1.A.a - Ethnic, Minority, and Low-Income
Groups
What does this mean?
Individuals from minority and ethnic groups and low-income households
often find participation difficult and are also traditionally underserved
by transportation. While these groups form a growing portion
of the population, particularly in urban areas, historically they
have experienced barriers to participation in the public decision-making
process and are therefore underrepresented. These barriers arise
both from the historical nature of the public involvement process
and from cultural, linguistic, and economic differences. Recent
efforts to include many different cultural or disadvantaged groups
in this process have been designed to assure basic, equitable access
rather than to favor one group over another.
Although America prides itself on being a melting pot of many
peoples, deep differences in culture or income often impede participation.
Language differences are only the most immediate hurdle to overcome
in order to work effectively with various cultural groups. Economic
barriers such as the costs of child care or transportation to meetings
also hinder participation. More importantly, understanding and accommodating
the various ways people interact with one another to make decisions,
or their belief in their own power to do so, is the major challenge
of getting people to work together successfully toward common goals.
A starting point in effective interaction is addressing groups by
the names they want to be called at the time. For example, at the
time of this publication, American Indians prefer to be called that
rather than Native Americans, a term that includes non-Indian Native
Americans. Preferences change over time.
Today, agencies work to empower people to help define the kinds
of processes they need to participate effectively. Thoughtful
consultation with minority, ethnic, and low-income people enables
agencies to identify specific barriers and find effective ways to
overcome them. In Orange County, California, attendance at a series
of introductory open houses for a major investment study was high
for all sectors of the affected population except Mexican-Americans.
In subsequent meetings with leaders from this community, county
planners learned that these constituents were uncomfortable with
the open-house format and intimidated by one-to-one interaction.
Supplementary, informal, small-group meetings in Latino neighborhoods
eventually brought increased participation.
Governments at various levels have played a significant role
in protecting the rights of underserved populations. Presidential
Executive Order 12898 of 1994 requires Federal agencies to identify
programs, policies, and regulations with a disproportionately high
and adverse effect on minority and low-income populations. The order
directs Federal agencies to conduct their programs, policies, and
activities so as to ensure that they do not have the effect of excluding
persons from participation in or benefits of the programs. This
can usually be done by modifying existing participatory programs.
Federal transportation law requires transportation plans to
avoid a disproportionate impact of transportation policies or investments
on traditionally-underserved communities. The Final Rule on
Metropolitan and Statewide Planning requires MPOs and states to
seek out and consider the needs of the transportation-disadvantaged.
Outreach to minorities and ethnic groups has several objectives
in addition to the basic aims of public involvement:
- Convey issues in ways that are meaningful to various cultural
groups;
- Bridge cultural and economic differences that affect participation;
- Use communication techniques that enable people to interact
with other participants;
- Develop partnerships on a one-to-one or small group basis to
assure representation; and
- Increase participation by underrepresented groups so they have
an impact on decisions.
Why is it useful?
Outreach to traditionally-underserved groups helps assure
that all constituents have opportunities to affect the decision-making
process. These efforts are particularly useful because they:
- Provide fresh perspectives;
- Give first-hand information about community-specific issues
and concerns of which an agency may not have been aware;
- Flag potential controversies;
- Provide feedback on how to get these communities involved; and
- Provide solutions to problems that best meet their needs.
These efforts widen the basis of consensus on an implementable
plan or project. The greater the consensus among all community members,
the more likely a plan or project will succeed.
Agencies can address issues specific to minority, ethnic, or
other underserved groups. At the inception of its long-range
plan, the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) had special
forums for minorities so the planning process could address their
concerns from the outset.
Local leadership may become more active. For the past fifteen
years, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County in Houston,
Texas has had a good working relationship with all segments of the
community, especially underserved populations. As a result, their
leaders have been very active in the decision-making process.
Participation establishes trust and openness in the decision-making
process. The St. Louis, Missouri, MPO works in close collaboration
with minority, ethnic, and low-income groups from the beginning
of planning and throughout the process, fostering a sense of ownership
of the outcome.
