Effective Public Participation Broward MPO Fort Lauderdale, FL March 20, 2012

1. L Effective Public Participation Broward MPO Fort Lauderdale, FL March 20, 2012

2. Session Objectives • Understand why it is important to do a good job with public involvement. • Address public involvement as cross cutting: planning through maintenance. • Learn how to “engage” the public.

3. Transportation Planning Process

4. Metropolitan Planning Regulations • The metropolitan planning requirements for public involvement are primarily in 23 CFR 450.316 • Public involvement and consultation are addressed in connection with the Transportation Plan in 23 CFR 450.322 • Public involvement and consultation are addressed in connection with the TIP in 23 CFR 450.324

5. Statewide Planning Regulations • The statewide planning requirements for public involvement are primarily in 23 CFR 450.210 • No specific reference to ‘public participation plans’ • Public involvement and consultation are addressed in connection with the Statewide Transportation Plan in 23 CFR 450.214 • Public involvement and consultation are addressed in connection with the TIP in 23 CFR 450.216

6. Executive Order 12898 • Reaffirms that each Federal agency must make EJ part of its mission • Identifies and addresses disproportionately high and adverse effects on minority and low-income populations. Environmental Justice

7. Executive Order 13166 To ensure people who are LEP have meaningful access to services Limited English Proficiency Person who does not speak English as primary language and has limited ability to read, speak, write or understand English

8. Who is an LEP Person? • Person who does not speak English as primary language and has limited ability to read, speak, write or understand English; • Failure to provide LEP person services or meaningful access to services [may] constitute national origin discrimination (Lau v. Nichols, 1974)

9. Public Participation Plans • MPO shall develop a participation plan in consultation with interested parties (23 CFR 450.316(a)) • Adequate, timely public notice & reasonable access • Reasonable opportunities to comment on contents of the transportation plan • Employ visualization techniques • Make information available in electronic formats • Hold meetings at convenient and accessible locations and times • Explicit consideration and response to public input

10. Public Participation Plans • Seek out and consider the needs of people traditionally underserved • Providing additional opportunities for public comment if the final Metropolitan Transportation Plan or TIP differs significantly from the version made available. • Coordination with statewide public involvement and consultation processes. • Periodically review the effectiveness of the procedures and strategies to ensure a full and open participation process. Minimum 45-day comment period

11. Consultation w/ Tribal Governments & Federal Land Management Agencies • Requires documented State and MPO processes on consulting with Indian Tribal governments and Federal land management agencies (to the extent practicable).(23 CFR 450.210(c) and 450.316(e))

12. Visualization Methods used by States and MPOs in the development of transportation plans and programs with the public, elected and appointed officials, and other stakeholders in a clear and easily accessible format such as maps, pictures, and/or displays, to promote improved understanding of existing or proposed transportation.23 CFR 450.104 Employ visualization techniques to describe metropolitan plans and TIPS.” 23 CFR 450.316 (a)(1)(iii)

13. Public Involvement

14. Key Public Involvement Components • Early notification • Periodic information sharing - 2-way exchange • Thorough search for stakeholders • Clear decision-making process • Open decision-making process • Accountability • No predetermined outcomes

15. Levels of Public Involvement AWARE INFORMED INVOLVED

16. Stages of PI • Information: one-way flow of information • Consultation: two-way exchange of information; • seek advice or information • Participation: interaction with public; to have a • part or share in • Negotiation: face-to-face discussion; to deal or • bargain with another/others

17. Barriers to Effective Public Involvement • Personal or social circumstances • Transportation decision making process • Complex/Confusing • Political factors • Cultural factors • Community history & lack of trust

18. How to Overcome Barriers to Public Involvement • Engage right people (Inclusive) • Obtain right input (Meaningful) • Make sure input flows into decision making process (Integrated) • Others?

19. Partnering/Collaboration with Others • Community Based Organizations • Universities • State DOT/MPOs • Neighborhood Associations • Regional Planning Council • Others?

20. Interested Parties • 23 CFR 450.210 and 450.316

21. Parties Requiring Different Resources • Environmental Justice (EJ) • Limited English Proficiency (LEP) • Freight

22. Proactive Environmental Justice • Community Profile (Mapping/Data) • Public Involvement • Analysis

23. Beyond Census Data for Demographic Profiles • Employment Centers • Schools • Property Values • Social Service Programs

24. Which public(s) are you trying to involve? • Upper-income, middle-income, low-income • Senior, middle aged, young • Transportation dependent, transportation independent • Single, married, divorced • Minority, non-minority • Male, female • Able-bodied, disabled • English speaking, non-English speaking • Literate, low literate, illiterate

25. Types of Public Involvement Techniques • Websites • Partnerships • Electronic surveys • Door-to-door surveys • Email • 1-800 Numbers • Flyers • Comment sheets • Press releases • Educating Children • Radio call-in shows • Television interviews • Focus groups • Workshops • Piggybacking • Public meetings • Public hearings • One-on-one interviews • Citizen advisory groups • Newsletters • Social Media

26. Go to where they eat & talk to them

27. Conduct interviews at a mall

28. Ask community leaders for help

29. Share your experiences….. What techniques do you use most often?

30. Techno Techniques • Emerging Web-based Techniques • Interactive Plans & (S)TIPs • YouTube • Public Dialoguing • Social Networking • Online Surveys

31. Web-Based GIS Transportation Plans & TIPs Atlanta’s 2030 Long-Range Plan

32. YouTube • Denver Rapid Transit District

33. Public Dialoguing • Online Jam: TxDOT—Threaded Discussion

34. Social Networking • Chicago MPO on Facebook Washington DOT on Twitter

35. Online Surveys • Maryland DOT Online Survey in collaboration with Library Systems

36. Evaluation/review of public involvement program Participation by traditionally underserved communities Documentation of consideration & response to public input Coordination between metropolitan and statewide public involvement processes Effective PI Challenges

37. Measuring Effectiveness • Use qualitative and quantitative measures • Some measures may be a proxy for the true measure that is difficult to get (e.g. number of hits on a website)

38. Measuring Effectiveness (2) Suggestions • Openness of process • Level of cooperation and collaboration between parties • Continuation of involvement opportunities • Effect on decision making

39. Performance Measures / Evaluation • Corpus Christi (TX)

40. Public Involvement Resources • Websites • FHWA Office of Planning http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/pubinv2.htm • Visualization http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/vip/index.htm • Training • Public Involvement in the Transportation Decision-making Process, NHI #142036 • Resource Center Visualization Workshop • Publication • Public Involvement Resource Guide http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/teams/planning/pubinvolv.cfm

41. Module Review • Three things to remember from this session: • Public involvement is difficult to do well—good PI usually pays off and bad PI invariably backfires. • Using the right people in PI is critical to creating relationships and building trust • 3) GO TO THE PEOPLE!

42. Questions? Comments?

43. THANK YOU!! • FHWA Resource Center Contact: • Brian Betlyon • brian.betlyon@dot.gov • 410-962-0086