Interstate 91 Viaduct Study MassDOT Contract No Public Involvement Plan

Transcription

1 Interstate 91 Viaduct Study MassDOT Cntract N Public Invlvement Plan Prject Overview and Gals The prtin f Interstate 91 (I-91) between State Street and the interchange with I-291 parallels the Cnnecticut River in Springfield, Massachusetts. The elevated structure, r viaduct, was built in the late 1960s and stands as a structural and visual divide between much f the center f the city and the river. The I-91 Viaduct Study will evaluate alternative alignments, including highway and nn-highway imprvements, fr this segment f I-91. The study will analyze ptins and design elements that imprve multi-mdal access based n a set f study gals and bjectives. The existing deck f this segment f I-91 will be replaced in late 2014/early 2015 t address urgent safety needs as part f a separate prject. The Milne & MacBrm, Inc. team, including Regina Villa Assciates (RVA), will assist MassDOT with public invlvement and utreach effrts, cnsistent with MassDOT s Public Participatin Plan. The gals f the public invlvement prgram are t: Reach ut early and frequently s peple can participate in the study prcess. Develp and maintain psitive relatinships with cmmunity leaders, residents and stakehlders. Prvide pprtunities fr public invlvement, including infrmatin gathering, prmptly respnding t questins/inquiries and ffering an pprtunity t submit cmments. Cmmunicate study news and updates acrss several platfrms in easy t understand and accessible frmats. Translatins int Spanish and ptentially additinal languages r frmats will be necessary t reach all ppulatins. Cllabrate with cmmunity and advcacy grups, businesses, residents and lcal fficials t effectively braden the public invlvement prgram, in part by cnvening a Wrking Grup cnsisting f lcal, state, reginal, legislative, federal, and business cmmunity representatives. Encurage and maintain prject supprt and invlvement by prviding cntinuus and meaningful pprtunities fr all ptentially affected cmmunities t participate and prvide feedback. These gals are established t slicit input and garner public supprt resulting in a prject cmpleted t the cmmunity s satisfactin. A wrking grup, made up f members wh are representative f their cmmunities, will prvide regular feedback n MassDOT s materials at key milestnes. A transparent, inclusive and respnsive public invlvement prgram will allw the prject t advance in a timely manner and avid bstacles caused by lack f infrmatin r pprtunities t participate. Page 1 f 5

2 Public Invlvement and Outreach Prgram Elements The cnsultant team will wrk clsely with MassDOT thrughut the study t infrm and engage the public using key strategy and cmmunicatin tls. The utreach will be cnducted in several frmats, including electrnic and traditinal cmmunicatin, and materials will be translated int Spanish (and ther languages upn request) t reach a wide range f interested stakehlders. The schedule and frequency f each utreach activity (subject t change) are utlined in the Public Invlvement and Outreach Schedule sectin. 1. Stakehlder Database The cnsultant team will begin with the database develped fr MassDOT s I-91 Viaduct Rehabilitatin Prject, which includes the business cmmunity, elected and lcal fficials, cmmunity grups, media, and thse wh have attended public meetings r hearings. The database will be expanded t include prperty wners within the Primary Study Area, planning cmmissins, industry rganizatins, agency departments, cmmunity rganizatins, ther key stakehlders including MGM Springfield, and key newspapers and nline frums. Key cntacts in and arund Springfield, as well as the twns f West Springfield, Chicpee, Agawam, Hlyke and Lngmeadw will be targeted. The database will be updated cnsistently thrughut the study, after public meetings and thrugh the website sign up. 2. Internet Cmmunicatins Study updates, meeting annuncements and ther prject infrmatin will be cmmunicated electrnically via the prject website, e-blasts and scial media. A. Website Wrk with MassDOT t draft, maintain and update a prject website, which will have MassDOT s new translatin tl, allwing users t translate the cntent int Spanish and ther languages. MassDOT will design and build the new site with cntent prvided by the cnsultant team. Prvide the fllwing items t be psted t the website: regular updates, relevant histrical dcuments, task deliverables (including fact sheet), meeting annuncements and materials, and graphics. All materials psted t the website will be cmpliant with Web Cntent Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Prvide cntent t MassDOT when the site requires updating. MassDOT will update the website with the cntent prvided. Ensure all materials psted are Sectin 508 cmpliant. Include nline cmment frm and distributin list sign up frm. Wrk clsely with Wrking Grup, lcal businesses and cmmunity rganizatins t market the website t drive site visits, ultimately keeping peple infrmed. Regularly review the website t ensure cntent remains accurate and up-t-date. Page 2 f 5