How do underrepresented groups participate?
Community organizations and their leaders are invaluable in
building communication between agencies and underrepresented groups.
Canvassing key community leaders individually may help determine
the best ways to conduct outreach within their communities. Often
low-income people, for instance, are so busy working many hours
in several jobs that they do not have time for grass roots participation;
they rely on their community leaders to represent them in the process.
The Albany, New York, MPO uses the Albany Service Corps (a job-training
program for disadvantaged youth that is part of the national Americorps
group) to distribute information to low-income communities. In many
cases, agency staff can easily identify and reach out to community
leaders as a first point of contact. The Virginia DOT distributes
materials through the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) to reach minorities. Working with leaders
also increases the credibility of the participatory planning process.
Respecting ethnic tradition, the Alaska DOT has found it helpful
to meet first with Alaskan native elders to establish a rapport
prior to presenting projects to whole communities.
Community groups provide access to individuals and can serve
as forums for participation. Agencies sometimes focus initial
attention on active community groups to prepare for later approaches
to the general public. Community groups, like Civic Advisory Committees,
can provide an underserved community with a meaningful way to participate,
as well as a sense of empowerment. MPOs in Portland, Oregon, and
in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, work through established neighborhood
organizations. Often, community organizations reflect community-wide
concerns and can advise an agency on useful strategies for interaction.
In Arizona, Tucsons MPO involved several Mexican-American
neighborhood associations in updating its long-range transportation
plan. In Chicago, Illinois, the Center for Neighborhood Technology
brought minority groups into the existing regional citizen coalitions.
Cooperation with community groups follows the if it aint
broke, dont fix it principle. If working through an
established organization serves the purpose, an agency wastes effort
by creating a new forum that probably will not work as well. Agencies
need to be cautious, however, about presuming that any one group
represents an entire community.
Religious organizations in particular are an effective way to
reach minority and ethnic groups. Most of them have civic as
well as religious activities and interests, along with a strong
geographic base. They have broad constituencies and often have a
strong ethnic or cultural focus. They are particularly good avenues
for reaching people who are not active in the community in other
ways. The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
has established communication links with African-American, Latino,
and Asian religious institutions in order to increase participation
of underrepresented groups. The Little Rock, Arkansas, MPO, works
to establish good relations with, among others, the African-American
Ministerial Alliance in its region.
Agencies need to consider the times at which members of minority,
low-income, and underserved communities are available to participate
in the transportation decision-making process. Agencies often
do not take into account the varying working hours of individuals
who are not in typical occupations. In addition, issues of child
and elder care can impact an individuals schedule. In winter
months, many elderly people can be reluctant to drive when it is
dark outside. It is important, therefore, to consider expanding
hours of operation for public meetings and other functions that
might be typically held in the evening. Expanding hours of operation
can consist simply of manning a desk with informational materials,
perhaps even showing a short informational video or slide presentation
on the project, and offering an opportunity for individuals to ask
questions and provide oral and/or written statements. In addition,
individuals can be offered an opportunity to put their names on
a mailing list for additional information, or to be included in
the formal review process for a particular project. A more formal
public meeting can be held in addition to these open hours, however
all input taken during the open hours would be considered.
Agencies need to make special efforts to communicate with people
who use languages other than English. For example, of the approximately
2.5 million households in Los Angeles County, 40 percent speak a
language other than English as their first language, and 13 percent
speak no English. Thus, translations and bilingual speakers are
often necessary. The Alaska DOT has produced radio spots in indigenous
languages. In addition, translations to other languages, logos,
and project terminology need to be carefully reviewed from a cultural
perspective. A leading car manufacturer found that although a particular
model sold well among the general population, it did not sell well
among Latinos, because no va in Spanish means doesnt
go.
Understanding a culture is often critical. The Dallas, Texas,
transit agency (DART) finds it helpful to research an ethnic groups
customs and language. Changing demographics in East Dallas led DART
to accommodate the language needs of Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese,
Arab, Iranian, Ethiopian, and Nigerian communities. This outreach
identified a need to provide training in several English-as-a-second-language
programs on how to use the transit system. The custom of bus travel
was unfamiliar to some participants and practiced very differently
by others.
