Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program
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Project-Level Public Information and Outreach Examples

Public Information and Outreach Strategies

According to some states, public information is one of the most cost effective work zone impacts mitigation strategies, in both urban and rural areas.

At the project-level, work zone public information and outreach strategies are used to communicate with road users, the general public, area residences and businesses, and appropriate public entities about a road construction project, road conditions in the work zone area, and the safety and mobility effects of the work zone. Effective use of public information and outreach strategies can lead to improved driver and worker safety, less traffic delay, and reduced driver frustration. As a result, the updated Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule contains a provision that requires public information and outreach strategies to be included in Transportation Management Plans (TMPs) for significant projects.

The examples on this page are not the only types of public information and outreach strategies, and are not meant to advocate a "one size fits all" approach.

Examples

Rebuilding the MacArthur Maze - Caltrans Example

In April 2007, a gasoline truck exploded near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge among a tangle of freeway ramps known as the MacArthur Maze. Two major freeway ramps were projected to be closed for months. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) implemented an intense public outreach program, which included daily media briefings near the meltdown site and a Web page with updates, news coverage, and a live camera feed so the public could see first-hand the rapid progress of the rebuilding. Caltrans also worked with local transit officials to encourage drivers to switch to transit, and as a result a record 2.1 million passengers rode Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) during the project, the highest in the agency's 35-year history. Originally projected to take months to finish, the repairs were completed in 26 days. A half-hour television special, called Amazing: The Rebuilding of the MacArthur Maze, was also developed that tells the story of the collapse and the rebuilding. In 2008 Caltrans won an award from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) for "Innovative Management" for this public information and outreach campaign.

I-40 "SmartFIX40" Project - Tennessee DOT Example

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has embarked on large-scale public information and outreach campaign to inform motorists about the SmartFIX40 construction project. This project, on I-40 in Knoxville, involves a 14 month full closure of a short section of I-40. Public information and outreach strategies include videos and public service announcements featuring Dolly Parton and the University of Tennessee football and basketball coaches, brochures, detour maps, and a project web site. TDOT has developed messages specifically targeted to the University of Tennessee (UT) Community, with information on how to get to UT events on time. TDOT also opened a Community Center and Project Office in order to more effectively communicate project information to the public. Visitors can view photographs of the project as well as maps, timelines and diagrams at the center. An innovative outreach strategy is a poster, created by a Nashville artist, showing a rendition of a new bridge on I-40 with the skyline of downtown Knoxville in the background. The poster, which also contains the project web site and hotline, was provided to high traffic businesses and other popular locations to remind motorists of the important traffic changes being made on I-40 in downtown Knoxville.

I-90 "Burl the Squirrel" Mascot - Washington State DOT Example

Interstate 90 is a critical transportation corridor, linking Puget Sound to eastern Washington and beyond. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is expanding I-90 to meet both the current and future needs of the users of this corridor. WSDOT is using a mascot, known as "Burl the Squirrel", to explain the planned improvements to I-90 in a user-friendly manner. Known as the DOT "spokes-squirrel", Burl has appeared on DOT publications, at DOT information booths at county fairs, in the "Burl the Squirrel Activity Book" and in comic-strip panels sent out monthly to people requesting project updates. According to WSDOT, "Burl uses humor and an animal's point of view to playfully engage readers in the otherwise 'dry' project details." WSDOT has also found that appealing to children through activity books featuring Burl is another way to get the message to drivers, as children are likely to show the activity books to their parents. In 2008, the Burl the Squirrel public outreach campaign was selected as one of the winners of the Transportation Research Board's Communicating with John and Jane Public award.

