each scenario fits with broader community goals. 

As a public involvement tool, scenario planning can be 

conducted as a workshop to educate stakeholder groups and 

individuals about project area growth trends. Participants 

explore and debate predicted outcomes and trade-offs of 

various alternatives. By testing several scenarios against 

performance indicators and then workshopping the 

alternatives, participants in scenario planning help 

organizations select a preferred alternative. 

Equity 

Scenario planning workshop participants can be selected 

based on a subset of the community or to maximize diversity 

so that equitable public involvement is achieved. The 

following should be considered to ensure this technique is 

used and implemented equitably: 

• Hold workshops in different languages so that people 

who use languages other than spoken English, 

including ASL or other sign language, can participate 

in monolingual conversations, which produce the best 

results. Where facilitators in multiple languages are 

not available, provide qualified interpreters. 

• Include materials in braille or large print, use tactile graphics, or provide audio 

recordings to make information accessible to people with visual impairments or low 

vision. 

• Hire a facilitator to keep the group on topic, elicit opinions from each participant, and 

prevent one participant from dominating. 

• Offer workshops during the evening after daytime business hours. 

• Provide compensation and a meal to encourage participation when possible. 

Why use this technique? 

Scenario planning is a useful tool at the statewide or metropolitan level. It can be used in 

combination with other public involvement techniques such as visioning to evaluate the effects 

of various alternatives on the community. It is most effective when organizations need to better 

understand the long-term impacts of policies and programs. 

Information and ideas that come out of a scenario planning process can provide organizations 

with useful input for transportation planning. Information obtained can be used to consider how 

Promising Practice 

The Fresno Council of Governments 

(COG) in California used scenario 

planning in developing Plan Fresno, 

its regional transportation plan and 

Sustainable Communities Strategy 

(SCS). These plans consider the 

performance implications of four 

scenarios to identify which package 

of projects to fund. Fresno COG’s 

scenario planning initiatives started 

in January 2021, and consisted of: 

developing the SCS scenario 

strategies, conducting public 

outreach, scenario modeling, and 

SCS scenario outreach workshops 

before the Fresno COG board voted 

on the SCS preferred scenario 

selection in October 2021. Fresno 

COG used the best available 

information, such as population 

growth and socioeconomic data, to 

recognize patterns and create 

probable growth scenarios for 

Fresno’s metropolitan area, as well 

as throughout the county. 

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changes in transportation or other factors can affect connectivity, mobility, resiliency and other 

community goals in the future. 

When to use this tool 

Scenario planning is often used at the beginning of a long-range planning effort toidentify 

community preferences early in the planning process. Scenario planning can augmentother 

outreach tools such as open houses and online open houses. 

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Small Group Discussion

A small group discussion is used to learn about a specific 

stakeholder’s or community group’s opinion, concerns, 

needs, wants, and expectations concerning a project or 

program. A small group discussion typically has the 

following basic features: 

• Eight to twelve participants. 

• A carefully crafted agenda with five or six 

questions. 

• Minimal presentation of context and subject. 

• Emphasizes gathering perspectives, insights, and 

opinions of participants through conversation 

Equity 

The informal atmosphere and small size of the group 

encourageparticipation. The following should be 

considered to ensure this technique is used and 

implemented equitably: 

• Familiarize yourself with cultural norms when 

meeting with groups that include peoplefrom 

backgrounds different than yours. 

• Hold small group discussions in different 

languages so that people who use languages 

other than spoken English, including ASL and other sign language, can participate in 

monolingual conversations, which produce the best results. Where facilitators in 

multiple languages are not available, provide qualified interpreters. 

• Translate written materials for participants who use languages other than English. 

• Include materials in braille or large print, tactile graphics, or provide audio recordings to 

make information accessible to people with visual impairments or low vision. 

• Hire a skilled facilitator to create the best opportunity for all participants to fully engage 

and be heard without criticism. Consider a bilingual facilitator who can lead 

conversations in languages other than English. 

• The facilitator is essential to keep the group to the agenda, elicit opinions fromeach 

participant, and prevent one participant from dominating. 

• Provide electronic materials that are compatible with accessibility software. 

• Hold discussions during times that accommodate participants who may not be available 

during daytime business hours. 

• Hold in-person meetings at accessible locations. For underservedcommunities this 

could mean avoiding a courthouse or municipal building as a meeting location. 

• If holding the discussion online, consider technology limitations including mobile phone 

data limits, access to broadband and internet, and access to personal computers. 

Why use this technique? 

A small group discussion is tailored to the information needs of the project. It is an opportunity 

to understand the general attitude of the public and assessobjectives. They can be an 

Promising Practice 

Washington State Ferries (WSF) is 

replacing the 70-year-old Fauntleroy 

ferry terminal on West Seattle’s 

residential waterfront. To balance the 

disparate needs of the three 

communities served by the terminal, 

WSF convened a community advisory 

group during early planning phase of 

the project. This 25-member advisory 

group meets regularly to review project 

plans and represent the interests of 

their communities. To encourage 

collaboration, WSF hosts small group 

breakout sessions with eight to ten 

advisory group participants to gather 

focused input on specific topics. These 

sessions provide the group space to 

connect with one another and share 

their individual perspectives. 

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opportunity to review the allocation of resources, confirm established goals, or set new 

directions. Small group discussions are useful for identifying issues prior to implementing a 

broader media strategy. Used alongside quantitativeengagement tools such as surveys, they 

provide a qualitative supplement. 

When to use this tool 

Small group discussions are often used when setting or evaluating policy direction or beginning 

a controversial project. They can be used in conjunction with scenario planning to refine 

transportation alternatives. Discussions with small groups, combined with attendance at 

community meetingsand holding public meetings can be repeated at intervals to gauge 

sentiment on the project as it progresses. 

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Surveys

Surveys are a tool to assess widespread public opinion 

in a quantitative (numeric) format. Respondents 

represent a composite view of the larger population. 

