Developing and Advancing Effective Public Involvement and Environmental Justice Strategies for Rural and Small Communities

 

External link: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/public_involvement/publications/effective_strategies/fhwahep17023.pdf

Publication date: September 30, 2016

Capsule summary: This research worked with six transportation agencies to help develop general strategies for public involvement in local transportation planning in rural and small urban communities.

Author(s): Community Transportation Association of America

Publisher(s): FHWA


Definition: Exploring methods of public involvement in transportation planning processes
Digest Search Results Page: https://www.planningdigest.com/research-theme/public-involvement/
Corresponding TRID/TRT Terms
TRID Search Results Page: https://trid.trb.org/results.aspx?tc=NN:Kw
TRT Search Results Page: https://trt.trb.org/trt.asp?NN=Kw

Definition: Examining the environmental impacts of transportation
Digest Search Results Page: https://www.planningdigest.com/research-theme/environment/
Corresponding TRID/TRT Terms
TRID Search Results Page: https://trid.trb.org/results.aspx?tc=NN:Jfb
TRT Search Results Page: https://trt.trb.org/trt.asp?NN=Jfb

No items found

Definition: A federally funded transportation policy-making organization, comprised of local government representatives and transportation authorities
Digest Search Results Page: https://www.planningdigest.com/org/mpo/
Corresponding TRID/TRT Terms
TRID Search Results Page: https://pubsindex.trb.org/results.aspx?tc=NN:Nggks
TRT Search Results Page: https://trt.trb.org/trt.asp?NN=Nggks

Definition: Governmental agency focused on transportation
Digest Search Results Page: https://www.planningdigest.com/org/dot/
Corresponding TRID/TRT Terms
TRID Search Results Page: https://pubsindex.trb.org/results.aspx?tc=NN:Nggj
TRT Search Results Page: https://trt.trb.org/trt.asp?NN=Nggj

Definition: A group of regional governing bodies
Digest Search Results Page: https://www.planningdigest.com/org/cog/
Corresponding TRID/TRT Terms
TRID Search Results Page: http://pubsindex.trb.org/
TRT Search Results Page: http://trt.trb.org/

Definition: A large urban area
Digest Search Results Page: https://www.planningdigest.com/org/city/
Corresponding TRID/TRT Terms
TRID Search Results Page: https://pubsindex.trb.org/results.aspx?tc=NN:Ngdhs
TRT Search Results Page: https://trt.trb.org/trt.asp?NN=Ngdhs

Definition: Report published by a governmental body or other organization (e.g. FHWA, NAS, etc.)
Digest Search Results Page: https://www.planningdigest.com/resource-type/report/
Corresponding TRID/TRT Terms
TRID Search Results Page: n/a
TRT Search Results Page: n/a

Description: Engaging public involvement in transportation planning, particularly environmental justice communities, is important for mitigating or avoiding potential community and environmental justice issues. This report provides small communities insight into engaging low-income community stakeholders, that are concerned with the environment, with local transportation decision-making.

Objectives: The objective of this research is to determine how to develop effective and replicable strategies for small communities nationwide for public involvement in transportation planning. The researchers selected six communities as field sites to identify and apply locally relevant strategies for involving minority stakeholders, while assessing how the agencies react internally and externally.

Findings: This report found that smaller agencies tend to resist the involvement policies of public involvement techniques that larger metropolitan areas use. Across all six small communities, agencies had difficulty involving low-income and minority stakeholders as a majority have felt isolated from transportation planning organization’s decision making.

Recommendations: For small communities seeking to introduce and increase public, low-income stakeholders, this report recommends utilizing the eight-step framework developed from this research project. The framework includes case studies from each of the six communities that participated, as well as a comprehensive list of stakeholder engagement resources for the transit agencies.

Research Theme: Environment, Public Involvement

Community Type: Rural, Small City

Transportation Mode:

Planning Scope:

Organization Type: City, CoG, DOT, MPO or RPO

Planning Subject: Facility or Land Use, Forecasting, Planning Methods, Transportation Planning