Public Engagement Case Studies - Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program

Public Engagement

Case Studies and Notable Practices

Search Results: 32 resources listed	Date ↕	Resource Type ↕
Case Study: Louisiana DOTD and Louisiana State University AgCenter’s Approach to Creating Complete Streets in Rural Communities This case study highlights the efforts made by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter to increase access to Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding among Louisiana’s rural communities. The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allowed DOTD to modify TAP funding requirements by reducing the cost share placed on localities when funding projects. To complement these changes, DOTD and LSU AgCenter staff engaged in a variety of outreach efforts to help rural communities to plan for projects and apply for funding, resulting in 13 rural municipalities receiving TAP grants. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with DOTD and LSU AgCenter, has developed a case study on the topic available on the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) website.	Oct 2024	Case Study
Case Study: Central Ohio Rural Planning Organization (CORPO)’s Establishment as a Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) This case study highlights the Central Ohio Planning Organization (CORPO)’s approach to building new capacity in rural transportation planning. In 2013, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) initiated a pilot program to advance transportation planning efforts in rural areas through existing organizations. CORPO was officially designated as Ohio’s sixth Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO). Housed within the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), CORPO has increased planning capacity in Central Ohio by providing dedicated staff and funding, technical expertise, and public engagement support to rural transportation planning efforts. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with MORPC, has developed a case study on the topic available on the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) website.	Oct 2024	Case Study
Case Study: Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission’s Approach to Leveraging Public Outreach in Rural Transportation Planning This case study details the Southern Alleghanies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC)’s approach to public engagement using a toolkit that identifies outreach strategies tailored to the needs of the region’s communities. The region’s Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2018, highlighted critical issues faced by the region that impacted the ability of SAP&DC to conduct outreach, including the lack of high-speed internet access among all constituents and the difficulty of conducting frequent, in-person engagement. In December 2020, SAP&DC adopted the Southern Alleghenies Rural Planning Organization Public Participation Plan, serving as a framework for meaningful public involvement in the region’s planning efforts. This plan outlines outreach strategies to engage all community members, including the utilization of multiple mediums to conduct outreach and assigning dedicated staff to assess local needs. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with SAP&DC, has developed a case study on the topic available on the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) website.	Oct 2024	Case Study
Case Study: Roaring Fork Transportation Authority’s Approach to Rural Transportation This case study highlights the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority’s (RFTA) prioritization of innovation and adaptiveness to connect several rural communities to employment opportunities throughout Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley along the I-70 and State Highway 82 corridors. The largest rural transportation system in the United States, transporting 4.8 million riders across 5.2 million miles annually, RFTA’s service expansion and improvements seek to address needs beyond providing access for a workforce to economic hubs. As the needs of the community become more nuanced, RFTA’s service enhancements aim to include expanded access to local amenities. The accommodation of rural residents’ access to better quality of life includes fleet expansion. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with RFTA, has developed a case study on the topic available on the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) website.	Oct 2024	Case Study
Case Study: Delaware DOT (DelDOT)/Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC)’s DART Connect Program This case study highlights the Delaware Transit Corporation’s (DTC) DART Connect program, which provides on-demand microtransit service designed to overcome the limitations of fixed-route transit and optimize access for rural communities. DTC, which is housed under the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), created the DART Connect pilot program in April 2021 to serve the cities of Georgetown and Millsboro in southern Delaware. The pilot used extensive hands-on public outreach to educate users on how to access DART Connect service through a mobile app or by dialing a call center. The pilot yielded 34,000 rides in 2023, serving an average of 70 to 80 passengers per day. DART Connect’s success led to service expansion and the creation of a comprehensive statewide transit study, DART Reimagined, which aims to create eight additional DART Connect services. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with DTC and DelDOT, has developed a case study on the topic available on the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) website.	Sep 2024	Case Study
