What part does public involvement play in the development of a specific transportation project?
A transportation project, whether roadway, bicycle path, or transit facility, requires an extensive development process, with public involvement at each step. The process starts with a project concept and proceeds with identifying and studying alternatives, designing an alternative that has been selected, conducting an environmental review, and funding the project. At the conceptual stage, public involvement helps to define the scope of a project. Selection of the preferred alternative for a project is done with the help of public comments. While a project is in the design phase, public input supplements engineering expertise with invaluable local knowledge. Transportation projects undergo an environmental assessment (some projects require an extensive environmental review) in which the public aids in identifying issues and mitigation strategies for addressing them. When a project is ready to be considered for funding, public involvement informs the MPO´s process for prioritizing fundi
