Public Involvement Process

Have you ever wondered how decisions are made about transportation projects? How do government officials decide where to put a road or transit line? How are these and other transportation projects planned?

Once a bulldozer is onsite, there is a good chance that the project has been in the works for 10 or more years. At that point, you can have more of an impact on how the project takes place rather than whether it takes place. You might be able to have sidewalks or a bike lane added to a road project, or perhaps you can be involved in the design of a transit station.

Getting engaged early and often throughout the process can help ensure that projects are delivered not only effectively, but also as efficiently and equitably as possible.

So, how can you make the planners, elected officials, engineers who make those projects happen hear your views? One of the first steps is to learn more about the process.

View our Engagement Hub at PublicInput.com

Throughout the year, the BMC and BRTB offer a number of ways for you to learn about projects and plans and to share your thoughts. Visit the BMC engagement hub to learn more and find out how you can be involved.

Public Participation Plan

The BRTB is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Baltimore region. As an MPO, the BRTB is directly responsible for making decisions on billions of dollars’ worth of existing and future transportation projects and programs.

While federal laws and regulations set a framework for public involvement, the BRTB seeks to go beyond the letter of these laws to fulfill the true spirit of full public participation. That means an open process that offers reasonable access to information, timely public notice, full public access to key decisions, and support for early and continued involvement of stakeholders in the metropolitan transportation planning process.

The BRTB Public Participation Plan clearly outlines the policies and procedures for public involvement in the regional transportation planning process.

For more information, contact our public involvement coordinator at 410-732-0500 x 1047.

Every Voice Counts Transportation Academy

The BRTB and the BRTB Public Advisory Committee (PAC) launched their inaugural Every Voice Counts Transportation Academy in 2018 with residents, community leaders, and non-traditionally engaged people from around the region.

The BRTB and PAC developed the Every Voice Counts Transportation Academy utilizing a U.S. Department of Transportation toolkit, created for emerging transportation leaders and other stakeholders who have limited experience with the transportation decision-making process to:

  1. Learn, in plain language, about the transportation decision-making process (i.e. how transportation is planned, funded, designed, built and maintained)
  2. Identify ways they can work with their local and state transportation agencies in a proactive, constructive way to improve transportation
  3. Understand how to be better engaged in the decision-making process by knowing who to contact and when.

Download the Every Voice Counts Toolkit or to sign-up for the next one, contact our public involvement coordinator at 410-732-0500 x1047.

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