Case Study: City of San Marcos, Texas and Capital Area Rural Transportation Systems (CARTS) Partnership The partnership between the City of San Marcos, Texas and the Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) highlights how effective rural transportation planning can foster access to health and social services, enhance economic development, and provide tailored policy solutions to a geographically dispersed population. Collaboration between the City of San Marcos and CARTS improved transportation connectivity by tailoring transit options to the specific needs of residents, ensuring that critical services and opportunities are more accessible. The success of this partnership underscores the potential for rural transit initiatives to drive community development and regional cohesion.	Sep 2024	Case Study
Case Study: Honolulu’s Approach to Transportation and Housing Planning Coordination The City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii faces several critical housing- and transportation-related challenges, including rising housing costs, high energy prices, and some of the highest levels of traffic congestion in the country. In 2009, the City and County enabled Ordinance 09-4 to establish key areas for development and redevelopment adhering to transit-oriented-development (TOD) principles. In conjunction with this ordinance, the City and County work with State agencies to guide the development and implementation of TOD plans, focusing on neighborhoods surrounding its light rail system, the Honolulu Rail Transit Project. The first 11 miles of the Honolulu Rail System opened in 2023 with the next five miles opening in 2025, and the entire system is set to be finished by 2031.	Feb 2024	Case Study
Case Study: Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission (GCMPC) Approach to Transportation and Housing Planning Coordination In 2020, Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission (GCMPC) published its most recent long-range plan and demonstrated a coordinated, multidisciplinary vision for the future of the County. Through the alignment of land use, housing, and transportation planning efforts, GCMPC aims to better assess and allocate resource needs among neighborhoods to improve livability and mobility for residents. In an effort to more closely evaluate and address housing needs in the region, GCMPC published the Barriers to Affordable Living Report and hosts several housing-focused initiatives, including providing subsidized units to low-income individuals; rental and utility assistance, and the Home Investment Partnership, a Federal program administered by GCMPC. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with GCMPC, has developed a case study, available on the TPCB website, which provides information about WFRC's interdisciplinary planning approach that considers housing, land use, and transportation to enhance livability and mobility across local communities.	Nov 2023	Case Study
The City of Palm Beach Gardens’ Vision and Framework for a Transit-Oriented Future The City of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC)—the planning organization for the Treasure Coast region—are exhibiting leadership in advancing mobility, accessibility, and housing options in Southeast Florida. This case study highlights the policy, public engagement, and multi-jurisdictional coordination tools leveraged to bring transit-oriented development (TOD) to housing, land use, and transportation planning in Palm Beach Gardens. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with the City of Palm Beach Gardens and the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC) has developed a case study, available on the TPCB website, highlighting the TOD policies and plans that aim to reshape existing neighborhoods and future development around transit hubs to create more walkable, vibrant, and sustainable communities.	Sep 2023	Case Study
Case Study: The Wasatch Front Regional Council’s Visionary Approach to Transportation, Land Use, and Housing Building upon the intent of the Envision Utah effort, the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) works toward a multidisciplinary, planning-focused framework layering considerations for transportation, land use, parks, open space, housing, and economic development. Throughout development of its Regional Transportation Plan, WFRC created different scenarios to demonstrate the costs and benefits associated with transportation and land use investment options then used project selection criteria to evaluate the impact of projects within each scenario and assembled a portfolio of projects that move the region towards the Wasatch Choice Vision—a future-oriented, shared planning effort to improve the quality of life for all in the Wasatch Front area. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with WFRC, has developed a case study, available on the TPCB website, which provides information about WFRC's interdisciplinary planning approach that considers housing, land use, and transportation to accommodate current and future travelers.	May 2023	Case Study
