How can you use community engagement to design better roadways?

2 How to plan for community engagement?

Before you start engaging the community, it's important to plan your strategy and objectives. You should consider who the stakeholders are and how they're affected by the project, as well as what the goals and scope of the project and engagement are. Additionally, you need to think about the best methods and tools for reaching and involving stakeholders, when and how often the engagement should take place, and how you'll measure and report outcomes. A framework or model can help guide you through these steps. For example, the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum of Public Participation outlines five levels of engagement (inform, consult, involve, collaborate, empower) with techniques and indicators for each level.

3 How to communicate with the community?

Communication is essential to successful community engagement. You must communicate clearly, effectively, and respectfully with stakeholders, listening to their views and concerns. Additionally, you need to communicate consistently, timely, and frequently throughout the project lifecycle, providing feedback and updates on how the engagement affects design decisions. To ensure effective communication, use simple language and avoid jargon or acronyms. Additionally, utilize multiple channels and formats to reach different audiences and preferences, such as flyers, posters, newsletters, websites, social media, emails, phone calls, etc. Visual aids and interactive tools can also be used to illustrate and explain design concepts and alternatives - think maps, diagrams, sketches, models, simulations, etc. Encourage questions, comments, and suggestions and provide honest and constructive responses. Finally, acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of stakeholders while recognizing their diversity and expertise.

4 How to facilitate participation and collaboration?

Participation and collaboration are integral to successful community engagement. To create an environment for stakeholders to share their opinions, experiences, and ideas, as well as to work together to solve problems and create solutions, you must ensure that the participation and collaboration are inclusive, equitable, and meaningful. To do this, you should use a variety of methods and techniques - such as surveys, polls, workshops, focus groups, interviews, public meetings, online platforms, co-design sessions - to engage different groups and levels of involvement. Facilitators and moderators can be used to guide and support the engagement process and manage any conflicts or disagreements. Additionally, icebreakers, games, and exercises can be utilized to create a positive atmosphere that stimulates creativity and dialogue. Feedback loops and evaluation tools should also be used to monitor the effectiveness of the engagement process and identify areas for improvement.

5 How to use community engagement to design better roadways?

Engaging the community can provide invaluable insights, inputs, and ideas to design better roadways. This includes understanding the needs, preferences, and expectations of road users, as well as identifying the opportunities and challenges of the site. Through community engagement, you can explore and compare different design options, incorporate local knowledge into the design, generate creative solutions that address multiple objectives, and enhance acceptance of the design. It is important to note that community engagement is a continuous and iterative process that requires planning, communication, participation, collaboration, and evaluation. By engaging the community for roadway design, you can create more responsive, inclusive, and sustainable roads that benefit the public and improve quality of life.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?