NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION | JOAN McDONALD COMMISSIONER | ANDREW M. CUOMO GOVERNOR 1 Communicating with the Customer: NYSDOTs Drivers

NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION | JOAN McDONALD COMMISSIONER | ANDREW M. CUOMO GOVERNORNEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION | JOAN McDONALD COMMISSIONER | ANDREW M. CUOMO GOVERNOR1

Communicating with the Customer:

NYSDOT’s Drivers First Initiative

Presentation to NASTO | Portland, Maine | June 10, 2013


Drivers First MissionPrioritize the convenience of motorists and ensure that disruptions are as minimal as possible to drivers at highway and bridge

projects across the state.


Drivers First Does Not Mean “Safety Second”

Reinforce the initiative’s message. Safety is never compromised!

Build on actions already in place that include driver convenience.

Strengthen internal communication. Improve active traffic management. Keep developing mechanisms to

communicate better with the driving public.


Communication Opportunities Reviewed existing

practices: Public Information Officer

Survey NYSDOT web-enabled

project information

511NY usage NYSDOT’s use of social

media

Surveyed the traveling public


Communication Recommendations

Adopt a communication protocol for press releases (completed)

Develop additional protocols for web-enabled project information

Pilot/expand social media, using Facebook and Twitter statewide


Kosciuszko Bridge


Kennedy Airport

LaGuardia Airport

BROOKLYN

QUEENS

MA

NH

ATT

AN

Van

Wyck E

xpw

y

Gow

anus

Exp

wy

Bro

okl

yn

Queens

ExpwyLong

IslandExpwy

Grand Central Pkwy

SIE

Brooklyn Battery Tunnel

Brooklyn Bridge

Williamsburg Bridge

Holland Tunnel

Midtown Tunnel

Queens Boro Bridge

Tri-Boro

Bridge

Verrazano

Bridge

Lincoln Tunnel

Manhattan Bridge

KosciuszkoBridge

Belt

Pkwy

Belt

Pkwy

Project Location


Project ContextView of

Brooklyn

View of Queens


K-Bridge: Public Outreach Program Approach

Educate and involve the Stakeholders and Constituents in technical and community issues

Use diverse and timely information-sharing Provide accessible dedicated outreach staff Engage traditional and nontraditional

transportation constituencies Time-Patience-Lots of hard work!


Comprehensive Public Outreach Program

More than 60 meetings with elected officials, community boards, civic organizations, residents and community groups

More than 30 meetings/site visits to local businesses prior to final design

More than 50 agency coordination meetings (federal, state, city) and several meetings of the project’s Interagency Advisory Committee (IAAC)

More than 40 meetings with the project’s Stakeholders Advisory Committee (SAC) – the centerpiece of the Outreach Program since 2002


Public Outreach Program to Date Community bus tours (3) Large public forums at project benchmarks

Scoping meetings (2) Public hearings (2) Open houses (11)

Widespread information-sharing (multilingual to reach a maximum audience)

Newsletters and fact sheets FAQs documents Website – www.dot.ny.gov/kbridge Correspondence and other mailings Project repositories

http://www.dot.ny.gov/kbridge


Stakeholders Advisory Committee

Includes more than 40 elected officials, community boards, neighborhood groups, civic organizations, residents, business interests and regional transportation organizations

The centerpiece of the Outreach Program Provides a “reality check” to NYSDOT


Public Outreach Results Skepticism and wariness replaced by

collaboration and community support Trust: A partnership emerged with

stakeholders and constituents who were initially reluctant to work with NYSDOT and with each other

Strong agency commitment to ongoing partnering

Dedicated stakeholders Honest communications


Looking Ahead – Construction Continue coordination with SAC and its

subcommittees (Parks, Local Workforce) Continue interagency coordination,

including withIAAC

Modify extensive community information program– such as updates on staging, scheduling andprogress; notices on special conditions; andupcoming work

Honor previous commitments by providing full-time, on-site community liaison amid construction


Prospect Mountain


71,000 AADT (current)

80,000 AADT(+10 yr)

Prospect Mountain


78,000 AADT(+10 yr)


66,000AADT(+10 yr)


Phase 1

NEW BRIDGES OVER CHENANGO

RIVER

CONSTRUCT BRIDGE OVER CHENANGO

STREET FOR FUTURE LANES


Full Build-Out


Communication StrategiesVMS and Highway Advisory Radio on

sitePress releases and interviewsPublic meetings/group meetingsDedicated community liaison at the

construction field office


Communication StrategiesCoordinate with those managing

traffic-generating events. Work with media on closure alerts. Post signed detours for motorists and

have shuttle buses for pedestrians and cyclists during closures.

Limit hours of construction.


www.facebook.com/Prospect.Mountain.Project. www.twitter.com/prospectmtn.

http://www.facebook.com/Prospect.Mountain.Project

http://www.twitter.com/prospectmtn


SummaryContinuous, multifaceted

communication with customers is vital.Use of traditional and nontraditional

communication, especially expanded use of social media, can widen the reach to more customers.

Information helps manage expectations, building support and trust.


Thank you!

Documents

NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION | JOAN McDONALD COMMISSIONER | ANDREW M. CUOMO GOVERNOR 1 Communicating with the Customer: NYSDOTs Drivers