AN ASSESSMENT OF THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESSES: PHASE I RESULTS

The Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC) developed a plan for a two-phase study of the Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT's) public involvement practices. Phase I, summarized in this report, focused primarily on hearing formats and related issues. Phase II will take a much broader, more comprehensive look at all of VDOT's public involvement practices, beginning with the earliest planning stages. The Phase I study of hearing formats and related issues included a comprehensive review of the literature, a written survey for public involvement professionals in the 50 states, and a written survey for citizens attending three VDOT public hearings in 1999 (the Meadowcreek Parkway design hearing, the Capital Beltway citizen information workshops, and the Indian River Road location hearings). Two of the three projects (Meadowcreek and Capital Beltway) are controversial. Results of a previous citizen "exit survey" conducted at VDOT public hearings in 1995 and 1996 by VDOT's Location and Design Division's Public Involvement Section were also reviewed, as were several years' worth of attendance data and comments from VDOT location and design public hearings.