State DOTs working to improve public engagement around urban highways

Many highways that once cut through cities across the country are now coming of age, and the state DOTs responsible for maintaining them are beginning to wrestle with what those facilities should look like in the coming decades and, in some cases, whether they should be there at all. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has signaled strong interest in rethinking these highways and USDOT will soon be inviting applications for its $1B Reconnecting Communities program, authorized through IIJA. That will be good news for a small number of agencies facing mounting pressure from community members pushing for innovative thinking on urban freeways.

A People’s History of Recent Urban Transportation Innovation (Transit Center, 2015)

In the past decade, several cities have transformed their streets by adding bus and bike lanes, creating new pedestrian plazas, and emphasizing the movement of people instead of cars. This new report examines six cities’ recent innovations in urban transportation. It looks at what is behind successful change and found common elements. Based on the experience of the cities studied, TransitCenter recommends actions for transit advocates, policymakers, foundations, and anyone interested in transportation change.

Co-monitoring for Transit Management (Rudin Center for Transportation, 2014)

Transit agencies often do rider surveys and in-person checks of equipment and infrastructure. But by monitoring social media, agencies may get a faster report of problems and rider concerns. This report suggests methods for “co-monitoring,” the monitoring of field conditions through a combination of staff reports, data analysis and public observations.

The Innovative DOT: A Handbook of Policy and Practice (SSTI & SGA, 2015)

SSTI and Smart Growth America continue working with state departments of transportation and tracking innovative strategies for meeting 21st century transportation needs. The 2015 edition of The Innovative DOT builds upon its predecessor with updated content and fresh new ideas from a growing number of states.

2014 AASHTO Social Media Survey​​ (AASHTO, 2014)

For five years AASHTO has conducted a survey of the use of social media and mobile app tools by state DOTs. They asked DOT communication teams about their social media programs, including the types of tools being used, social media measurement, staffing, agency policies and the development of mobile smartphone apps. The 2014 survey reveals a continuing trend toward increasing social media adoption. In addition, the survey suggests that the use of social media tools has dramatically shifted state transportation department communication staffing responsibilities and overall public engagement strategies.​

Lifting the Veil on Bicycle & Pedestrian Spending (Advocacy Advance, 2014)

This report benchmarked planned bicycling and walking project spending in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program and breaks down how state Departments of Transportation can become more transparent and responsive to community needs. Both stand-alone bicycle-pedestrian projects and also road projects that have a bicycle-pedestrian accommodation or component were included.

Millennials & Mobility: Understanding the Millennial Mindset (APTA, 2013)

Recent news reports and studies have outlined changes in how Millenials travel and live. These have focused on the implications for all transportation modes as well as land use and economic activity. This APTA/TCRP report seeks to further understand the mindsets behind the trends and understand their implications for public transportation in the United States. This study utilizes a mixture of in-depth interviews in five cities and a survey of 1,000 people in six cities that are representative of the types of cities Millennials find attractive.

A New Way To Go: The Transportation Apps and Vehicle-Sharing Tools that Are Giving More Americans the Freedom to Drive Less (USPIRG, 2013)

Over the last 15 years, the Internet and mobile communications technologies have transformed the way Americans live and work. During that same period, growth in vehicle travel slowed and then stopped, with Americans today driving about as much on average as we did in 1996. Early evidence suggests that new innovations in technology and social networking are beginning to change America’s transportation landscape.

How Social Media Moves New York. Part 2: Recommended Social Media Policy for Transportation Providers (Rudin Center for Transportation NYU Wagner School of Public Service, 2012)

The Rudin Center for Transportation at the NYU Wagner School of Public Service has released a report that recommends social media policies for transportation providers seeking to inform, engage and motivate their customers.