Making a Good First Impression: Improving Predesign and Environmental Public Information and Public Involvement

Current federal transportation legislation creates considerable responsibility for state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to provide public information and public involvement to a diverse community and to obtain feedback that satisfies legal mandate and results in improved planning and project development. The four main domains of public participation are informing people, involving people, getting feedback, and applying special techniques. The growing population in Arizona requires a constant roadway construction and maintenance effort that naturally includes public participation during planning and implementation. Using data collected from internal and external respondents, this study examines the current public information and public involvement structures and functions as well as opportunities for improving these structures and functions.