Agencies also need to recognize varied styles of communication
derived from ethnic or minority cultures. In some cultures,
for example, it is considered improper to disagree with authority.
As a result, agency staff people attempting to assess community
response to different alternatives have found it difficult to move
beyond polite agreement with all alternatives. In other cultures,
discussion with the entire community precedes decisions by its leaders,
and elders may have a particular role in decision-making. In some
groups, speaking up is interpreted as making trouble.
Agency staff members can learn about traditions and behavioral patterns
by careful observation or by tactfully and privately asking group
members what is going on. Group members familiar with mainstream
culture are particularly good sources of such information. The Arkansas
State Highway and Transportation Department reports getting a cool
reception to its initial attempts at outreach through local churches.
Research discovered that this was because its spokesperson addressed
local congregations from the main pulpita place of honor reserved
for the ministry. In subsequent visits, the representative moved
to the regular platform, the audience relaxed, and constructive
dialogue took place. In communities where there is reluctance to
disagree or criticize, opinions may only be expressed after prolonged
consideration or in very indirect ways.
American Indian tribal governments are considered domestic sovereign
nations; i.e., they have a direct and special relationship with
the Federal government as a result of treaties and are independent
of individual States. For example, tribes deal directly with the
Federal government in securing funding for Indian reservation roads
if they are tribes on a reservation, even within an MPO. Agencies
need to identify issues regarding American Indians and transportation
needs, plans, projects, and outreach early in the process. Expert
guidance (for example, from members of the Governors Interstate
Indian Council) should be sought in developing relationships with
tribes, reservations, and individuals. Since tribes are eligible
to apply for and be awarded separate funding, transportation practitioners
need to consult with both Federal transportation agencies and local
tribes to coordinate plans and projects.
How do agencies use the output?
Understanding the full range of a communitys needs enables
an agency to create more responsive and even innovative plans.
Interacting with community members yields insight into the reasons
why they support or disagree with proposed plans or projects. The
perspective of traditionally-underrepresented groups can cast a
whole new light on the goals and outcomes of planning and project
development. Ethnic and minority group members suggest fresh approaches
to transportation issues that otherwise would not be raised. However,
input from underserved groups is not separate from other
input or given more weight; rather, to be most useful, it is integrated
with and balanced by the needs and concerns of all interests.
Agencies may discern new or improved transportation options.
Input from predominantly Mexican-American communities led to a hybrid
option for transit in the Los Angeles Metro Red Line Eastside Corridor.
In a mid-range of cost, the new option has the highest potential
ridership and offers significant service advantages. The regions
leadership and project planners agree that the new alternative is
the best solution and readily admit it would not have been identified
without the help of ethnic constituents.
Agencies also use community input to assure equity in the distribution
of services and impacts. In order to do this, they must use
a variety of techniques to solicit public input from the traditionally-underrepresented
populationparticularly minority and low-income groups as identified
in the Executive Order on Environmental Justice. Typical meeting
announcements in newspapers and on radio, for example, may not reach
these populations. Agencies need to understand how these populations
get information. This could be, for example, in church bulletins,
on grocery store or laundromat bulletin boards, and in community
meeting places. (See Public Information
Materials; Media Strategies.)
Who leads outreach to these groups?
Existing staff may lead, provided they have the appropriate
skills or training. To be successful, they need to have an open-minded
attitude, process skills, and sensitivity to cultural differences.
They also must be committed to encouraging minority and ethnic group
participation, not only because it takes persistence and creative
thinking to foster inclusion of people who have historically been
outsiders, but also because lack of such commitment is easily perceived
and undermines trust and credibility.
To enhance the effectiveness of interaction, staff should come
from a variety of backgrounds. As the Oregon-based Sensible
Transportation Options for People (STOP) suggests, Dont
use all white men in suits to interact with traditionally-underserved
communities.