Ideally, the sample of people who respond to the survey 

are representative of the total group invited to 

participate, and thus their responses can be 

extrapolated to the larger group. Surveys can be formal 

(scientifically assembled and administered) and provide 

broadly applicable results, or informal. 

Informal surveys tend to bring responses from a 

convenience sample that often includes people who are 

easiest to reach and who are more personally interested 

in or opposed to specific transportation issues than the 

population at large. Informal surveys are not used as the 

basis for assessing widespread public opinion although 

they may provide insight to locally predominant features 

of public opinion. Formal surveys are created and 

administered by professionals who can ensure that the 

questions, recruitment methods, sample size, and 

analysis will ensure valid data that can be generalized to 

the total population. Professionals will be attentive to 

multiple levels of validity throughout the survey lifecycle. 

Calculating a statistically valid survey sample response size and ensuring the respondents are 

representative of the population can be complex, as there are many aspects of the survey 

process to consider. 

Determining whether a formal or informal survey is appropriate will depend on whether the 

organization wants opinions relatively quickly from known or easy to access participants (an 

informal questionnaire) or wants to invest in hearing from a representative sample of people 

who are not ordinarily involved in planning or transportation processes (a formal questionnaire 

and sample selection). 

Equity 

Surveys can be an effective technique for engaging many hard-to-reach audiences. Surveys that 

use a randomized sample of a population can be stratified to include only people within a 

specific geographic area, and you can use survey questions to filter responses bycategories. 

The following should be considered to ensure this technique is used and implemented 

equitably: 

• Distribute surveys multiple ways, including mailings, emails, online ads, local news 

media, in-person at meetings and events, and through community-based organizations. 

• Include people who are most likely to be affected by the decisions made based onthe 

survey results. 

• Oversample in areas that have hard to reach populations. 

• Provide multiple ways to participate such as pre-paid return mail, online, andtoll-free 

telephone response. 

Promising Practice 

The National Aging and Disability 

Transportation Center (NADTC) 

commissioned a survey in 2021 to learn 

opinions and obtain information from 

older adults, younger adults with 

disabilities, and caregivers from 

historically marginalized and 

underserved communities. They fielded 

the survey both online and by telephone 

in both English and Spanish, and by 

telephone in other languages upon 

request. The survey yielded responses 

from a total of 2,435 people in those 

priority groups in every US state and the 

District of Columbia. The survey found 

that both diverse older adults and 

diverse younger adults with disabilities 

need public transportation to get to 

critical destinations. 

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• Provide surveys in multiple languages to engage people who use languages otherthan 

English. 

• Provide information at a reading level that will allow people of varying levels of 

educationto participate. Writing at the eighth-grade reading level or lower is generally 

accepted. 

• Whenever possible, avoid automated telephone surveys. Include languages otherthan 

English with real people conducting the survey. 

• Pre-test the survey with a representative of the group you are trying to reach to checkfor 

culturally appropriate language and understanding. Include options for people with a 

range of disabilities and for those who speak languages other than spoken English, 

including ASL and other sign language, to participate. 

Why use this technique? 

Surveys can gather information on either specific topics or broad ideas. Surveys represent 

community perceptions and preferences and can reach a wide audience that may not attend 

meetings or closely follow transportation issues. They can be used to test whether a project, 

program or plan is acceptable to the public as it is being developed and help inform decisions 

forchange. 

Results are used to guide efforts to meet public concerns and develop effective messages. 

Surveys can produce quantitative (numeric, closed-ended) results and some brief qualitative 

(open-ended, descriptive) responses that complement more in-depth qualitative results 

obtained in interviews, public meetings, small group discussions, charrettes, brainstorming 

sessions, and otherdialogue-based engagement. 

When to use this tool 

Surveys can be conducted at almost any time during a process. They are useful throughoutthe 

project as a tool to measure the change in public perception. They can help assess thechanging 

public’s awareness and sentiment toward a specific project or a larger plan. Used during 

scenario planning, or visioning, surveys can measure public opinion early in the process. 

Repeated over time, they keep an organization informed of changes in public knowledge and 

shifts in overall public preferences. 

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Visioning

Visioning is a cooperative exercise that can help an 

organization establish a strategy for achieving long-term 

project goals by encouraging participants to share 

community priorities related to a project, program, or 

planning activity. As an integrated approach to 

policymaking, visioning is often used in long-range 

transportation planning. In practice, visioning strives to find 

common ground among participants as they explore 

strategies for the future. 

Visioning can take place through meetings, workshops, and 

retreats with specific groups and invitees, or to a broader 

audience through the use of written surveys and visual 

preference surveys. In the latter case, a questionnaire can 

be used to capture comments on current issues and future 

possibilities, and examples of what an area, amenity, or 

project could look like can be shown to the public and their 

preferences ranked. 

Equity 

Similar to brainstorming and charettes, visioning sessions 

that involve a cross-section of constituents, including 

participants with contrasting opinions, can help an 

organization gain perspective from a variety of voices. 

Anyone can participate in a visioning process; participants 

do not need to be trained professionals or experts. 

The following considerations will improve the outcome of in- person visioning sessions: 

• Include representatives from the community that will be directly affected by the program 

or project. 

• Include a mix of people who may hold differing opinions. 

• Hire a skilled facilitator to create the best opportunity for all participants to engage and 

be heard without criticism. 

• Provide background information to participants in advance and translate materials for 

people who use languages other than English. 

• Have monolingual visioning sessions in multiple languages to increase participation for 

people who use languages other than English. Having a facilitator in the language of the 

group is helpful. If facilitated non-English monolingual groups are not possible, provide 

qualified interpreters. Provide background materials to the interpreters in advance so 

they have ample time for preparation. 

