Public involvement during planning brings diverse viewpoints and values to the surface early in the decision-making process and consists of activities and actions that both inform and involve the public so they can help influence decisions that affect their lives. This phase includes developing plans and collecting information that may influence future transportation needs and efforts.
Public Involvement
Transportation affects everyone. That is why Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) involves the public in a two-way information exchange when making decisions about transportation facilities and services to best meet Florida’s transportation needs.
Public involvement is part of every transportation project development phase. FTE encourages and welcomes public participation and uses various communication methods including public information meetings, workshops, and public hearings; informational flyers, fact sheets, and newsletters; and videos, project websites, social media, and public service announcements, etc.
The project development and environmental (PD&E) process includes evaluating many important factors: mobility, environmental, social/economic, community preservation, and quality of life. Public input during this phase helps with engineering and environmental decisions and ensures an open and transparent decision-making process.
A myriad of stakeholders—the public, property owners, government agencies, elected and appointed officials, tribal governments, and public/private organizations, etc.—participate to understand project needs and potential impacts.
When a project moves into the design phase, FTE continues public involvement activities that may have begun during earlier phases. This way, project teams can be sure to keep the flow of communication going with stakeholders and the public. If design alternatives need to be reevaluated to determine their community impacts, then FDOT conducts follow-up outreach with the affected community to address public concerns.
Get Involved
If you would like to learn more about a Florida’s Turnpike project and stay up-to-date on its progress, please click the Get Involved icon above and select the project(s) you are interested in. You can then subscribe to a mailing list or see when to attend public meetings.