Route I-95 "Iway" Relocation - Rhode Island DOT Example

The Rhode Island DOT (RIDOT) has budgeted $500,000 for a public relations campaign for the $610 million relocation of part of Route 195 in Providence. The campaign includes a catchy name for the project - "Iway" - and a slogan, "Yours. Mine. Ours." As part of the campaign, RIDOT is giving out decks of cards with the logo, holding numerous media events, and is developing podcasts, in English and Spanish, describing the benefits of the new highway. To date a series of 12 podcasts has been released. While the campaign is meant to reduce congestion in the work area, it is also meant to create a positive connotation for the project. The campaign has been successful to date in meeting both of these goals.

I-5 Downtown Seattle Major Lane Closures - Washington State DOT Example

Multiple lanes and ramps on northbound I-5 between Spokane Street and I-90 in Seattle will be closed starting August 10 for 19 days to allow Washington State DOT (WSDOT) crews to perform extensive rehabilitation work on the freeway. WSDOT has been preparing for this closure for several months. In an attempt to reduce the number of vehicles on northbound I-5 just south of downtown Seattle by more than 50 percent to help prevent gridlock, WSDOT has contacted hundreds of community and business groups; worked extensively with the city of Seattle and transit agencies, and mailed informational packets to a thousand major employers; and encouraged drivers to consider using transit, teleworking, or adjusting their schedules. WSDOT has also set up an Operations Center to help manage the flow of traffic and respond to questions from the public.

Fix I-5 - Caltrans Example

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has developed a Web site to provide drivers with information about repair work on Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento. The three-quarter-mile stretch of I-5 from R Street to Capitol Mall is undergoing major renovation that began in Spring 2008. Caltrans estimates that the work could take as long as 300 days. The Web site provides current information, live images from traffic cameras posted at several locations, a travel planner with information about alternate routes and transit, special offers from affected businesses, frequently asked questions, and the ability to sign up for email alerts. Caltrans has found that due to public outreach efforts such as the Web site, delays have been much less than anticipated. Furthermore, to assist in relieving traffic congestion, the Governor issued Executive Order S-04-08 to allow State workers in the Sacramento region to telecommute during the construction period.

I-10 Construction Hotline - Arizona DOT Example

The Arizona DOT (ADOT) has implemented a hotline to provide information and allow drivers to voice concerns and ask questions about closures taking place during the three year project to widen I-10. The hotline is staffed by six operators who take calls during the day seven days a week. When calling after hours, callers can get a recording of the latest traffic updates and can leave a message. In addition to benefiting drivers, the hotline also enables ADOT to make improvements based on feedback received from drivers.

Dodge the Lodge II - Michigan DOT Example

The Michigan Department of Transportation has created a project Web site to provide information on the February to November 2007 full closure of M-10 (Lodge Freeway) in Detroit.

  • Dodge the Lodge II Project Web Site
  • "Lodge Far From a Retreat", article in January 2008 issue of Roads & Bridges, Volume: 46 Number: 1. This article describes how the Michigan DOT saved more than $140 million, saved Detroit commuters several years of lane closures, and provided a safer environment for workers through the use of full closure on the Lodge Freeway project.

Bay Bridge Closure - Caltrans Example

The use of overhead changeable message signs and portable signs helped to ease delay and driver frustration during the Labor Day weekend closure of the east bound span of the Bay Bridge in 2006. In 2007, in order to allow workers to replace a 350-foot section of the structure, Caltrans decided to close the entire bridge for three days over Labor Day weekend. For this closure, Caltrans spent close to $1 million in advertising to warn drivers about the closure.

Augusta Bridge - Maine DOT Example

An article in the Kennebec Journal describes how careful planning and the public information efforts undertaken by the MaineDOT have helped drivers to avoid gridlock while the Augusta Bridge is closed for three months while crews install a new concrete deck.