• Have monolingual ASL, or other sign language, brainstorming sessions, with an ASL 

facilitator, so people who sign language have an opportunity to participate fully with 

ease. If facilitated monolingual A sign language groups are not possible, provide 

qualified interpreters for people who use sign language. Provide materials to the 

interpreters in advance so they have ample time for preparation. 

• Provide materials in large print, braille, or tactile graphics for people with visual 

disabilities. 

Promising Practice 

Washington State Ferries (WSF) 

engaged more than 7,500 people in 

developing the vision for their 2040 

Long Range Plan. As WSF operates 

the largest ferry system in the U.S., 

this 20 year blueprint will guide their 

investments and service for the next 

2 decades. 

To understand key issues and 

community priorities, WSF held nine 

community meetings, six onboard 

outreach events, and two online open 

houses in spring 2018. The final plan 

reflected extensive input from ferry 

customers who overwhelmingly 

support WSF’s top priority of 

replacing and maintaining the aging 

fleet to provide reliable ferry service. 

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• Have a virtual session that includes options for people who use assistive technology. 

• If held in-person, choose a location that is accessible to all. Consider a location for 

participants that may not feel comfortable attending a meeting in a municipalbuilding. 

• For broader engagement visioning exercises, hold sessions over a series of daysand 

evenings to provide flexibility for participants. 

Why use this technique? 

Visioning considers the diverse viewpoints of many people and can achieve wide-spreadpublic 

participation, engaging people with a variety of perspectives. Visioning is useful for achieving 

these outcomes: 

• Setting the stage for short-range planning activities 

• Setting new directions in policy 

• Reviewing existing policy 

• When integration between issues is required 

• When a range of potential solutions is needed 

The visioning process aims to result in a unified plan for the future. Throughout the process, 

issues, problems and questions arise, which can help to sharpen overall policy and focus 

priorities. 

When to use this tool 

Visioning is best used in combination with other public involvement strategies and when 

supported by the heads of multiple agencies and organizations, public officials, and community 

groups. When used early ina transportation planning process, it can be effective in helping 

establish or revisepolicies and goals that incorporate community feedback. 

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Visual Preference Surveys

Visual preference surveys are used to explore perceptions of 

one or more visual concepts of a proposed plan or project 

using sketches, photographs, maps, and graphics to provide a 

comparison of options for participants to rate as preferred 

project or program elements. Participants express opinions 

about a design or design features, which can later be 

incorporated into plans and projects. 

Equity 

When used broadly and in coordination with other outreach 

techniques, visual preference surveys can be indicative of 

community preferences. The following should be considered 

to ensure this technique is used and implemented equitably: 

• For online visual surveys, follow 508 guidelines for all 

visuals by including alternative text. 

• At events, engage people with sight disabilities by 

thoroughly describing the options or providing tactile 

graphics. 

• Translate captions and titles for engaging people who 

use languages other than English. 

• When including written content, provide information 

at a reading level that will allow people of varying 

levels of education to participate. Writing at the 

eighth-grade reading level or lower is generally 

accepted. 

• Create links to online visual preference surveys that 

community organizations, partners, and other groups 

can easily share with their audiences and 

constituents. 

Why use this technique? 

Visual preference surveys offer a fast and straightforward way for people to voice their opinions 

and can reach a wide audience that may not attend meetings or closely follow transportation 

issues. They can help organizations understand community preferences and develop 

alternatives within transportation planning activities including: 

• Community and urban design features 

• Transportation sub-area or corridor studies 

• Transportation alternatives development and analysis 

• Large scale regional planning efforts 

Promising Practice 

Sound Transit conducted a visual 

preference survey to hear from 

future Downtown Redmond Link 

light rail riders. The survey 

presented images of station design 

features to gather feedback on 

design concepts and look and feel 

of future station areas. 461 people 

provided input on the survey. 

Participants expressed support for 

stations that are accessible to 

people of all ages and abilities, so 

that everyone in the community 

can enjoy the benefits of light rail. 

Some people provided feedback on 

station amenities and transit 

options they would like to see at 

the station, including ways to keep 

the area safe for pedestrians and 

cyclists. Sound Transit and the City 

of Redmond will consider this input 

as they plan stations and future 

development and services near 

light rail. Sound Transit plans to 

begin light rail service by 2024. 

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When to use this tool 

They can be particularly helpful when the organization is seeking community input on specific 

design elements such as architectural style, signage, landscaping, parking, transportation 

facility features, etc. Visual preference surveys are useful within other public involvement 

strategies such aspublic meetings, tabling at non-traditional events and transportation fairs, 

online open houses, charrettes, focus groups, and visioning. They can be conducted any time 

during a process andare useful at key milestones in design such as concept, 30% and 60% 

design completion to verify design elements. 

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Voting and Polling

Voting and polling activities use print or online tools to ask the 

public to express a preference for an issue or idea and have their 

preferences recorded, usually anonymously and instantaneously. 

Depending on distribution, participants may represent a general 

population or a tailored subpopulation. The choice of technique 

and who participates depends on the objectives of the public 

involvement process. 

Equity 

The following should be considered to ensure this technique is 

used and implemented equitably: 

• Widely publicize information on how to participate. Use 

social media as well as QR codes on printed flyers to reach 

a broad audience. 

• Consider options to participate anonymously. 

In some communities requiring registration or contact 

information will decrease participation. 

• Provide multiple ways to participate such as pre-paid 

return mail, online, and toll-free telephone response. 

• Offer voting and polling tools and in languages other than 

English. 

• If using computer-based, mobile, or handheld technology, 

comply with 508 guidelines, and ensure that print 

materials are accessible to those with a range of 

disabilities or who speak languages other than English. 

• Provide information at a reading level that will allow 

people of varying levels of education to participate. Writing 

at the eighth grade reading level or lower is generally 

accepted. 

There can be concerns around people participating in a poll more than once. To mitigate this 

issue, when voting and polling online users can be identified using identifying numbers or 

letters for each vote cast. 

Why use this technique? 

