Appendix E: the 422Plus PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAM
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Appendix E: THE 422plus PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAM WHITE PAPER Prepared by Hurley Franks & Associates September 2011 Michael Baker Jr., Inc. in association with Boles, Smyth Associates, Inc. EConsult Corporation Hurley ~ Franks & Associates STV Incorporated Index 1 Introduction ....................................................................................... 2-2 2 Public Outreach Summary ............................................................... 2-2 2.1 Steering Committee & Communications Committee Involvement .................. 2-2 2.2 Public Involvement/Outreach Plan Refinement .............................................. 2-4 2.3 Project Identity Package ................................................................................ 2-4 2.4 Stakeholder Identification ............................................................................... 2-4 2.5 Project Website .............................................................................................. 2-4 2.6 Project E-Newsletter ...................................................................................... 2-5 2.7 Stakeholder Interviews ................................................................................... 2-5 2.8 Key Briefings & Public Meetings .................................................................... 2-5 2.9 Additional Items ............................................................................................. 2-8 3 Reference Material ............................................................................ 3-1 Appendix E i 1 Introduction As a sub-consultant to Michael Baker Jr., Inc. (Baker), Hurley Franks & Associates (HFA) completed tasks related to the public outreach and communications program for the 422plus Project. Below is a summary of items, to document the outreach and communications program. 2 Public Outreach Summary The approach to the public outreach for the 422plus Project was developed in coordination with the 422plus Project Steering and Communications Committee members. Their guidance shaped the outreach tools used by the Consultant Team summarized in the graphic below. 2.1 Steering Committee & Communications Committee Involvement The project mobilized a Steering Committee and a Communications Committee early in the process. Made up of representatives from government and transit agencies, along with advocacy organizations along the US 422 corridor, these committees provided critical technical and outreach guidance to the Consultant Team throughout the 422plus Project. Beginning in April 2010, the 422plus Project Steering Committee met 15 times, where the Consultant Team provided status updates related to the traffic modeling effort, highway component, transit component, financial plan, public outreach and communications strategy, and governance issues. Agencies represented on the Steering Committee include: Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA); Appendix E 2-2 Berks County Planning Commission; Chester County Planning Commission; Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC); Montgomery County Planning Commission; Norfolk Southern Corporation; Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT); and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Beginning in March 2010, the 422plus Project Communications Committee met six times, supplementing the Steering Committee by providing the Consultant Team with more details related to the communications strategy for the 422plus Project. Representatives assisted with stakeholder identification and development of a project website, http://www.422corridor.com. Agencies represented on the Communications Committee include: Berks County Planning Commission; Chester County Planning Commission; Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC); Montgomery County Planning Commission; Select Greater Philadelphia; and Greater Valley Forge TMA (GVFTMA). Table 2.1-1 Steering and Communications Committees Meetings Steering Committee Meetings Communications Committee Meetings April 7, 2010 March 11, 2010 May 14, 2010 April 1, 2010* June 16, 2010 April 15, 2010 July 13, 2010 August 4, 2010 August 25, 2010 September 29, 2010 September 21, 2010 March 24, 2011 October 12, 2010 November 22, 2010 December 20, 2010 January 24, 2011 February 28, 2011 March 31, 2011 April 19, 2011* September 6, 2011 September 23, 2011 *Conference call Appendix E 2-3 2.2 Public Involvement/Outreach Plan Refinement In collaboration with the Project Team and the Communications Committee, HFA developed a refined scope of work for the Public Involvement/Outreach Plan. Some items that had been discussed in the original scope of work were deemed unnecessary or counter-productive for the 422plus Project. These items include five tasks: 1. Translation Services: Based on analysis of census statistics, it was decided that translation services would not be necessary. 2. Community Tool Kit: Because of the need for detailed technical analysis, it was decided that a Community Toolkit for small group meetings would not be an appropriate, effective tool for public outreach for the project. 3. Focus Groups: Due to the sensitive nature of opinions about the conditions and needs in the US 422 corridor, it was decided to focus on individual stakeholder interviews rather than Focus Group meetings. 4. Telephone Hotline: Based on discussions with the Project Team, it was decided that a telephone hotline would not be an appropriate, effective tool for public outreach for the project. 5. New media (Facebook and Twitter): Based on discussions with the Communications Committee, it was decided that social media outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter, would not be appropriate, effective tools for public outreach for the project. 2.3 Project Identity Package In coordination with the Communications Committee, HFA developed a project identity package to provide visual recognition and connection between project documents, presentations, and reports. Early in the process, the Communications Committee moved forward with “422plus Project” as the official name of this effort.1 2.4 Stakeholder Identification In April 2010, HFA facilitated a stakeholder identification activity with the Communications Committee. Within a few hours, the Communications Committee identified over 150 stakeholders along the US 422 corridor and with broader interest at the state level. HFA developed a stakeholder database that includes contact information for approximately 1,000 contacts, including contacts from past US 422 corridor studies. 2.5 Project Website During the US 422 Corridor Master Plan effort (2009), GVFTMA developed a project website to capture public comment and post study recommendations. HFA coordinated 1 See Section 3 Reference Material for 422plus Project Identity Package style sheet Appendix E 2-4 with GVFTMA and redesigned the website to resemble the current project identification package. The project website creates an efficient way to address questions about the 422plus Project2, and provides an online comment form and team email address for the public to write questions or comments to the Project Team. The newly designed website (http://www.422corridor.com) went live on July 16, 2010 and is currently live.3 To date, the team has received approximately 60 emailed messages to the team’s email address ([email protected]). 2.6 Project E-Newsletter HFA sent email blasts to announce the website redesign and posting of new information on the website. An “opt‐in” button on the project website expanded the email notification universe beyond the obvious stakeholder lists and beyond the boundaries of the study area; to date, over 140 people have signed up on the website to receive the e- newsletters. This is in addition to the 850 stakeholders identified from past corridor studies and our stakeholder identification process. Two e‐newsletter issues are archived on the project website, http://www.422corridor.com.4 2.7 Stakeholder Interviews After the April 2010 Communications Committee meeting, HFA moved forward with the stakeholder interview process. The purpose of the interviews was to 1) build relationships with stakeholders, 2) collect information relevant for the analysis and planning, and 3) understand where the levers are related to the 422plus Project. In July 2010, HFA sent over 70 emails to representatives of roadway users, advocacy organizations, and institutions along the US 422 corridor, inviting them to participate in one of three interview sessions in August 2010.5 HFA conducted 15 interviews to get a “flavor” of daily experiences and concerns along the US 422 corridor. 2.8 Key Briefings and Public Meetings As the project findings became available, the Project Team developed a schedule for key briefings about the 422plus Project. With coordination with the Steering Committee and the Consultant Team, HFA developed a presentation template and location map to describe the 422plus Project. DVRPC participated in a highly publicized and well attended public meeting on September 13, 2011.6 Barry Seymour, Executive Director of DVRPC presented a summary of findings to date from the 422plus project, and responded to questions and comments from the audience. 2 See Section 3 Reference Material for 422plus FAQs. 3 See Section 3 Reference Material for http://www.422corridor.com website statistics 4 See Section 3 Reference Material for E-Newsletter, Issue 1 5 Select Great Philadelphia is led on outreach to businesses along the US 422 Corridor; therefore HFA did not invite businesses to participate