It's autumn 2024 and we're enjoying the Inclusive Transportation Planning with Map-Based Engagement webinar with Kenny Armstrong, AICP, and Rachael Bronson, AICP. They're not just fun speakers, they're also accomplished, outspoken advocates for community engagement in the field of transportation and mobility planning. And—as they're about to explain—they're quite the Maptionnaire fans.
Why do they look to the Maptionnaire Community Engagement Platform for their mobility planning projects?
"When it comes to transportation, everybody thinks they're an expert," Kenny begins.
"People are always eager to talk about traffic."—Rachael grins knowingly—"Or parking, pedestrian concerns, safety…. We all have something to contribute."
"While we might be specialists in this field, the people living in the community where we're doing the work are the experts on how to improve their own neighborhoods," Kenny adds, "Our challenge as professionals in this field is figuring out how to harness that information."
Maptionnaire is an essential tool for harnessing community input. Digital map-based surveys easily reach community members online, while the platform seamlessly supports a GIS-centered planning workflow. Let's see how they've put Maptionnaire to work in the three mobility planning examples below.
Example 1: Active Transportation Planning
Challenge: The Township of Neville, Pennsylvania, wanted to improve opportunities for active mobility. Getting input from local bicyclists and pedestrians would be the key to understanding their needs and concerns, but how to reach them?
Solution: In-person meetings did serve a valuable role, but the planners also recognized that no meeting time would fit everyone. To accommodate different schedules and maximize input, planners relied on an online community engagement survey.
An online option like Maptionnaire is really helpful to make sure we get as much input as possible
Kenny Armstrong, AICP, Senior Planner at McAdams
Outcome: In Maptionnaire's interactive mapping questions, community members could draw their walking and cycling routes and pinpoint problem areas. Detailed community responses informed the planning recommendations and shed light on matters that might have otherwise been overlooked.
Example 2: Studying Traffic Signal Safety
Challenge: The City of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, wanted community input for improving traffic signals and congestion, but would community members really be interested in participating?
Solution: Using the Maptionnaire platform, the planning team developed an engaging and user-friendly mapping survey for the community. Online, locals could open up an interactive map of traffic signals, click on any signal, and submit open-ended comments or concerns.
Outcome: Despite concerns about low participation, the project received over 500 responses! One particular signal received 93 responses—concrete, actionable data for the planners. Planners then brought the results straight into GIS as a shapefile for analysis and solution development. → Interested in roadway planning and DOT (Department of Transportation) projects? Check out two more examples from Franklin Associates as well!
One of the biggest advantages we've found with Maptionnaire is that its integration with GIS is great.
Rachael Bronson, AICP, Senior Planner at McAdams
Example 3: Routing a Greenway Trail
Challenge: The Pittsburgh-based Friends of the Riverfront wanted to find the best route for a new greenway trail connector. They needed to consider technical feasibility, right-of-way matters, environmental permitting needs, and—a key metric—public support.
Solution: In the Maptionnaire-powered community survey, participants could learn about each greenway route option, rank those options, and share their reasoning.
Outcome: There wasn't a landslide majority for one option, but the planners got the input and direction they needed to move forward. And the biggest win? The transparency of the project. Five hundred community members checked out the project page, learned about the trail project, and saw the community-driven approach. Not bad!
Summary
- When transportation experts invite community input, it can shed light on new issues, provide valuable detail, and boost project support, if you have the right engagement tools, that is.
- A flexible online option is a "must" for inclusive community engagement,
- All said and done, you will thank yourself for choosing GIS-compatible tools that integrate into your planning workflow.
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