Voting and polling activities capture community perceptions and preferences from a wide 

audience that may not attend meetings or closely follow transportation issues. Voting and 

polling results are used similar to survey or visual preference survey results. In general, the 

output provides insight through public reaction to a project, plan or program. They can be used 

to test whether a project, program or plan is acceptable to the public as it is being developed 

and help inform decisions for change. Simple polls that are easy to access contribute to 

inclusive and interactive public engagement. 

Promising Practice 

The City of Edmonds uses 

polls to engage community 

members in virtual meetings 

about the citywide parks, 

recreation, and open space 

plan. The City is focused on 

engaging hard-to-reach 

communities as they share 

information about the plan 

and gather input on 

community use and 

preferences for parks and 

open space. The City 

translated the polls into 

simplified Chinese, Korean, 

and Spanish to hear from 

people who use these 

languages. During the COVID19 pandemic, the City relied 

on a robust online 

engagement strategy. Poll 

questions encouraged 

participation and interaction 

during these virtual meetings. 

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When to use this tool 

Voting and polling systems can be used with other parts of the project or plan development 

cycle to improve the organization’s understanding of community preferences. Voting and polling 

should be considered when the public involvement process calls for input on an idea, options, 

or alternative. 

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A ·~··· T7 .l.l.l 

Workshops and Retreats

Workshops and retreats are typically small group gatherings that 

range in duration from a few hours to several days and are Promising Practice 

designed to solicit specific input on projects, plans, or programs. Georgia DOT held a 2-day 

A workshop is a task-oriented meeting that is organized around a retreat with 40 representatives 

topic or activity and may include a training session. Retreats are of transportation users, 

typically held at off-site venues and are designed to thoroughly operators, customers and 

explore program options. An informal setting will often encourage groups to guide the agency in 

better communication among participants. how to mold their public 

involvement process. The 

Equity retreat was facilitated by an The narrow focus on specific topics in a workshop or retreat outside party and resulted in 

allows each participant time to contribute to the discussion. recommendations that have 

Workshops and retreats are participatory and encourage been implemented by the 

collaboration between the organization and community members Georgia DOT. 

who may not normally participate as much in planning processes. 

The following should be considered to ensure this technique is 

used and implemented equitably: 

• Hire a skilled facilitator to create opportunities for all participants to engage and be 

heard without criticism. 

• Include representatives from the community that will be directly affected by the program 

or project. 

• Include community members on the planning committee to provide insight on how best 

to structure the event. 

• Provide qualified interpreters for people who use languages other than spoken English, 

including ASL or other sign language. Provide materials in advance so interpreters have 

ample time for preparation. 

• Consider facilitators who can lead monolingual small group conversations in languages 

other than English, including ASL or other sign language. 

• Provide materials in large print, braille, or tactile resources/graphics. 

• Provide electronic materials that are compatible with accessibility software along with a 

way for participants to access those materials. 

• Provide materials such as maps, photos, concept sketches, and graphics that can be 

drawn on, and materials for drawing, for people to express ideas visually. 

Why use this technique? 

Workshops and retreats provide an opportunity for organizations to focus intensively on a topic 

with a subset of the community. Workshops and retreats can be useful for creating consensus, 

breaking down barriers, creating new perspectives, and building community relations. They 

provide in-depth feedback from the community and can help identify and prioritize community 

concerns. 

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When to use this tool 

Workshops and retreats can be useful at any planning stage. They are used early in the process 

to help set the stage for plans, projects, or programs. Mid-course, they can be used to showcase 

and refine specific aspects of the initiative or to resolve conflicts and work toward consensus. 

Near the end of a project, they can help demonstrate findings and conclusions and get final 

clarity on any remaining ambiguity. Workshops and retreats typically incorporate other public 

involvement techniques, such as brainstorming, visioning, focus groups, and small group 

discussions. 

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Tools to Use Within Engagement Techniques 

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Websites 

Websites serve as a digital homebase for an organization’s 

project, program, or plan. It is a central information hub 

where all project information is kept for instant viewing. A 

website is likely to be the first place where members of the 

public look to find answers to their questions or an 

opportunity to provide important feedback. The 

development of a website can range from a simple single 

landing page with basic project content to an elaborately 

designed and complex interactive platform with many 

functions and capabilities. Websites typically house project 

collateral and information such as: 

• Blog posts 

• Brochures 

• Budgets or investment information 

• Comment forms or surveys 

• Contact information 

• Fact sheets 

• Flyers 

• Frequently Asked Questions 

• Infographics 

• Interactive experiences based on project needs 

• Legal requirements 

• Maps (still and interactive) 

• Meeting and event schedule/information 

• Meeting presentations and display boards 

• Narrated PowerPoints 

• News articles and newsletters 

• Project graphics/infographics 

• Project images 

• Project reports and studies 

• Progress bulletins 

• Social media links 

• Timelines 

• Videos 

Equity 

The following should be considered to ensure this tool is used and implemented equitably: 

• Design websites to work on mobile technology such as phones and tablets. 

• Follow 508 guidelines for all visuals including creating alternative text. 

• Translate the website into all languages used in the project area. Use a professional 

translation service rather than automated software, as some words will not translate 

with the same meaning as intended in English. 

Promising Practice 

The Washington State Department of 

Licensing (DOL) disrupted the 

national approach to REAL ID 

education, focusing on the impacts to 

all Washington residents, including 

residents who are not citizens and 

those without documentation. The 

statewide campaign educates people 

about the REAL ID law and new 

requirements for travel. DOL 

developed a campaign website 

(ID2023wa.com) in 2017 to serve as 

a digital information hub on REAL ID 

with an interactive quiz to help 

people determine what forms of ID 

they need, and educational materials 

like videos and an FAQ. The site and 

materials were produced in English, 

Spanish, simplified Chinese, Korean 

and Vietnamese. 