3 B. E-blasts Develp e-blast cntent as needed, including meeting annuncements. Act as an administratr n the prject s GvDelivery accunt, allwing the ability t frmat and send e-blasts and imprt database updates as needed. C. Scial Media Prvide MassDOT with cntent and materials, including but nt limited t text, phts and maps, t be psted n the MassDOT blg, Facebk, Twitter, YuTube, and Flickr accunts (by MassDOT). 3. Public Meetings Up t three public meetings will be scheduled accrding t majr prject milestnes. The specific dates f the meetings will be crdinated with MassDOT and based n the final apprved study schedule. Tasks will include: Identify and secure lcatin(s); crdinate lgistics and any special accmmdatins. Prepare meeting ntices and annuncements fr MassDOT distributin via eblast, website and scial media; assist with display materials and presentatin preparatin and supprt (including A/V). Staff public meetings and prepare related dcuments: sign in sheet, handuts, agenda, etc. Prmptly prvide fllw-up by respnding t questins, updating the website and delivering draft minutes t MassDOT. Crdinate with vendrs fr interpretatin services. Ensure meeting is held in an accessible lcatin and within ¼ mile frm public transprtatin, when pssible. 4. Wrking Grup Meetings Nine Wrking Grup meetings will be scheduled at key prject milestnes with input frm the members. The cnsultant team will assist MassDOT with crdinating and preparing fr Wrking Grup meeting, including: Identify and secure lcatin(s); crdinate lgistics and any special accmmdatins. Prepare meeting ntificatins fr Wrking Grup members. Assist with materials, including presentatin and handut preparatin. Staff Wrking Grup meetings and prepare summary and ther related dcuments: sign in sheet, handuts, agenda, etc. Belw are the Wrking Grup (WG) and public meeting tpics, as utlined in the scpe and subject t change thrughut the life f the study: Page 3 f 5

4 WG #1: Study area limits, gals and bjectives, evaluatin criteria, public invlvement plan, the task milestnes and verall schedule WG #2: Public Invlvement Plan WG #3: Existing cnditins, future n-build cnditins, issues evaluatin cmpnents, task milestnes and verall schedule WG #4: Future year cnditins, prject milestnes and verall schedule WG #5: Cnstraints identificatin and strategy fr Public Meeting #1 Public #1: Prvide study intrductin and verview, and share cnstraints identificatin fr input WG #6: Alternatives develpment cmpnents and strategy fr next public meeting WG #7: Elements f alternatives analysis and cst analysis cmpnents Public #2: Prvide study update and share alternatives develpment fr input WG #8: Study recmmendatins as a result f the analysis WG #9: Final reprt Public #3: Share study recmmendatins and final reprt fr input 5. Press Outreach All media utreach and inquiries will be handled by MassDOT s Press Office, with the exceptin that any media representatives n the database (t be determined by MassDOT) will receive general prject cmmunicatin. Any press inquiries made t cnsultant staff will be directed t MassDOT. Press representatives included n the database will receive general infrmatin via GvDelivery, MassDOT s marketing prgram. Media cntacts will be incrprated in MassDOT s Press Office media list. The cnsultant team will prvide draft media and press releases t MassDOT public affairs fr distributin t bradcast, nline and print media utlets. Cntent, materials and backgrund infrmatin will be packaged fr MassDOT s Press Office as needed t respnd t press inquiries. 6. Crdinatin with Other Prjects Partner with MassDOT s I-91 Viaduct Rehabilitatin Prject team t avid public cnfusin and crdinate utreach effrts. 7. Print Materials Print materials will be distributed at meetings and psted n the website. Meeting ntices will be distributed primarily electrnically with a limited print distributin as the budget permits. The cnsultant team will supprt the develpment f meeting presentatins and materials. Develp an infrmatinal fact sheet t be psted n the website, distributed (electrnically) in e-blasts, handed ut at meetings and sent directly t cmmunity grups and key stakehlders. The fact sheet will include scial media, website and cntact inf and prject design. The fact sheet will utline the prject and its gals and, if pssible, will als include a prject verview, map, schedule, and prject cnstraints. It will be prduced in English and Spanish. Page 4 f 5

5 Prepare mnthly updates fr the website. Prepare ther materials such as meeting ntice flyers fr psting n the website and electrnic distributin. The prgram utlined abve includes a mix f traditinal and mdern utreach tls that will allw a range f stakehlders t be invlved and get infrmatin in ways and at times that are cnvenient fr them. Public Invlvement and Outreach Schedule Stakehlder Database September 2014: Update existing database Internet Cmmunicatins Website September-Octber 2014: Prvide cntent and launch prject page Update cntent regularly E-blasts TBD Fall 2014: Draft prject intrductin e-blast with website infrmatin Draft and deliver n an as needed basis fr meeting ntices Scial Media As needed fr prject milestnes and meeting ntices Press Outreach As needed t draft materials regarding prject milestnes and meeting ntices; gather materials and respnd t inquiries. Public Meetings T be scheduled based n prject milestnes and the final apprved study schedule Wrking Grup Meetings T be scheduled based n prject milestnes input frm members; anticipate first meeting in late Octber. Crdinatin with Other Prjects Onging and as needed during prject Print Materials TBD Fall 2014: Fact Sheet prject infrmatin Flyers fr public meetings (in English and Spanish) Page 5 f 5