Public Engagement Plan

The Public Participation Matrix demonstrates the types of participation: Inform, Consult, Involve, and Collaborate. Each of the four levels of participation has specific techniques for public participation, as shown in the Matrix below.

Inform	Consult	Involve	Collaborate
Participation goal:
To provide the public with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problem, alternatives, opportunities, and/or solutions.	To obtain public feedback on analysis, alternatives, and/or decisions.	To work diligently with the public throughout the process to ensure that public concerns and aspirations are consistently understood and considered.	To partner with the public in each aspect of the decision, including the development of alternatives and the identification of the preferred solution
Examples of Techniques to Consider:
Brochures, fact sheets Websites Social media notifications Press releases Newsletters Open houses Mailing postcards, letters, door hangers, yard signs	Official request for public comment during specific time periods which are advertised through email and social media notifications and posted on the website. Surveys Public meetings	Workshops Community event participation Stakeholder meetings	Citizen advisory committee/groups Community working groups Technical committee/task force

As required by federal regulations specific to statewide and nonmetropolitan transportation planning (23 USC 135), states are required to have a statewide and nonmetropolitan transportation planning process that is continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive to the degree appropriate, based on the complexity of the transportation problems to be addressed. INDOT uses the input gathered from the public along with data to identify the issues, needs, opportunities and priorities for a better multimodal transportation system. This information is used to make informed decisions on transportation improvements and strategies with limited funding. These collaborative and inclusive discussions during the planning process result in planning and programming that consider all transportation modes, both construction and non-construction solutions, and the needs of all users of the system conducting broader outreach to different groups including equity-focused communities.

To better guide public involvement and to ensure all plans undergo the appropriate level of outreach, plans within INDOT can be categorized into three tiers. Each tier of plans has two different actions: Development and publishment of a new plan or full update of a plan (i.e., the First Action), or Amendments to a plan (i.e., the Second Action). Based on which action is occurring, this will result in different outreach strategies.

• First Action: If the first action is occurring, a plan is either published for the first time as a new plan or is going through a major update that occurs on a regular schedule. Developing a new plan or making full updates to a plan requires a high level of public engagement that covers all four levels of the Public Participation Matrix. Efforts are made to reach the public through all forms of public involvement listed in the table on the following page and individuals are encouraged to sign up to continue to receive information via email, text, phone, mail, or social media. Information packets are sent to be posted in equity-focused communities, and members of ADA/LEP population and Indian Tribal Nations Agencies are notified through coordination with INDOT Cultural Resources of how to get involved and stay informed.

• Second Action: The second action, a plan amendment, is a more minor change that can be made as needed to keep plans current and accurate. Because there has already been a major public outreach effort for the plan, at the point of an amendment, this action will typically only reach the levels of Informing and Consulting and notifications are sent out via the communications channels built up during initial public outreach (email, text, phone, mail) as well as posted on websites, distributed to planning partners to share with their community contacts, and advertised on social media.

It is also important to note that outreach activities in the figure represent the baseline level of outreach that will occur for each Tier of plans. Additional activities may occur outside of those listed above. Likewise, public comment periods may be extended beyond the baseline shown, if warranted by the individual planning initiative.

INDOT engages the public and a wide variety of external stakeholder groups to help in its transportation decision-making process. INDOT is also required to engage the public when developing transportation plans. INDOT begins to engage the public and other stakeholder groups at the beginning of its transportation planning and project development process, and INDOT continues to solicit feedback throughout the process. Planning partners and stakeholders are typically defined as individuals and groups who are/may be impacted by a project or have an interest in a project. In some cases, federal regulations specifically define who stakeholders are. The following is a list of the typical stakeholders:

• Pedestrian and Bicyclist Interest Groups: Community leaders, non-profit organizations, and advocates for bike and pedestrian initiatives, policies, safety, enforcement, public health, quality of life, and environmental considerations.
• Federal Agencies (Highway, Transit, & Aviation): Oversees federal regulatory requirements, programs, funds/grants, aviation and transit operations/facilities, actions, and ensuring the use of federal funds or required actions meet federal requirements, safety, environmental standards.
• Freight Advisory Council (Truck, Rail, Marine, Aviation): Serves as a forum for agency transportation decisions, future planning, policies, permitting and identifying issues/concerns affecting Indiana freight mobility, safety, and livability. The council includes a cross- section of public and private sector freight representatives for ports, rail carriers, shippers, carriers, parcel delivery, pipeline carriers, third-party freight logistics providers, freight industry workforce, university researchers, advocates, economic development representatives, and others).
• Indiana Economic Development Corporation: An Indiana quasi-public body that focuses on encouraging business to launch, expand, and locate their existing operations within the state with performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, innovation/ entrepreneurship resources, public infrastructure assistance, talent attraction/ retention, and other incentives authorized by the state.
• INDOT Districts: Serves as the frontline coordination and outreach with elected officials, stakeholders, and partners in tandem with the Central Office divisions in Indianapolis, Indiana to serve Indiana’s transportation needs. INDOT Districts are directly responsible for state facility (interstates, US highways, and state routes) infrastructure asset management, maintenance, and construction activities. See page 67 of the Appendix for a map of the six INDOT Districts.
• Local Government & Elected/Appointed Officials: Continuous and cooperative coordination with local elected officials is a crucial aspect of effective transportation planning. Coordination occurs at district level and Central Office Communication via the Intergovernmental and Legislative affairs team.
• Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs): Federally required bodies that serve the transportation planning and outreach needs of urbanized areas with populations of 50,000 or greater. MPOs are comprised of elected and appointed officials and technical staff. MPOs develop a number of federally required planning documents; manage both local and state projects in their respective areas; and perform various support related to transportation planning activities. Together with INDOT Central Office Planning Staff and District Offices, MPOs serves as a primary source for local and public input as fundamental cooperating partners in the mode-specific planning and program implementation process.
• Regional Planning Organizations (RPOs): RPOs serve the transportation planning and outreach needs of small urban and rural areas of the state. RPOs perform planning activities to provide planning support to local communities.
• Non-MPO/RPO Areas: These include small towns and cities not included in an MPO or RPO area. In non- metropolitan areas, INDOT district offices coordinate transportation planning activities and develop lists of projects to be included in the STIP. INDOT consults with the Regional and/or Rural Planning Organizations, rural area local elected officials, local government agency representatives, special interest groups, and other key transportation stakeholders.
• Resource Agencies: Government agencies with regulatory authority over an environmental resource and have some sort of stake in transportation related improvements. It is critical to get the resource agencies involved for transportation decision-making early to ensure potential issues are resolved and documented. Resources agencies include the following: Indiana Department of Agriculture, Energy Management, Health, and Natural Resources; State Historic Preservation Officer; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Census Bureau, Coast Guard, and Environmental Protection Agency; National Park Services, Natural Resources Conservation Services.
• Public Transit & Passenger Rail Advisory Committee: Serves as a forum for discussing and identifying public transportation issues and solutions and providing advice to the INDOT Office of Transit on policy, system performance targets, asset management, and funding areas that impact public transit users and providers.
• Transportation Special Interest and Advocacy Groups (Urban & Rural): Community and business leaders, non- profit organizations, and advocates for various aspects of transportation decision-making, investments, equity, environmental justice, safety, enforcement, policy, corridor beautification, clean air/water, economic development, public health, quality of life, and environmental considerations.