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• Provide information at a reading level that will allow people of varying levels of 

education to participate. Writing at the eighth grade reading level or lower is generally 

accepted. 

• Display information in a way that is easy to navigate for people with low computerliteracy. 

• Provide information on how to reach the appropriate contact. 

• Provide materials in a downloadable format for people who prefer to read information 

offline. 

• Provide information about how to get involved, announcements for public meetings and 

events, and a project timeline. 

• Consider a comment box for participants to leave comments or ask questions. Answer 

questions within 2 to 3 business days. 

Why use this technique? 

Websites clearly and concisely provide basic information about a project, program, or plan.They 

summarize the overall project and can provide more detailed information that the website user 

can access at their convenience. Website information can be provided in a variety of ways— 

visually through videos, infographics, and maps, or through presentations, reports, and fact 

sheets. 

Websites provide multiple ways for people to gather information in one centralhub. 

When to use this tool 

Websites are a vital part of all public involvement initiatives and are used for the duration of a 

program or project. They can be updated as project phases evolve and also made dormant as 

needed. 

For additional information and guidance, the US Department of Transportation web policies can 

be found at: https://www.transportation.gov/web-policies. 

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Virtual Presentations and Simulations 

Computer, or virtual, presentations and simulations are tools to Promising Practice convey information digitally and are often self-guided. They New York’s New School for include virtual open house platforms, narrated slide decks, Social Research used animated simulations, and other videos productions. Photos, simulations to resolve a dispute graphics, maps, charts, graphs, and other visuals help illustrate between the Newark Water information such as statistics, project details, or survey results. Commission and several New Virtual presentations and simulations: Jersey towns about growth in the • Use images, graphics, video, and animations to convey city’s watershed. The 

information in a way that is easily understood and can Commission, State, city, and 

help mitigate language barriers. town representatives and local • Convey complex information in a way that is easy to civic and conservation groups 

understand. reviewed computer models of • Can be adapted to reflect community suggestions, various scenarios for preserving 

enhancing interactive communication. the watershed. • Can include before and after images to show how a 

project will change the landscape. 

• Can help minimize conflict and facilitate conversations by clarifying information. 

Equity 

Visuals can help people with limited reading skills understand content more easily. Information 

is easily shared electronically with large networks of people, increasing transparency in 

information sharing. People can view presentations and simulations at their convenience, at 

home, on their personal or public computers, smartphone, or handheld device, and on their own 

time. The following should be considered to ensure this tool is used and implemented equitably: 

• Follow 508 guidelines for all visuals in presentations including creating alternative text. 

• Translate presentations into all the languages used in the project area. Provide 

voiceovers in those same languages. 

• Use images with subtitles to accommodate people with hearing disabilities and people 

with limited reading skills; add accommodations for people with visual disabilities. 

• Print presentations and provide them to community resource centers, such as libraries, 

for people who do not have access to computers or reliable internet services. 

Why use this technique? 

Virtual presentations and simulations can convey large amounts of complex information in a 

visual, easy to understand way. They can be used to help community members understand a 

variety of types of projects and programs, including corridor studies, long range planning, and 

transportation improvement programs. They are a useful tool to help participants visualize and 

understand a project and its alternatives. 

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When to use this tool 

Virtual presentations and videos are most often used to inform the public, providing one-way 

information sharing. They are used to provide the community with details about a project or 

certain aspect of a project. They can be edited and adapted over time according to community 

feedback and input. 

Virtual presentations and simulations are useful when a project has a compelling visual story to 

tell. They are effective when used in combination with other public involvement techniques. 

They are used during meetings of all types, integrated into interactive displays, shown at open 

houses, or provided as a link to a website as part of a media campaign. Virtual presentations 

and simulations can be adapted and used repeatedly in new ways in all stages of a project or 

program. 

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Electronic Contact Management Systems 

Electronic systems for managing contact lists and notifications 

allow organizations to reach a large group of people quickly. Promising Practice Contact lists are often built using information provided by people The Alaska DOT has kept a 

who have participated in past engagement efforts. Management mailing list for decades. It 

systems organize data including names, addresses, email includes members of the 

addresses, social media accounts, and more. Some contact public and has changed over 

management systems have functions that enhance public time to reflect new elected 

engagement such as automated email, text messaging, and social officials, representatives 

media scheduling and engagement. Electronic systems allow for from neighborhoods, and contact lists to be: Alaskan Native groups. • Easily maintained and updated. 

• Organized by a primary list with subsets of individuals to 

contact on specific issues or projects. 

• Self-selected with individuals joining a mailing list through a website or another 

electronic avenue. 

Maintaining current information and adding to an electronic contact management system is 

important as new people sign up for email lists, attend meetings, use hotlines, change 

addresses, or when an organization takes steps to broaden its constituency. 

Platforms such as MailChimp, Constant Contact, and GovDelivery are effective tools to maintain 

large stakeholder contactlists. 

Equity 

Not all individuals affected by a project or interested in a program will be comfortable providing 

contact information or may be missed because they do not typically interact with an 

organization. The following should be considered to ensure this tool is used and implemented 

equitably: 

• Make specific efforts to include individuals and organizations in communities that have 

been historically underserved. 

• Provide more than one stay-in-touch option. Not all individuals may be able to provide 

an email address or phone number. 

• Make specific efforts to include new voices. There is a risk that an electronic contact list 

will be largely comprised of people from whom the project team has already heard from. 

• Include local contacts with other individuals and organizations that may be affected or 

interested in a project or program. 

• Adapt messaging sent through electronic contact management systems to comply with 

508 standards and meet the needs of people with a range of disabilities or people who 

use languages other than English. 

• Update the information on a regular basis, especially after calls to action and 

meetings/events. 

Why use this technique? 

