Communication can be the difference between a successful project and one that fails due to inadequate and insufficient public involvement. Delivering information and data to the public is a combination of science and art. Preparing the proper mixture of the two is a delicate and time-consuming task. The team at AB&C bring several decades of public information and involvement sessions to every project we work on.
Since 2005, members of the AB&C team have prepared more than twenty community awareness programs or CAPs for the District Five FDOT offices. Each of those CAPs involved coordinating initially with the District’s Consultant Project Manager (PM) to discuss the particulars of the design projects to determine what specific information or data to convey to the public. In addition to other pertinent information, agreements were made as to the date of the meeting, potential meeting locations, and the minimum invited participants. Afterwards, databases would be created of affected businesses, landowners, staff, and elected officials. Legal ads, flyers, and handouts would be created, as well as PowerPoint presentations.
Prior to each of the public meetings/hearings, staff would be proactive in making personalized contact with any citizen, staff, or elected official the district or design engineer deemed to have a special interest. The philosophy has always been to create win-win situations, if possible, for each and every project.