Public engagement program plan

The PEP describes different ways we promote participation by all members of the public interested in our activities to improve regional transportation.

The PEP is the latest update of our public participation plans. In the PEP, we commit to treating the public as partners and to being a leader in engaging the public. Some new opportunities for engagement in the PEP include: The proposed establishment of a Public Engagement Advisory Committee; The establishment of a young adult advisory committee to get more and better participation from those consituents; Strategies aimed at better including under-represented populations in decision-making; and Guidance for developing future public participation plans for NJTPA-sponsored programs and projects.

The project manager should include the District Public Involvement Coordinator in the public involvement consultant selection process. When developing an effective Public Engagement Plan, it is important to begin with the end in mind. Identify and articulate the purpose of the project and the PI goals to be achieved, as well as what criteria will be used to measure the goals. The level of PI and associated activities will vary for each project and the plan should be tailored to ensure appropriate outreach activities are conducted.

No single approach or activity will involve all stakeholders and the public, nor will any single action neutralize opposition. The plan should take into account those who are unable to attend public meetings, do not have access to print media or the internet, or are not inclined to participate in a public forum. For example, a PEP for a Path 3 project may include one stakeholder meeting and one public meeting.

Based on their concerns and perspectives, the Project Management Team identifies the group as a stakeholder. The PEP is then modified to plan for additional PI activities including meeting separately with the group to further understand their concerns, needs, and desires. Once the appropriate outreach efforts have been determined, an implementation strategy should be developed. Depending on the purpose and goals of the outreach, the strategy can be specific or far reaching.

A strategy meeting to discuss and determine how best to approach PI for large or controversial projects is strongly recommended.

The Public Engagement Plan PEP is a document that defines public involvement PI strategies and activities for a proposed project and verifies how a proposed project will comply with existing laws and regulations. The PEP is designed to be shared with identified stakeholders and the public to outline specific actions and deliverables. Developing a plan provides a solid foundation that helps avoid communication breakdowns and protocols for informing and involving stakeholders and the public.

The following outline should be used to help you develop a PEP:. Identify Key Stakeholders: Who needs or wants to be involved in project decisions? Identify Stakeholder Concerns: Which project issues are important to the public? Other considerations to consider when developing a Public Engagement Plan is the overall strategy and approaches.

It is likely one approach will be sufficient; however, multiple approaches may be needed. Develop a Public Engagement Plan that is simple and efficient but is effective at keeping stakeholders and the public informed and involved in the process. The amount of time needed to strategize, prepare for meetings, create and maintain mailing lists, respond to questions, etc. Not only will time be an issue, but budgetary needs and allocation and availability of resources will need to be considered as well.

For larger, more complex projects Path 4 and Path 5 , the Public Engagement Plan is considered a living document that may need to be modified as the project progresses. A variety of public engagement tools may be used to target the general public as well as key stakeholders, such as federal and state agencies, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Regional Transportation Planning Organizations, Local Public Agencies, Tribal governments, community-based organizations, environmental justice organizations, and others.

These tools vary in strengths and weaknesses, as well as costs and abilities to engage people. With increased community participation, planning activities are more likely to address the needs and concerns of the targeted communities.

Following is a list of public engagement tools that may be used for public outreach. Ohio Department of Transportation. This is just a separator between the navigation and the help and search icons. County :. Consider opportunities to engage jointly with the public and possibly share resources. Identify tools and tactics needed to implement the plan Traditional Tools can help meet the goal s for engagement.

MnDOT provides Language Services to facilitate cross-cultural communications Develop the public engagement budget estimate for inclusion in the project budget Estimate the necessary internal and external human resource needs.

Include resource estimates in project scoping reports and budgets. Implement the public engagement plan Document and retain information from public engagement processes. Circle back with the public and summarize what MnDOT learned during the engagement process and how the input informed the project plan or study.

Explain why MnDOT was not able to use all input, if that is the case. The Public Engagement Activity Log is a tool to record-related public engagement activity Review and adjust Review and adjust public engagement practices to improve the processes and outcomes with feedback from internal and external audiences.