Electronic contact management systems can save time and money by allowing organizations to 

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contact many people at one time with specific messaging. An up-to-date contact list 

demonstrates the extent of an organization’s outreach efforts and can be used to increase an 

organization’s transparency. A well-managed list inside a contact management system will 

provide information about how many people are engaged, how often an individual is 

communicating with the organization, and can be used tosee trends in where people are 

engaged and comment on topics. Lists can be kept for long periods oftime and passed on from 

project to project or even between organizations. 

When to use this tool 

An electronic contact management system is a basic building block of any good public 

involvement plan and can be used during all phases of a project or plan. Contact lists can be 

used torecruit participants for activities and involvement opportunities like committees and 

focus groups orfor promoting other engagement techniques such as surveys and open houses. 

To ensurethorough outreach, use electronic contact lists along with other outreach methods, 

such as flyerdistribution and mailings. 

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Geographic Information Systems

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) combine traditional Promising Practice maps with layers of information to assemble, store, The Iowa DOT uses GIS manipulate, and display data identified by location. GIS can technology in combination with convert layers of site information, census data, or other tabular the agency’s website to create data into files that display as maps. GIS can produce a map interactive tools that that can be overlayed with many other data points, including stakeholders can access at any demographic, transportation, land use, and environmental time. Using ArcGIS, they combine 

resources. It offers flexibility as layers can be selected for text, interactive maps, and other display depending on the need and can be customized multimedia tools to share according to a situation and updated as data changes over interactive content online such time. GIS is commonly used for: as the Iowa DOT Rest Area Plan • Mapmaking – incorporating mapmaking experience of and the Statewide Park and Ride 

traditional cartographers into GIS technology. System. • Site selection – analysis of multiple physical factors https://iowadot.maps.arcgis.co 

when they must be considered and integrated over a m/home/index.html large area. 

• Emergency response planning – analysis of impacts of 

natural disasters on surface structures, size of affected population, and emergency 

response time and available routes. 

• Simulating environmental effects – realistic, three-dimensional before and after 

perspective views of the environmental impacts of a project. 

• Environment Justice analysis – understanding the short- and long-term impacts of a 

project on a community. 

• Soliciting input that correlates to specific areas/locations or data points using 

interactive mapping tools and surveys on online platforms such as ArcGIS StoryMaps 

and ArcGIS Survey123 

GIS can be used in a participatory way, such as with community mapping exercises where 

practitioners and community members sketch boundaries and identify important assets and 

liabilities they wish to display. 

Equity 

GIS as a public involvement tool provides easily understandable visual maps, that are often 

interactive. For those with hearing disabilities, GIS allows for data to be shared visually, 

providing a non-audible way of providing information. The following should be considered to 

ensure this tool is used and implemented equitably: 

• Translate labels and legends into multiple languages. 

• When providing data using print or online formats, add alt text and comply with 508 

requirements to convey information to people who use accessible technology tools. 

• When providing data in-person, consider: 

o Provide multilingual staff or interpreters to interact with community members 

who use languages other than English. 

o Technology limitations including mobile phone data limits, access to broadband 

and internet, and access to personal computers. 

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o Provide more than one tool for people who may have accessibility issues or 

alternative access needs. 

Why use this technique? 

Although GIS can be costly depending on strategic interest and technology resources available, 

itis an adaptable public involvement tool that can be used long-term in many different ways. 

Theability to convey complex information geographically, and to change and tailor displayable 

data is what sets GIS apart from other public involvement tools. GIS-based maps are typically 

used to inform and educate, but also to elicit community reactions and opinions on projects and 

plans, allowing organizations to gain a better understanding of whichproject elements are 

important to the public. GIS can also assist with joint decision-making andempathy-building, as 

interactive mapping can help participants better understand each other’s interestsand 

concerns. 

When to use this tool 

GIS can be used to support what-if scenarios where maps are overlaid with current and 

proposed transportation projects for a quick snapshot of potential impacts of new projects. GISbased visuals may be useful during public meetings and open houses. It is a way to incorporate 

maps andvisuals into other outreach efforts. GIS can be used in all phases of a project or 

program and is particularly effective in: 

• Enhancing public meetings, open houses, workshops, and conferences by conveying 

complex information in manageable layers of information. 

• Facilitating activities like brainstorming, charettes and visioning to developbetter 

community-based concepts. 

• Providing opportunities for public feedback when used in combination with other tools 

and techniques. 

• Allowing for more technically sound and achievable concepts to be developed through 

the use of real time data. 

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Public Information Materials 

Public information materials provide basic readerfriendly information about a process, project, or 

program and are typically used to inform, announce, 

and notify an audience. They may include information 

on how to comment, get involved, or stay informed. 

Public information materials can be created in a 

variety of formats, print and online, and are used in 

combination with most other public involvement tools. 

Examples of public information materials include: 

• Advertisements 

• Billboards 

• Brochures 

• Display boards 

• Fact sheets and folios 

• Flyers and progress updates 

• News ads, articles, press 

releases, and inserts 

• Postcards or other mailers 

Promising Practice 

The Federal Aviation Administration held 

an art contest for children on the theme of 

“Flying Saves Lives.” They also published 

a bilingual book, A Visit to the Airport – 

Un Viaje al Aeropuerto, which included 

several games, some in two languages. 

• Posters 

• Slide deck presentations 

• Press releases 

• Radio ads 

• Report summaries 

• Social media posts 

• Television spots 

• Utility bill inserts 

• Websites 

Public information materials rely on combining visuals and text to convey information, 

messaging, notifications, and calls to action. 

They work best when they are visually appealing and use minimal text. They can be widely 

distributed and are helpful in reaching audiences beyond those whoalready are informed. 

Community members access public information materials in a variety of ways and locations. 

For example, they can be read online or in print, seen on television, or read onbulletin boards 

in community gathering spaces. 

Equity 

The following should be considered to ensure these tools are used and implemented equitably: 

• Tailor the content for reaching specific audiences. 

• Translate materials to provide resources to people who use languages other than English. 