Springfield Interchange Information Center - Virginia DOT Example

Reconstruction of the Springfield Interchange has been an eight year, $676 million project to improve a complex interchange where three major highways merge together. As part of an extensive public outreach effort, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) spent $6 million to build and operate the nation's first retail Information Center (IC). Located in the Springfield Mall, the IC was developed to meet the full-time needs of motorists, local residents, and business owners concerned about the impact the project may have on them, as well as to provide information about VDOT in general. It is staffed by VDOT employees and is open during regular mall hours (including weekends and evenings). The advantages of the IC are that it is an easily accessible "store" in a shopping mall, so people do not have to make a special effort to get to it, and it has the potential to draw in people who would not typically go into a "project office" to get information. Since opening in 1999, more than 350,000 motorists and Springfield area residents have visited the center. The IC has a model of the completed interchange; large aerial photographs of Springfield detailing how the interchange will impact the area; literature about the project; a computer for guests to use to review aspects of the project; copies of the project video; aerial photographs showing how the interchange has grown in the last 40 years; and highway road maps and travel guides from Virginia and other states. VDOT is considering keeping the IC open after project completion to continue to inform motorists about VDOT projects.

Work Zone Best Practice Fact Sheets

  • "Communicating Work Zone Information to Truckers in North Carolina" (HTML, PDF 239KB)
  • "Arkansas Uses Public Outreach to Pave The Way During Interstate Rehabilitation" (HTML, PDF 125KB)
  • "Delaware's Survival Plan for the I-95 Shutdown" (HTML, PDF 1.6MB)
  • "Oregon's Quickfax Service" (HTML, PDF 1.7MB)

"Raising the Bar on Highway Quality" - Article in January/February 2007 Issue of FHWA Focus

This FHWA Focus article describes the winners of the National Partnership for Highway Quality's (NPHQ) 2006 "Making a Difference" awards, presented in New Orleans, Louisiana, in November 2006. These awards recognize projects that are raising the bar for highway design, construction, and management. New to the awards this year was a category for "Public Communications." This article gives numerous examples of how State DOTS effectively used public communications to alert motorists about work zone projects.

Public Information and Outreach Guidance from States

New 11/6/08 Customer Satisfaction Surveys

One of the key goals of most highway agencies' construction programs is to satisfy the desire of motorists for a good driving experience. One way agencies determine how well they're meeting that goal is with customer surveys. Surveys are often conducted before, during or after construction, and are used to help agencies plan projects, adjust construction and traffic management strategies, and improve success on future projects. The June/July 2008 issue of FHWA Innovator describes customer satisfaction surveys for projects in Minnesota, Georgia, and Utah.

Colorado Department of Transportation

The Colorado DOT has a special provision for Public Information Services within its Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction. This provision calls for the contractor to provide public information services on an ongoing basis throughout the duration of the project, through the use of a Public Information Manager (PIM). The required qualifications of the PIM vary depending on whether or not the project is a significant project. The provision also describes the duties of the PIM, as well as the specific public information and outreach strategies to be used for a project.

Maryland State Highway Administration Public Information and Outreach Guidance

The Maryland State Highway Administration (MDSHA) has developed guidance for developing public information and outreach plans as part of a transportation management plan (TMP) for a project. This guidance is not intended to be a self-contained how-to guide on public relations. Project managers and engineers are required to work with the MDSHA Office of Communications to develop an organized approach to the communication needs of any project. Coordination with the Office of Communications is intended to help to ensure success of a public information and outreach effort, particularly for significant projects.

Wyoming Department of Transportation

This presentation provides a high-level overview of the work zone public information and outreach efforts that are used for different levels of work zones in Wyoming.

Project Web Sites

Web sites are an easy means of getting information about a work zone project out to the public. Web sites may provide real time or static information, but regardless of the type of information, all content on a Web site should be timely and accurate. Web sites can be used to provide traffic information and maps, alternate routes, project status information, points of contact, and even electronic copies of print materials such as brochures or fact sheets. The following links provide several examples of work zone project web sites. This list of examples is not exhaustive but provides a range of ideas for what to include on a project web site and how to design a project Web site.

Many of these Web sites have links to electronic versions of other public outreach examples, such as print materials, newsletters, press kits, business survival kits, and maps.


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