COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Public involvement is much more than public hearings. It involves creative thinking as well as the willingness and ability to interact openly and sensitively to the public's preferred forms of communication and participation. Public involvement is about reaching out to and involving the public in transportation decisionmaking. The public should have a role in every phase of decisionmaking, including the design of the participation plan itself. Successful public involvement addresses the public's procedural, psychological, and substantive needs while gathering useful information. By focusing on interests--rather than positions--public involvement can become more meaningful as well as useful.

OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• Describe U.S. DOT transportation decisionmaking processes, including those that trigger the National Environmental Policy Act
• Describe the relationship between public involvement and decisionmaking
• Develop a public involvement plan with stakeholder assistance that includes attention to non-traditional populations as an evaluation component
• Describe interest-based problem solving and the values that underlie it
• Identify ways to enhance public involvement plans

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Federal, State, and local transportation agency staff, metropolitan planning organization personnel, transit operators, consultants, and others who are responsible for planning, implementing, or participating in any phase of the public involvement process.

If you have questions about this NHI training, please contact NHI at nhicustomerservice@dot.gov or 877.558.6873.