Special outreach coordinators can provide particularly strong
leadership and demonstrate an agencys sincere commitment to
responding to ethnic and minority concerns. A number of agencies
hire staff specifically charged with outreach to the traditionally
underserved. MPOs in Madison, Wisconsin, Seattle, Washington, and
Twin Cities, Minnesota all have a minority affairs coordinator.
The Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Commission has two positions for minorities
and one for American Indians. To enhance communication, Pennsylvania
DOT uses an intermediary when addressing Amish communities, because
this is their traditional way of dealing with outsiders. Only elders
are allowed to speak with an intermediary. By communicating with
an intermediary, DOT staff better understands the communitys
culture, dress code, language, and beliefs, as well as their specific
transportation needs and concerns.
Consultants with special expertise or skills can also enhance
the process. For a major investment study in transit, South
Sacramento, California, utilized consultants with experience working
in the affected ethnic neighborhoods. The St. Louis, Missouri, MPO
regularly contracts with the Urban League for focus groups and information
dissemination.
Translators or interpreters are essential to reach non-English-speaking
groups. Many agencies now provide interpreters when needed,
as well as translations of some or all of their information materials.
Florida DOT has a bilingual affairs staff and a bilingual newsletter.
The Los Angeles, California, MPO has foreign language teams
for its region. The transit agency in Houston, Texas, prints information
in up to five languages. For large meetings, the University of Massachusetts
has tear-off pads saying I need an interpreter and provides
translators in six different languages. In California, Orange County
transit agency staff members wear blue dots on their name tags at
open houses if they are bilingual. Alaska DOT has local residents
volunteer to interpret for Eskimo communities.
Translations must take into account the fact that often minority
people who do not speak English well also do not speak literary
or standard forms of their native languages. Agencies need to
make sure that translations are clear, easily understandable, and
in an idiom native to the group to be reached. A Portuguese translation,
for instance, must recognize that people from Portugal have difficulty
understanding Brazilian Portuguese speakers, and vice versa.
What are the costs?
Costs are linked to the complexity of an issue. A large
minority or ethnic community can be reached in traditional ways,
through news media, literature, and informal meetings. However,
when an issue is highly controversial, the need for participation
intensifies, and agencies may need to use more varied and innovative
techniquesresulting in higher costs in staff time and funding.
Eliciting participation may involve translations and interpreters,
advertising, and other special efforts.
Costs climb when a large number of underrepresented people need
to be reached. Encouraging disadvantaged groups to participate
is time- and energy-consuming for agency staff. Some groups are
typically more difficult to draw into transportation planning processes
than mainstream participants. For the Miami East-West Corridor Major
Investment Study, Florida DOT held an average of 30 meetings per
month over a two-year period to reach the varied populations within
the 22-mile study area. Communities, particularly the ethnic communities,
continuously requested meetings and invited project staff to attend
numerous meetings sponsored by neighborhood organizations. The agency
estimates that staff participated in approximately 1,000 meetings
on the project, ranging from one-on-one discussions to larger meetings.
Costs may be minimized by using electronic media and by locating
meeting spaces that are convenient and free of charge to the public.
For example, for a local meeting on a transportation project in
Washington DC, an auditorium at the National Zoo was used for an
informational public meeting. Not only was the space accessible
by public transportation, but it was also a well-known location
for individuals in the project area. Access to electronic media
should be considered before employing it as a cost-minimizer. Schools,
community centers, and libraries may be able to help provide services
to people who do not have electronic access at home or at work.
How is such outreach organized?
A basic task is to identify which minority and ethnic groups
require special attention for a transportation plan or project because
of its impact on them. Careful research about the communities
potentially affected by a plan or project may be necessary to determine
a diverse group of community leaders. This can be done by contacting
local governments to determine the players in the community,
through word of mouth, conducting key-person interviews, and by
being alert to advertisements/fliers for community activities. It
is important for practitioners to maintain up-to-date contact lists
for community-based organizations and key individuals in the community
who can be tapped for discussions. Human service coalitions, like
the United Way, colleges and universities, and national organizations
often maintain contact lists.