• Distribute materials in multiple ways to reach a broad audience and to reach peoplein 

underserved communities. 

• Coordinate with and compensate community-based organizations to help distribute 

materials; they will often know the best ways to reach specific audiences and have 

existing relationships with those audiences. 

• Include the organization’s contact information and options for people with a range of 

disabilities and for those who use languages other than spoken English, including ASL 

and other sign language to reach out. 

Why use this technique? 

Public information materials increase the reach of public involvement activities. They are an 

easy way to disseminate information to people who are not actively involved in an issue or 

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project. They are a simple way to get a controlled message to a wide range ofpeople. 

When to use this tool 

Public information materials are most effective when used early in a process as part of a larger 

outreach program and are updated regularly for ongoing and consistent information sharing. 

Public information materials are a one-way tool to inform the public and should be paired with 

other,more interactive engagement tools. 

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Media Outreach Strategies

Media outreach strategies inform community members about 

projects and programs using paid (advertising), earned (media 

relations) and owned (social media and website) mediaoutlets. 

Using these methods, organizations can proactively frame their 

message to deliver a uniformmessage that can reduce 

misinformation surrounding a project. Media outreachstrategies: 

• Provide organizations with an opportunity to carefully 

frame messaging about a project or program. 

• Help create wide awareness of a project or program. 

• Can be a critical source of information and engagement 

for community members who have little time to attend 

meetings or otherwise do not participate in public 

involvement activities. 

• Are most effective when they provide a call to action for 

public participation. 

Paid Media: The use of paid media or advertising offers control of 

message content and allows for specific message placement to 

reach the intended audience. Paid media can be costly to develop 

and purchase but allows for the message to be placed and delivered to communities that may 

be underserved by other communication channels such as in-language publications or low cost 

or no cost outlets such as radio, billboards, and TV. 

Earned Media: Developing relationships with the media outlets for placement of messaging 

through press releases, press alerts, and pitching publications/reporters in media outlets is 

less costly than paying to have the message placed. This type of earned media can add 

credibility and heighten the message. Earned media also offers limited or no control of 

message content or delivery. 

Owned Media: Using owned media including social media channels/platforms and a project’s 

website allows for direct connection and engagement with an audience and control of the 

message and project information. 

However, the investment whether paid and/or labor, a media outreach strategy, will help an 

organization reach their goal to: 

• Gain maximum exposure. 

• Control how and what information is communicated. 

• Determine where information is placed (e.g., in print, online, TV, radio), 

• Determine when the information or messaging will be delivered. 

• Establish a level of engagement with audience. 

• Create consistent project branding and recognition. 

Equity 

The following should be considered to ensure this tool is used and implemented equitably: 

Promising Practice 

The Washington State 

Department of Transportation 

I-405 program used ethnic 

media to reach in-language 

Chinese speakers to 

encourage participation in the 

community engagement 

process regarding changes to 

the highway. In-language 

transcreated print ads were 

placed in the Seattle Chinese 

Times with a call to action to 

join the online meeting. The 

project team also pitched and 

placed in language editorial in 

the same publication. 

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• Use multiple forms of media to engage people at different times of day, on different 

media devices, and in different ways such as watching TV at home, reading a 

newspaper online or in print, listening to the radio in a car, on social media platforms 

interacting with friends and family, or driving through the project area. 

• Include forms of media that are low or no cost to consume, such as billboards, posters, 

transit ads, radio, and TV. 

• Provide information in formats accessible to people with visual or hearing disabilities. 

• Rely on video, graphics and images rather than a lot of text. Identify media outlets 

based on usage and consumption of target audience. 

• Identify media outlets that are centered around ethnic, culturally specific, or 

traditionally underserved members of the community. 

• Provide materials and placement of advertisements in languages other than English as 

appropriate to the audience and the media outlet. 

Why use this technique? 

A multi-media outreach strategy can reach a broad audience, including those who may notbe 

reached via other methods. Using media outlets can generate interest in a project or program, 

as well as continually inform the public of progress, changes, and milestones. Paid and owned 

media strategies are effective when an organization wants to ensure that its message goes out 

exactly as written. 

When to use this tool 

Use a media outreach strategy to inform and educate, to generate interest with a direct call to 

action to prompt community response and to expand the ability to reach people missed when 

usingother methods of outreach. For example, placing translated radio ads on a station 

broadcasting in Spanish to reach Spanish speakers; printing ads in a Chinese publication with 

link and QR codeto Chinese translated website; or social media ads or posts to followers and 

others who have similar interests. 

Media outreach strategies are most effective when they are considered part of the overall 

outreach strategy, developed early and are consistent throughout the outreach time period. 

In this way,the community is continually informed from a project’s early stages. When used in 

conjunction withother engagement techniques, using one, two, or all types of media (paid, 

earned, or owned)enhances public participation. 

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Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing Applications (RSAs) collect data using 

instruments aboard aircraft, satellites, or land-based sensing 

stations. RSAs are a combination of hardware and software that 

allows the application to process information about land, water, 

or an object without physical contact from the sensor. RSAs can 

track and monitor specialty data, including weather, and air and 

water quality conditions. Data collected from RSAs can help 

communities understand past and current environmental 

conditions as they relate to a project or program. 

RSAs: 

• Are used to educate communities about baseline 

environmental conditions and trends. 

• Are used to analyze and develop findings of community 

and environmental impacts of a project or plan. 

• Provide first-hand access to data that may be used to 

help educate the public. 

• Provide stakeholders with an appreciation of both macroand micro-level environmental features of a study area. 

• Can be used to display or convey complex environmental information in order to obtain 

community comment or reaction. 

Some RSA information is available free through online resources while other data can be 

expensive to obtain. Commercial firms such as ESRI, as well as academic and non-profit 

organizations, may collect and analyze data from RSAs if staff is not able to due to cost, 

training, or hardware/software limitations. 