Case Study: Athens-Clarke County Georgia’s Comprehensive Approach to Complete Streets The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov), situated in northeast Georgia, demonstrates its Complete Streets planning priorities through both policy implementation and project development. ACCGov first established its dedication to Complete Streets-focused planning with a formal policy adoption in 2012. In 2022, ACCGov reaffirmed its emphasis on Complete Streets through the adoption of an updated Complete Streets policy. Its Complete Streets approach focuses on transportation planning efforts to build out its multimodal network capacity and accessibility and reduce traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries. Recent local Complete Streets projects include adding bike lanes along downtown corridors and installing new crosswalks. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov), has developed a case study available on the TPCB website that highlights the growing portfolio of Complete Streets planning initiatives led by ACCGov.	Apr 2023	Case Study
Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization (Bismarck-Mandan MPO) East Main Avenue Corridor Study The Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization (BMMPO) is pursuing a Complete Streets approach to transportation infrastructure preservation and expansion. The East Main Avenue Corridor Study brings BMMPO together with the City of Bismarck, North Dakota, to identify the corridor’s potential for adopting Complete Streets design concepts within the context of Bismarck, ND. This new corridor study reviews transportation needs for people and freight; identifies ways to expand transit, bicycle, and pedestrian infrastructure; and pinpoints development opportunities along the East Main Avenue Corridor. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with the Bismarck-Mandan MPO, has developed a case study available on the TPCB website that highlights BMMPO’s priorities to expand gathering and green spaces and increase multimodal access and safety along one of Bismarck’s primary corridors.	Feb 2023	Case Study
The Kentuckiana Regional Planning & Development Agency’s Complete Streets Policy The Kentuckiana Planning and Development Agency (KIPDA) advances safety, accessibility, and comfort for all types of travel through its Complete Streets efforts. In September 2022, KIPDA passed an overarching policy providing guidelines and recommendations for incorporating Complete Streets into future transportation planning processes. This case study provides an overview of KIPDA’s Complete Streets policy and how it influences planning and project development within a multi-state context. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with KIPDA, has developed a case study, available on the TPCB website, which highlights how KIPDA and its planning partners support context specific strategies for project prioritization, in line with Complete Streets principles, and best practices for incorporating Complete Streets elements in new construction and reconstruction.	Feb 2023	Case Study
Pima Association of Governments (PAG) Complete Streets Planning Initiatives The Pima Association of Governments (PAG) and its members take a community-focused approach to weaving Complete Streets concepts into their transportation planning efforts. Building on its Complete Streets Resolution adopted in 2015, PAG designs policies and plans to encourage and support member jurisdictions to promote project design, planning, and policymaking centered on safety, accessibility, and connectivity for all types of travel. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with PAG, has developed a case study, available on the TPCB website, which provides information about the combined efforts of the City of Tuscon and PAG to advance Complete Streets priorities, particularly a Complete Streets Policy and Guide, regional bicycle and pedestrian planning, and creative methodologies for increasing public input in planning processes.	Feb 2023	Case Study
Carson City, Nevada’s Multi-faceted Approach to Complete Streets By committing to long-term goals for increasing multimodal access and user safety, the City of Carson City, Nevada, and the Carson Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) developed a robust Complete Streets program within its downtown corridor. This began with the 2026 Carson City Master Plan, adopted in 2006, demonstrating Carson City’s early vision to improve the conditions of roadways and increase safety and connectivity for all travelers within its transportation network. Since then, the City has established policies, secured funding streams, and conducted community engagement to bring Complete Streets to the Carson City region. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with the City of Carson City, Nevada, and the Carson Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), has developed a case study, available on the TPCB website, which highlights Carson City and CAMPO’s strategies to create a safe and connected transportation network for all users to travel comfortably via the transportation mode of their choice.	Feb 2023	Case Study
Case Study: Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization Complete Streets Initiative Broward MPO prioritizes a multimodal Complete Streets approach to transportation planning. These efforts center on its 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) supported by programs, partnerships, and policies, including the Complete Streets Master Plan (CSMP). In 2012, the MPO developed a Mobility Program; established partnerships with the Broward Regional Health Planning Council (BRHPC), Smart Growth Partnerships, and the Health Foundation of South Florida, leading to the development of Broward Complete Streets Guidelines; and created the Complete Streets Advisory Committee to further guide the development of Complete Streets. Broward MPO created unique ways to engage the public and educate about the benefits of Complete Streets including Walking Audits, which engage residents in public space by asking them to assess specific corridors and provide feedback, and Let’s Go Biking! and Let’s Go Walking! for residents of all ages and abilities to explore their communities. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with Broward MPO, has developed a case study available on the TPCB website that provides information about Broward MPO’s activities to advance Complete Streets priorities, particularly its Complete Streets Master Plan and innovative engagement efforts with stakeholders.	Nov 2022	Case Study