Agencies draw from the full array of formal techniques to involve
minority and ethnic groups, along with others. Formal techniques
are inclusion on committees, task forces, and other official advisory
and/or decision bodies; participation in meetings and conferences;
focus groups; surveys; and working through recognized neighborhood
groups. In San Francisco, California, the MPO created a special
Minority Citizen Advisory Committee as a result of a lawsuit in
the mid-70s. It includes African-Americans, Latinos, and Asian-Americans.
The Wisconsin DOT created focus groups for American Indians, African-Americans,
and Latinos. As part of its long-range planning effort, the Nevada
DOT sponsored meetings in which surveys were used to make initial
contacts. These contacts were used to identify representatives of
American Indian nations and to administer a more comprehensive survey
of transportation needs and concerns in the reservations. The questions
covered the condition of roads and access to public transportation,
as well as services for the elderly and handicapped. Representatives
from each of the 24 Indian nations in Nevada responded, as did the
executive director of the Nevada Association of Nations.
Informal techniques are especially useful. They include
developing relationships with underrepresented groups and networking
within communities. During a corridor study in East Los Angeles,
the transit agencys Spanish-speaking staff walked through
the neighborhood, personally inviting people to attendwhich
resulted in high turnout. Creating partnerships between DOT staff
and community members helps increase access and familiarity on both
sides. Working together, they can develop strategies for outreach,
anticipate the issues and concerns people are likely to raise, identify
appropriate locations for meetings, and jointly sponsor ways for
the community to get transportation information.
Many minority, ethnic, and low-income groups prefer small meetings.
They are less intimidating and more conducive to interaction. Agencies
that have turned to small groups for involving ethnic populations
include DOTs and FHWA Division Offices in Alaska, Idaho, Oklahoma,
and Wisconsin. For example, the FHWA Division Office in Oklahoma
found that Native American Tribes in the state were poorly informed
as to what the highway trust fund meant and what services were available.
The Division Office worked with the Oklahoma Tribal Transportation
Council and state partners to establish a platform to bring consistent
information to the 37 recognized Oklahoma Tribes. The end result
was three workshops conducted to explain the highway trust fund
and to gain cooperation, coordination, and communication between
the tribes; state, county, and city officials; and the federal agencies
(FHWA/Bureau of Indian Affairs). (See Small
Group Techniques.)
Agencies can hold meetings where ethnic or minority groups cluster
in the community. New Jersey Transit holds meetings in many
unconventional places, including shopping malls, housing developments,
senior centers, and work places. The Boise, Idaho, MPO reaches the
underserved through group homes and head start centers. (See Non-traditional
Meeting Places and Events; Media
Strategies.)
Announcements in minority or ethnic news media can heighten
interest in a process. In Seattle, Washington, the transit authority
advertises in different languages in minority newspapers to obtain
increased participation and greater trust in the agencys good
will. The Twin Cities MPO in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, interests
the owners of minority media in an upcoming transportation process
or project and, through them, the broader community. The MPO not
only places advertisements but also receives much free public interest
coverage from such personal contacts. The St. Louis MPO aggressively
promotes public service announcements in minority media. Because
radio is often preferred over newspapers, many agencies spend more
funds and energy on this medium. The Sacramento, California, transit
agency featured an interview and call-in show on a Spanish radio
station. (See Improving
Meeting Attendance; Focus
Groups.)
Financial and other incentives may be used to improve attendance.
The St. Louis MPO paid unemployed people to participate in focus
groups. The Albany, New York, MPO provides scholarships for low-income
people to participate in its conferences. The Alaska DOT paid airfare
for some Alaska natives to attend meetings. In Montana, Blackfeet
Community College offers American Indians college credits for attending
community meetings. Agencies sometimes provide day care and/or transportation
to help low-income people participate. The Portland, Oregon, MPO
provides child care at large meetings, as does New Jersey Transit.
