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It’s Not Just for Projects Anymore: Kansas Department of Transportation’s Innovative, Agencywide Public-Involvement Program

To advance the level of public-involvement (PI) practices throughout the agency, meet the public’s demand for an expanded role in decision making, and develop better relationships with customers, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is implementing one of the first agencywide PI Programs in the nation. Qualitative surveys were conducted with employees, the public, and 22 DOTs, and input from more than 200 agency personnel was used to develop the KDOT PI Plan. The three “landmarks” of KDOT’s innovative PI Program include (a) an agencywide PI Program instead of a project-specific program, (b) training programs and additional resources that help enable every KDOT employee to better serve as an ambassador for the agency, and (c) recommendations to change business practices that seek public input and use input in decision-making processes. One major area of focus is decentralizing communication and increasing district involvement to develop closer local ties. Revisions to business practices include (a) screening projects early in the development phase so that the scope, budget, and schedule can be revised, if necessary, in response to public concerns; (b) convening a Project Delivery Group made up of representatives from various bureaus and the district to improve internal and external communication on complex projects; (c) using a 10-part step-by-step process to create project-specific PI Plans; (d) hiring PI professionals at headquarters and in each district; and (e) encouraging employees to address questions and issues at the local level.