Case Study: Florida DOT Public Involvement The Florida DOT Case Study on Public Involvement discusses the Florida DOT's launch of an ambitious statewide public involvement effort in 1994 to solicit the participation of Florida's citizens, visitors, and businesses in developing the 2020 Florida Transportation Plan (FTP).	Sep 2019	Case Study
Case Study: Minnesota DOT Over the years, Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has placed considerable emphasis on the need to continually evaluate the way it interacts with the public. Recognizing the need to involve as diverse a range of voices as possible to arr	Sep 2019	Case Study
Notable Practice: Place It! Process Place It! is a design and participation-based urban planning practice founded by urban planner James Rojas that uses model-building workshops and on-site interactive models to help engage the public in the planning and design process. Place It! utilizes innovative methods to engage participants in Visioning Workshops, allowing participants to build small-scale models of their urban spaces using quirky objects. Through the PLACE IT! process, participants are able to learn about the role of planning and design in shaping how we live and translate their dreams and ideas into physical forms and models. From these physical results and their accompanying stories, the public can generate plans, drawings, and policy recommendations for municipalities, NGOs, and elected officials.	Aug 2019	Case Study
Kayak Public Transit Asset Management/Maintenance Plan A new case study for tribal/small providers is now available on Kayak Public Transit, a transit service provider for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) in Oregon. Kayak Public Transit developed an internal maintenance and asset management plan in 2013, which enhanced monitoring and reporting at the agency and improved visibility over asset condition and maintenance activities.	Mar 2019	Case Study
Notable Practice: Polk Transportation Planning Organization Infographics Polk Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) (Bartow, FL) uses interactive mapping and social media to significantly improve public engagement in its transportation planning. Polk TPO has managed to combine computer technology with project summaries to deliver notable community engagement. Through this software, the TPO produces infographics, which are essentially colorful brochures that provide salient but complicated data in step-by-step format, giving the public basic information as well as the choice to learn more by linking to the main document or contacting the TPO. The TPO has used these public involvement tools in a number of areas, most notably the LRTP, LEP, Transit and its Aging in Place programs. The TPO utilized the software to develop its Momentum 2040 LRTP. It is also being used for a program called Livable Polk, which is a biannual award program that seeks to honor projects from both the private and public sectors that embody innovative planning principles.	Jan 2019	Case Study
America Walks Spotlights Transit-Walkability Collaboration America Walks published a Transit-Walkability Collaborative case study series, which highlights collaborations between public transit operators and active transportation organizations to improve safety, walkability, and transit access in four different communities. The case studies highlight models for connectivity between transit and active transportation options. The featured communities were chosen for their efforts to strengthen local economic development, create opportunities for vulnerable and underserved residents, and enhance community resilience.	Dec 2018	Case Study
FTA Video: Using Asset Management to Prioritize Improvements FTA’s Transit Asset Management (TAM) program rule requires agencies to develop plans to improve the condition of their systems to maintain a state of good repair and ensure safe and efficient service. FTA continues to help agencies implement asset management and performance-based planning through grants, courses, webinars, online templates and materials, and participation at conferences. FTA's newest resource is a three-minute video showcasing the San Joaquin Regional Transit District and the Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA)’s efforts to use asset management to help their agencies balance and prioritize improvements.	Sep 2018	Case Study
Creating and Measuring an Active Transportation Network in Moscow, ID Moscow, Idaho is a small city near the University of Idaho with a footprint of under seven square miles and a population of about 25,000. Moscow residents demonstrated support for active transportation projects, and the city built some bikeways and walkways, but until recent years, the city had not been focused on building staff capacity to implement widespread multimodal projects or gathering data to determine their impacts. This case study describes the city's approach to solve this issue.	Oct 2017	Case Study