Outside financial assistance may be available. In connection
with the New Mexico DOTs long-range planning, the Alliance
for Transportation Research obtained a grant for a two-day conference
for people not traditionally involved in transportation.
How is it used with other techniques?
Outreach to underrepresented groups is integral to an effective,
overall public involvement program. The initial contact with
minority, ethnic, or low-income communities not only helps reach
a wider audience but also sets the tone for the subsequent process
or project activities. Outreach promotes a spirit of inclusion for
those communities that have been outside of the decision-making
process.
Traditional public involvement techniques, i.e., formal meetings,
may not be effective with underserved populations. A variety
of public involvement techniques may be needed when working with
underserved populations. In order to get participation, it is valuable
to hold meetings and conduct outreach in the community itself. Practitioners
can research activity centers as meeting locations and venues for
informal outreach. When disseminating information to the public,
agencies must recognize the need to communicate with others who
speak other languages. Announcements in minority or ethnic news
media can heighten interest in a process.
Minority, ethnic, and low-income groups are empowered to help
make transportation decisions. Concept mapping is a technique
that involves mapping the ideas of residents and using those results
in strategic plans. It includes a brainstorming activity and is
very inclusive in the sense that no idea or input is excluded or
edited in the final result. Minority, ethnic, and low-income
groups can be invited to participate in civic advisory committees,
task forces, and other policy bodies. (See Civic
Advisory Committees; Citizens
on Decision and Policy Bodies.) Such inclusion empowers these
groups and provides access to the whole participatory effort. Many
agencies have one or more seats for minority or ethnic members,
including the Green Bay, Wisconsin, MPO; Portland, Oregon, Metro;
and the Cleveland, Ohio, MPO.
What are the drawbacks?
Staff time and resources may be significant. One-to-one
contact requires substantial staff time and energy. Administering
an outreach program involves monitoring inquiries and responses,
as well as documenting and answering numerous requests for meetings
or briefings. Many ethnic groups lack a tradition of participation
in government and require extra urging. For example, Miamis
Cuban-Americans were reluctant to participate in planning for a
new rail system in the mid-70s because public participation was
not part of their cultural heritage. Planners turned to the Catholic
Church and the Latin chamber of commerce to obtain the perspectives
of the public. Now assimilated, two decades later, this ethnic group
participates vigorously. In fostering grass roots involvement, agencies
need to assess carefully the cultures of each specific community,
for there may be significant differences, even within an ethnic
group.
Special efforts can encounter institutional resistance.
Many innovative, creative techniques are different from past practices
and may be initially uncomfortable for some agency staff. In some
cases, this generates backlash. Local laws prohibiting expenditure
of public funds to prepare material in languages other than English
are one example. Planners who face misgivings about special
treatment might note that techniques tailored to individual
segments of the public such as business communities have long been
common to effective public involvement programs.
Reaching out to one community may exclude others. For example,
while canvassing leaders of community groups may allow agencies
to reach certain populations, these leaders may not represent the
entire community. Using a CAC to target participation toward specific
groups could run the risk of excluding others whose voice would
be equally as important. In addition, CACs are more effective when
working on a project scale, and depending on circumstances, may
not be as beneficial for a large scale planning process.
Is such outreach flexible?
Outreach to minority, ethnic, and low-income groups needs to
be inherently flexible. Agencies must constantly monitor and
adjust their approaches to discover and capitalize on what works.
During the project development phase of a new light rail transit
system, the Denver, Colorado, transit agency disseminated information
widely. One low-income neighborhood requested more information on
the project. As a result, the agency established a neighborhood
drop-in center both to provide more information to the community
and to gather input about its concerns. (See Drop-in
Centers.)
