Step 2: Seek Public Input

Public involvement in bicycle and pedestrian planning is essential and works best when the community is involved from the beginning. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities can rarely be implemented to meet all of a community's needs. Choices must be made that prioritize investment and citizen involvement is essential to determine what priorities should be served.

---

Identify Interested Citizens

The environment for walking and bicycling affects many individuals and interest groups. Organizations representing the interests of bicyclists, walkers, trail users, the elderly, the disabled, parents and schools, youth, retail services, business organizations, farmers, and the development community are all potential participants. Failure to involve interested groups can result in opposition that can cripple progress. Furthermore, many individual citizens have developed passionate and well-articulated views about the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists. An efficient process can channel this energy and incorporate the attitudes and needs of interested individuals.

Citizen Advisory Committee

Frequently, a group of interested citizens is invited to join representative local staff to form a Plan Advisory Committee. This format is valuable because issues can be raised and citizens have the chance to influence plan development. Larger communities may form a Technical Advisory Committee as well, drawing on expertise from other agencies. This is a practical option for complex planning processes that require inter-governmental coordination and complex grant applications.

A Plan Advisory Committee can become a standing Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee that provides continuing public involvement and support. In Seattle, Washington, a citizen based B/P Advisory Committee regularly reviews all City projects that might have an impact on bicyclists and pedestrians. This citizens' group is recognized as a primary factor in Seattle's successful bicycle and pedestrian program.

Product/Action

• Identify participant organizations in and around the community.
• Establish a Plan Advisory Committee of citizens and professionals.
• For complex plans, establish a Technical Advisory Committee of professionals.
• Establish a standing citizen-based Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

---

Public Participation

There are generally two phases during which participation by the public is solicited. In the planning phase, citizens join professionals to identify needs and define the network of facilities. During the review phase, the public attends meetings to comment on the plan at its various stages of development.

Open Meetings vs. Invited Workshops

The complexity of each phase depends on the dynamics of the community. In small communities, both phases might involve public meetings. Larger communities might choose to conduct one or more planning workshops to which specific professionals and members of the public are invited. "Invited" workshops represent a concerted effort to involve representatives of each interest group. There are several models for such workshops.

• At a charette, small groups develop and present to each other a network proposal for some or all of the area under consideration.
• The community of Kalamazoo, Michigan held a very successful "Kids' Planning Charrette."Fifth grade children participated in activities intended to clarify how they experienced the pedestrian and bicycle conditions in their neighborhoods and around their school. Besides having fun, the children were frank, observant, and articulate about conditions that are not always perceived by adults
• Invited workshops bring professionals and citizens together to share information on topics ranging from regional trail planning to bicycle/pedestrian safety initiatives.
• Pedestrian Roadshows make use of federally developed materials, along with information about local conditions, to inspire public officials and citizens to improve the pedestrian environment.

Plan Presentations

Plan presentations can occur at special plan-specific meetings or at regularly scheduled city council meetings. A special meeting set up solely for the presentation of the draft plan tends to generate more informal exchanges between participant and presenters. This can be valuable, especially early in the process, when important issues or omissions can be addressed. It can also identify opposition to any elements of the plan at an early stage when dialogue with planners and public officials can generate constructive responses. One or more additional presentations or hearings will present the final draft plan to the public and to officials for adoption.

Pedestrian Roadshows can be made available to communities by trained facilitators who work with local planners and officials to organize a workshop and walking audit to examine pedestrian conditions. Information is available on the internet at: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/walk Contact: Leverson Boodlal, leverson.boodlal@fhwa.dot.gov

Addressing Opposition

As popular as trails can be, many have also generated vocal and persistent opposition during planning. In some cases, such as Missouri's Katy Trail and Iowa's Cedar Valley Nature Trail, this opposition seriously threatened project implementation. A pro-active public participation process offers the best chance to address opposition from the beginning. It is important to communicate with concerned individuals and groups, who frequently are those with property adjacent to a trail corridor. However, even a proposal to install sidewalks can stimulate debate in some communities. Officials can help to deter public efforts to derail projects by being good listeners and having alternatives available, if necessary.

Product/Action

• Hold planning meetings to solicit citizen and professional involvement in plan development.
• Hold at least two plan review opportunities, one for the draft plan and a second on final plan recommendations.
• Reach out pro-actively to work with potential opposition.

---

Communications

It is always practical to approach interested citizens even before the formal planning process begins. A letter or call to inform people of the upcoming plan development will yield more responsive involvement. Communication about the plan through special meetings, newsletters, websites, and articles in local newspapers can generate support while keeping interested parties informed.

Participants should be informed about upcoming projects and events so they have time to place notices in newsletters. This is a very effective communication tool. Because not all interested individuals are members of organizations, use of multi-media and municipal mailings is also useful. A project newsletter published several times during the planning process can be a useful progress report. It can be distributed to organizations, individuals, and the media through mailings and website postings.

Product/Action

• Give participating organizations early notice of upcoming plan development and events/meetings.
• Develop and distribute a regular newsletter about the planning process.
• Develop regular media contacts.
• Promote media coverage of all special planning events such as audits or "Kids' Planning Charrettes."