Virtual Public Involvement: A Manual for Effective, Equitable, and Efficient Practices for Transportation Agencies

The objectives of this research are (1) to evaluate the recent experience of transportation agencies in using virtual public involvement with a particular focus on equity; and (2) to develop a manual for selecting, creating, and using virtual public involvement tools and techniques for each phase of transportation decision-making process. The manual will be relevant for communication directors; decision- and policy-makers; and public involvement, planning, environmental, and project development staff at state DOTs and other transportation agencies.  The manual will describe how to efficiently and effectively use virtual public involvement to expand the reach and impact of public involvement activities through meaningful, on-line engagement. At minimum, the manual will describe how to: (1) Identify and address needs and preferences of specific population groups to reduce potential disparities and promote equitable engagement; (2) Select, create, and use virtual public involvement tools and techniques; (3) Integrate virtual and in-person public involvement; (4) Identify and address staffing and other resource needs for adopting and implementing virtual public involvement tools and techniques; (5) Obtain quality input from virtual public involvement; and (6) Integrate input from virtual public involvement into decision-making.  

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=4953
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Phase 1 is complete; Phase 1 report is available here: doi: 10.17226/26827. Phase 2 is underway.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $650000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 08-142

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Brooks, Mike

• Performing Organizations:

  Rutgers University

  Piscataway, NJ  United States  08901
• Principal Investigators:

  Salerno, Miriam

• Start Date: 20210921
• Expected Completion Date: 20241021
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Best practices; Computer online services; Decision making; Equity; Manuals; Outreach; Public participation; State departments of transportation; Transportation planning
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01739638
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 08-142
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 20 2020 11:13AM