Equity 

The following should be considered to ensure this tool is used and implemented equitably: 

• Special interest groups can use free data on the internet to analyze data that is 

specific to their needs. 

• RSAs can help communities better understand complex data and conditions thatare 

impacted by a project or program. 

Why use this technique? 

Data from RSAs can be used to foster better understanding and easier interpretation of data 

that affects a project or program. Data can be analyzed and presented in easy-to-understand 

ways for informing the community or project team about environmental conditions during 

project planning.It can be used to gather baseline conditions for comparison as a project 

progresses. 

Promising Practice 

In Arizona, where dust storms 

impact traffic and 

transportation safety, the 

Arizona Department of 

Transportation uses Weather 

Detection Stations to monitor 

approaching conditions. They 

combine this information with 

Information Technology 

Systems to provide advance 

notification to travelers and 

reduce speed limits in 

preparation for oncoming dust 

events, resulting in fewer 

crashes due to low visibility. 

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When to use this tool 

RSAs are most effective when the study topic is familiar to the community – for example, 

weather-sensing – and when analysis is intuitive and straightforward such as visuals in reports 

and displays. They are typically used with other environmental data collection and planning 

techniques. RSAs can be useful throughout a project, including when an organization is 

identifying issues and developing options for selecting a course of action. 

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Videos 

Videos can be short or long, animated, real-life, or a combination 

of the two. They can range from professionally produced 

productions to simple in-house videos produced using cell 

phones. They might be a recording of a public meeting, 

committee or board meeting, or public hearing. They can be 

distributed in a variety of ways to the community to provide 

information about a project or program. Video can be used 

effectively to: 

• Introduce people at meetings and hearings. 

• Supplement a presentation. 

• Share a record of a public meeting, committee or board 

meeting, or public hearing. 

• Educate the public about a project element or process by 

breaking down complex technical items into easy-tounderstand concepts. 

• Update the community on construction projects and 

plans. 

• Substitute for site visits in hard-to-reach sites or when 

weather or health advisories are a factor. 

• Provide an element for discussion in a focus group or 

charette. 

• Illustrate progress on a project at an event. 

• Enhance an overall media strategy. 

• Include calls to action. 

Equity 

To some, a video is more useful as a learning tool than reading or hearing about something 

through word of mouth. Videos are a great tool to reach large geographic areas as well as 

people who use languages other than spoken English because they can easily be translated for 

voiceovers and captions in multiple languages or incorporate ASL or other sign language. 

Videos can reach people who might not otherwise participate in project planning, including 

people with disabilities, people who find meetings difficult to attend, and people who choose to 

receive information on demand rather than attend an event. The following should be 

considered to ensure this tool is used and implemented equitably: 

• Accommodate community members with hearing disabilities with ASL or other sign 

language interpretation, closed caption, or transcription technology. 

• Provide options for people with visual disabilities. 

• Provide translation and voice overs to languages spoken in the community for people 

who use languages other than English. 

• Engage community members to participate in the video as spokespeople or hosts and 

during script development, production, and editing to ensure cultural appropriateness. 

Promising Practice 

The Washington State 

Department of Licensing 

launched a statewide 

campaign to educate people 

about the REAL ID law and the 

new identification 

requirements for travel. With 

all the REAL ID delays, and the 

new date set for May 3, 2023, 

DOL recently launched an 

attention-grabbing video 

starring the campaign’s 

talking bear. The video is 

hosted on the campaign 

website (ID2023wa.com) and 

is captioned in English, 

Spanish, simplified Chinese, 

Korean and Vietnamese. The 

video launched as part of a 

paid advertising campaign in 

May 2022 on broadcast, 

streaming, digital and social 

platforms. 

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• Provide ways for people with limited access to computers or the internet to access the 

video. 

• Make sure videos are phone and mobile device compatible. 

• Post transcripts of live recorded videos of public meetings for people who were unable 

to attend and may not have access to live-streaming. Make sure the transcript is 

compatible with screen readers and other accessibility software so people with a wide 

range of disabilities can hear, view, or read it. Translate into languages other than 

English spoken in the area. 

Why use this technique? 

Videos can be useful in reaching large, geographically diverse, segments of the population 

when used in combination with media and other strategies, especially when attendance at inperson events is prohibited for health or other reasons. 

Videos can be used to inform and educate the community, but they can also be used as a 

discussion point or opportunity for input. For example, an organization might have electronic 

survey respondents watch a short video about the project prior to answering survey questions. 

Or a community advisory group might follow their viewing of a video with discussion and 

consensus. 

When to use this tool 

Videos are a useful tool, particularly when used in combination with other engagement 

strategies. They are especially effective when combined with social media, where brief videos 

are the most popular form of content and perform well. Videos are often successful as an 

engagement tool when followed up by another strategy immediately afterwards, such as a live 

discussion, survey or poll, or invitation to an open house. It is helpful to provide information 

such as fact sheets for people to read as supplemental material. Be careful when trying to 

reach people in areas with limited internet access where streaming videos might not be 

available. 

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APPENDIX C. GLOSSARY 

ADA The Americans with Disabilities Act 

ASL American Sign Language 

CAC Civic Advisory Groups 

CE Categorical Exclusion 

CBOs Community Based Organizations 

CPP Community Participation Plan 

EIS Environmental Impact Statement 

EJ Environmental Justice 

GIS Geographic Information Systems 

IAP2 International Association for Public Participation 

LGBTQ+ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer 

LEP Limited English Proficiency 

LRTP Long-Range Transportation Plan 

MPOs Metropolitan Planning Organizations 

MTP Metropolitan Transportation Plan 

NCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research Program 

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act 

RSA Remote Sensing Application 

SHSP Strategic Highway Safety Plan 

STEAM Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math 

STIP Statewide Transportation Improvement Program 

TIP Transportation Improvement Program 

UPWP Unified Planning Work Program 

USDOT United States Department of Transportation 

VPI Virtual Public Involvement 

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