Virtual Public Involvement - Taking public engagement into the 21st Century 

Date and Time: 8/29/2022
Location: Cinnabar

Presenter: Robert (Bob) Washington, Environmental Protection Specialist, FHWA

  

 

 

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION

Since the Fall of 2018, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has dedicated efforts to implement the Every Day Counts-5 (EDC-5) Virtual Public Involvement initiative. The focus of this initiative is to supplement traditional forms of public involvement outreach strategies with new, online or on-line supported communication strategies and techniques. Using virtual means, transportation agencies can expand their outreach to connect with individuals who typically do not engage in the transportation decision-making process. These groups include environmental justice communities, rural communities, individuals with disabilities, or individuals with busy work or social schedules. Virtual Public Involvement can allow for the public to participate from the comfort of their own homes.
FHWA has presented VPI through an inventory for eight (8) categories of VPI tools and strategies. These tools include:
• Mobile Applications
• Project Visualizations
• Do-it-yourself Videos
• Crowdsourcing Tools
• Virtual Town Halls
• Online Mapping Tools
• “All-in-One” Tools
• Digital Tools to Enhance In-person Events
As part of the initiative’s technology deployment strategy, the FHWA has developed written-case studies, video-case studies, fact sheets, webinars, and in-person direct technical assistance such as peer exchange workshops to present and share VPI information to State Departments of Transportation (DOT), Regional Planning Agencies (RPA), and local public agencies (LPA). Through these efforts, the FHWA has observed many VPI success stories and other forms of innovative public involvement. The two-year initiative is set to end in December 2020, which allows the FHWA an opportunity to reflect and share key findings from the overall VPI initiative, and also to showcase a panel of expert, VPI practitioners from State DOTs, RPAs, and LPAs across multiple VPI tools. The focus of the presentation will be on the VPI practitioners and their innovative approaches to effective public engagement.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY

Robert (Bob) is an Environmental Protection Specialist in FHWA's Office of Planning, Environment and Realty in Washington, D.C, and works with FHWA Division Offices to assist with implementation of environmental review during the transportation decision making process, with an emphasis on the development of projects. Bob also works with special program areas such as environmental justice, public involvement, reconnecting communities, community impact assessment and review of discretionary grants. He serves as a co-team leader of the FHWA EDC-6 Virtual Public Involvement initiative and other areas to further enhance the value added to the transportation decision making process.