To be most effective, techniques may need to be altered or augmented,
because styles of communication and behavioral patterns differ from
culture to culture. Early, informal consultation with members
of target groups about what barriers to participation exist and
how to surmount them is essential. Often a more personal, direct
dialogue is needed between agency staff members and individuals
from ethnic or minority groups. When dealing with such groups, the
Twin Cities MPO finds it useful to modify its meeting format to
draw out the participants. It addresses the issues one-to-one by
directly asking each participant his or her opinion. The Montana
Native American Technology Transfer Technology Center phones individual
members of the American Indian community to remind them that their
attendance at an upcoming meeting is vital to assure a sound and
responsive plan or program. For its project planning process, an
Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department representative
attends as many as four different church services on Sunday mornings
to invite people to participate. In rural areas, he goes to people
working in the fields, before or after their shifts.
How is a technique for working with one low-income/minority
group vs. another low-income minority group chosen?
Ideally transportation practitioners would work with all groups
affected by a program or project, but if time and staff resources
are limited, they would probably want to focus their energies on
a group that would reach a broader group of people. If there are
particular social or cultural implications of a program or project,
groups to address them would need to be included.
The transportation agency must determine what is an effective
communication technique in reaching the community. A variety
of techniques may need to be employed to reach more than one low-income/minority
group. Agencies may need to research the groups with which they
would be dealing, both in general (e.g., Vietnamese people), and
more specifically about the cultural/minority group in a specific
location (e.g., how many are recent immigrants). Agencies should
also talk with community leaders to find out the best techniques
for working with the particular low-income or minority group (e.g.,
which approaches to use, where to hold events, how to recruit people,
what to avoid doing).
When is it used most effectively?
Outreach efforts to the underrepresented start early and
extend throughout the process and are integrated with other public
involvement efforts insofar as possible. Informing communities of
events and providing status reports help to establish a good working
relationship. This approach is also very effective in diffusing
potentially controversial issues by addressing concerns early.
The advantages for early outreach in both project development
and long-range planning include:
- Diffusing potentially controversial issues;
- Allowing more people to understand a process or project;
- Broadening the range of project alternatives;
- Enhancing opportunities for creative solutions for transportation
needs;
- Reducing the potential need to re-do an environmental analysis;
- Establishing good relationships with underserved groups;
- Getting people to help in the planning;
- Breaking down historical barriers; and
- Increasing chances for obtaining consensus.
Public and staff education can begin even before a process or
project planning effort is initiated. The Denver Transit Agency
sends out meeting notices to schools for children to take to their
parents. It also provides bilingual, educational coloring books
as an incentive to attract children who, in turn, involve their
parents. A key pre-initiation activity for agency staff is self-education
about the culture of the affected communities. Reflecting his people's
fear of vulnerability through public involvement, a participant
at the National Congress of American Indians revealed, Once
I allow you to capture my concern that way, you can trade it off
against other concerns, and I will lose. Clearly, transportation
planners and project managers need to be aware of such issues as
they attempt to establish good-faith communication and trust.
For further information:
Alaska Department
of Transportation
Statewide Planning Chief |
(907) 465-2171 |
Arkansas
State Highway and Transportation Department
Environmental Division |
(501) 569-2281
|
Florida
Department Of Transportation
West Project Field Office |
(305) 262-7033 |
Houston,
Texas, Transit
Capital and Long-range Planning |
(713) 739-4000
|
Los Angeles
County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Public Affairs Manager |
(213) 244-6891
|
Nevada Department
of Transportation
Carson City, Nevada |
(702) 687-3463
|
New Jersey
Transit
Executive Director of External Affairs |
(201) 491-7130
|
Sacramento,
California, Regional Transit District
Project Manager |
(916) 261-4785
|
St. Louis,
Missouri, MPO
Director of Policy and Programming |
(314) 4241-4220
|
South Carolina
DOT |
(803) 737-1395 |
South Carolina
Route 72 Case Study |
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/ejustice/case/case10.htm
ejustice/case/case10.asp
|
Federal
Highway Administration, Oklahoma Division (Proactive Outreach
Process with Oklahomas Native American population) |
Lubin Quinones
(405) 605-6170 |
Center for
Neighborhood Technology |
http://www.cnt.org/ |
TRB Committee
on Public Involvement in Transportation |
http://www.ch2m.com/TRB_PI/default.asp |
Concept
Mapping |
http://www.conceptsystems.com |
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