Public Involvement Practices and Perspectives of Florida's Metropolitan Planning Organizations

Abstract

Results from a statewide survey on current public involvement practices of Florida's metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are described. Of Florida's 26 MPOs, 25 responded to the six-page electronic survey. Overall, the most commonly used techniques were newsletters and public meetings, followed closely by brochures, individual and small-group briefings, and newspaper advertisements in general circulation publications. Although public meetings and hearings were widely used, many MPOs identified them as their least-effective public involvement technique and emphasized the importance of “going to the public, rather than asking people to come to you.” Most respondents indicated that they would rate the public's response to their public involvement process as favorable or better, but nearly as many said that they would rate the public's response to their process as fair. Florida MPOs believed that the greatest challenges they face in the public involvement process include poor attendance at meetings (60%), lack of adequate resources (i.e., staff or funding) (56%), lack of public understanding of the transportation planning process (48%), and difficulty involving people in the early planning process (44%). Despite such challenges, MPOs responding to the survey acknowledged the benefits of an effective public involvement process, including improved relationships with affected citizens and interested parties (76%), improved public understanding of the transportation planning process (72%), improved public trust–credibility of the agency (60%), better projects–more effective transportation solutions (44%), and fewer adverse impacts on the community or the environment (44%).