Notable Practice: City of Seattle Community Visioning Murals Through a City of Seattle Neighborhood Matching Fund, Columbia City residents contracted with artists from the Southeast Seattle Arts Council to paint the communities’ dreams on the plywood covering boarded-up storefronts. The murals depicted the windows of an ice cream parlor, a toy store, a dance studio, a bookshop, and a hat shop. The murals looked so realistic that passing motorists sometimes stopped to shop. They captured the imagination of a developer and several business owners. All of the murals had to be removed within a year because new businesses wanted to relocate to the buildings.	Aug 2012	Case Study
Notable Practice: City of Philadelphia Public Comment via Text and App To narrow down ninety potential bike share locations, the City of Philadelphia empowered residents to provide comments via text messages or Shareabouts, a mapping application for crowdsourced information gathering (available in both English and Spanish). Approximately 10,400 surveys were submitted, providing substantial detail about how people use bike share locations and specific feedback on altering locations. Text message integration was made possible by Textizen, and all information collected fed back into the same Shareabouts map.		Case Study
Notable Practice: North Carolina DOT (NCDOT) Public Participation Best Practices Document NCDOT uses the document Best Practices and Tools for Public Participation in Comprehensive Transportation Planning and Project Development. The document highlights the use of the following public participation techniques: library partnerships, youth education programs, games, model organizations, activity books, interactive analysis tools, Public Participation GIS (PPGIS), visualization, really simply syndication (RSS), social networking, video sharing, and online collaboration. NCDOT achieves real time feedback at public meetings via audio casts.		Case Study
Notable Practice: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Public Involvement Toolbox The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet considers public involvement to be an essential feature in project development. A toolbox of processes, checklists, and resources has been developed as an ongoing resource for highway design project managers. The toolbox gives the project manager tools to develop an effective public involvement plan for future highway design projects.		Case Study
Notable Practice: Lawrence Douglas County MPO Town Hall and Mobile Community Classroom The Lawrence Douglas County MPO (Lawrence, KS) took advantage of the Lawrence Pedestrian Coalition’s Safe Routes for All town hall in March 2015 to survey participants about pedestrian priorities in the community for the development of the Regional Pedestrian Plan. The Safe Routes for All town hall included a presentation by Robert Ping, a national expert from Walkable and Livable Communities Institute, and a panel of regional experts working to improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in their communities. Before the event, MPO staff and organizing team partners engaged the community with the help of the University of Kansas (KU) Mobile Collaboratory (MoCOLAB), a repurposed 1972 31’ Airstream Land Yacht that was conceived and designed to be KU’s “community classroom on wheels.” Passersby are drawn into the Airstream because of its unique charm and sleek finishes. As a result, members of the community who might not typically be engaged were able to learn about the MPO’s work and participate in the public engagement process by talking with staff and taking the MPO’s survey. The MoCOLAB is available as a Community and University resource for civic engagement.		Case Study
Case Study: Metropolitan Council and the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit Design-Build Project This case study reviews the design-build method used in the public involvement process of the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit Project in the Twin Cities in Minnesota (Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN).		Case Study
Case Study: Maine DOT and the Sagadahoc Bridge The MaineDOT case study focuses on their choice to use design-build over the traditional design/bid/build process because of the need to expedite the project. The use of the design-build method presented challenges to MaineDOT and the local community regarding public involvement. As MaineDOT’s first design-build project, there was no framework for public participation in a design-build context. The expedited project schedule gave rise to early community concerns about aesthetics, thus necessitating a forum for involving the public. Among the initiatives to meet these challenges were the creation of a local advisory committee, MaineDOT’s hiring of a public relations firm and the use of a design charrette to elicit public involvement in the aesthetics of the project.		Case Study
Case Study: Washington State DOT (WSDOT) and the SR500/Thurston Way Interchange This case study focuses on the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) project to construct a new grade-separated interchange at the intersection of Washington State Route 500 and Thurston Way, approximately one mile from Interstate 205 in the city of Vancouver. The SR 500/ Thurston Way interchange is the first design-build project in the state of Washington, and is serving as a demonstration project to evaluate the use of this contracting method.		Case Study