SWUTC Research Project Description
Title of Project: Testing Information to Improve Communication with Communities and Decision Makers
Project Number: 473700-00055
Principal Investigator:
Carol Lewis
(713) 313-7924
P.I. Affiliation: Texas Southern University
Project Monitor:
Gabe Johnson
TxDOT
(713) 802-5000
Project Status: Active
Date Started: 9/1/06
Estimation Completion Date: 8/31/07
Estimated Cost – Current Fiscal: $79,173
Estimated Cost – Total Planned: $79,173
Project Summary:
Abstract:
One of the most important elements of transportation is communicating with citizens and decision makers. Traditional methods include public presentations, newsletters, open houses and numerous avenues to express outcomes of technical analysis. Academics recognize the importance of the public process in policy decisions, but generally agree its coverage is not extensive in the academic arenas. This research is designed to test outcomes from a Federal Highway Administration project regarding Noise Compatible Land Use Planning (NCP) applied to two scenarios. First, the NCP material will be reviewed by a focus group of bureaucrats and policy makers to assess the messaging. Second, a curriculum designed for the FHWA NCP project will be tested as a unit for graduate level study to determine its effectiveness as an educational tool.
Objectives:
This research will take a federal highway practice, Noise Compatible Land Use Planning (NCP), and test the concept on a focus group of decision makers to assess the message and its effectiveness; secondly a prepared curriculum on NCP will be presented to a group of graduate students to determine its soundness in educating professionals regarding the topic.
Tasks:
Task 1: Review and update literature relative to communication and decision making, as well as curriculum development for transportation policy initiatives.
Task 2: From the Task 1 findings, confirm the criteria and elements that are important to convey during policy decision making and public involvement processes. Verify where and when via the literature, that transportation professionals typically are educated for public involvement.
Task 3: Assemble the information to convey the NCP information to the decision makers via the focus group and to the graduate student group via the curriculum.
Task 4: Identify elected and/or appointed officials, planners, consultants and developers/landowners to participate in a focus group to hear the NCP presentation. Solicit graduate students from transportation, engineering, and planning to view the curriculum module for NCP.
Task 5: Conduct Focus Group and Curriculum Application
Task 6: Prepare and apply researcher and participant evaluation tool. Assess the effectiveness of the NCP message and conveyance per a set of researcher expectation and participant feedback.
Task 7: Prepare final document reporting on the analysis process and reflecting on recommended modifications to the NCP program information and the NCP curriculum.
Index Terms:
Decision Making, Information Systems, Communication Systems, Public Information Programs, Transportation Planning, Land Use, Noise