Category:129 Public Involvement

Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) works to communicate important information to the public, media, employees, stakeholders, and other department customers through a variety of methods, including news releases, publications, special events, and social media sites.

Missouri’s citizens expect an active voice in the location and design of transportation facilities. They recognize the important role transportation has in their life as well as the vitality of their communities. Existing transportation facilities, particularly transportation improvements, have a direct impact on the social, economic, and environmental resources of Missouri’s communities. As a result, MoDOT values the public’s input on transportation improvements and has established various methods to gather it this feedback. Some of these methods include:

• Identification and Prioritization of Needs through The Planning Process
• Public Hearings
• Public Meetings
• Direct mailings or contact with individuals impacted
• Virtual Public Involvement

In addition, MoDOT provides useful information to Missourians concerning the operation and maintenance of the highway system. This information is available from the following sources in addition to others:

• www.modot.org
• Traveler Information Map (TIM)
• E-updates
• Changeable message boards
• Customer Service Centers (1-888-ASK MoDOT)
• Work Zone Status
• Road Condition Report
• Social media

The development of quality transportation improvements depends on early, frequent, and continuous involvement of the public in project decisions. Additionally, real time information about the State’s highway system allows the traveling public to use it efficiently.

The public frequently questions not only the design and physical features of a project, but also its basic premise (the purpose and need) and assumptions (e.g., the range of alternatives) as identified by MoDOT.

Public involvement allows MoDOT to gather real, valid input on transportation needs and to work with customers to refine solutions that meet those needs.

The following guidelines for public involvement are not to be viewed as all-inclusive. Instead, they outline the minimum level of expectations for public involvement, with each individual effort matching the specific needs of the project and the community involved. The specific needs of the project should be documented in a public involvement plan (PIP).

Public hearings and public meetings are forums for providing information on proposed projects, their anticipated impacts, and for receiving citizen comments. Both are used to comply with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission's desire to furnish the public with general information and to allow the public to express their opinions regarding highway matters. Information related to the impacts of a proposed action can also be gathered. Federal transportation policy requires public involvement in the development of the purpose and the range of alternatives to be considered for EAs and EISs. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and FHWA regulation 23 CFR 771 require one or more public meetings or opportunity forum(s) for the public to participate. The Commission directs MoDOT to conduct “location and design” public involvement to gather public comment.

All work involving interaction with the public should start with working with the district Communications Team to go through the Public Involvement (PI) plan template (EPG 129.2. This document will help focus and organize the PI needs of the project. This is an ongoing process and will need continuous updating over the life of a project from early planning phases to construction completion. The Communications Team is most familiar with the process and basic PI requirements.