Citizens for Appropriate Transportation (CAT)
Eisenhower
Transportation Corridor
CITIZEN
PARTICIPATION – LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER
All of us will live with the future design of the Eisenhower
Transportation Corridor. How much input
will we have in the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) design for
the future of the corridor?
The traditional approach to citizen participation in
corridor planning has two steps: (1) prepare the plan and (2) seek public
acceptance of the plan.
There are flaws in this approach. It assumes presenting the plan to the public
is the same as getting the public’s consent.
It assumes citizens cannot make good decisions because they lack the
expertise. It assumes citizens will
focus only on their own narrow interests.
PRINCIPLES
A good design for the Eisenhower Corridor must be based on
three principles:
1.
Address the needs for all transportation modes
2.
Add value to the adjacent communities
3.
Be compatible with the built and natural environments.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
IDOT’s traditional criteria for roadway improvements are
safety, roadway capacity, and cost.
After IDOT has developed a solution that meets these criteria, they look
at how to avoid, mitigate, or minimize negative environmental impacts.
Informed citizens are more inclined to evaluate alternative
transportation solutions from a broader set of criteria that include (1)
community character, such as impact on property values, amount of property
acquisition, disruption to the community, traffic flow on local streets, good
design, and (2) environmental concerns, such as air pollution, noise, and
vibration.
The broader approach results in better decisions and
solutions that are people and community friendly.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
What are good guidelines for a citizen participation
process?
·
Include a wide variety of people. Citizens possess everyday knowledge that can
help ensure that the problems are identified correctly, good solutions are
developed, and the final decision reflects all the important factors.
·
Let professionals and citizens learn from each
other. Sometimes citizens participate,
but come away thinking their participation is not valued. Recognize that the process is not just about
making a decision on the design of the Ike Corridor, but it is a learning
process as well. Recognize that data are
not always value-free.
·
Present information so that citizens can understand
the alternatives and the trade-offs.
·
Expect controversy because there are many different
views.
PARTICIPATION TECHNIQUES
There is no good substitute for face-to-face
communication. It builds relationships
and leads to a consensus that is constructed one step at a time. Using a wide variety of communication
techniques, such as meetings, workshops, open houses, and different media is
valuable.
Outreach is essential.
A good policy is to meet anytime, anywhere, with anybody.
Computer technology plays an increasing role because
graphics software helps people visualize.
Photo simulation lets roadway designers add the proposed design to real
photographs. Computer animation can give
drivers and pedestrians a sense of what it will be like. Maps from a geographic information system can
illustrate design features.
Rick Kuner – August 2011