Visualization for Public Involvement (2024)

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NCHRP Synthesis 632 National Cooperative Highway A SYNTHESIS OF HIGHWAY PRACTICE Research Program Visualization for Public Involvement 

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2024 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE* OFFICERS Chair: Carol A. Lewis, Professor, Transportation Studies, Texas Southern University, Houston Vice Chair: Leslie S. Richards, General Manager, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia Executive Director: Victoria Sheehan, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC MEMBERS Michael F. Ableson, CEO, Arrival Automotive–North America, Detroit, MI James F. Albaugh, President and CEO, The Boeing Company (retired), Scottsdale, AZ Carlos M. Braceras, Executive Director, Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake City Douglas C. Ceva, Vice President, Customer Lead Solutions, Prologis, Inc., Jupiter, FL Nancy Daubenberger, Commissioner of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, St. Paul Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner, New York State Department of Transportation, Albany Garrett Eucalitto, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Newington Chris T. Hendrickson, Hamerschlag University Professor of Engineering Emeritus, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA Randell Iwasaki, President and CEO, Iwasaki Consulting Services, Walnut Creek, CA Ashby Johnson, Executive Director, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Austin, TX Joel M. Jundt, Secretary of Transportation, South Dakota Department of Transportation, Pierre Hani S. Mahmassani, W.A. Patterson Distinguished Chair in Transportation; Director, Transportation Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL Scott C. Marler, Director, Iowa Department of Transportation, Ames Ricardo Martinez, Adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA Michael R. McClellan, Vice President, Strategic Planning, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Norfolk, VA Russell McMurry, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta Craig E. Philip, Research Professor and Director, VECTOR, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN Steward T.A. Pickett, Distinguished Senior Scientist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY Susan A. Shaheen, Professor and Co-director, Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley Marc Williams, Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin EX OFFICIO MEMBERS Michael R. Berube, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Sustainable Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC Shailen Bhatt, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC Amit Bose, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC Tristan Brown, Deputy Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC Steven Cliff, Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento Rand Ghayad, Senior Vice President, Association of American Railroads, Washington, DC LeRoy Gishi, Chief, Division of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Germantown, MD William H. Graham, Jr. (Major General, U.S. Army), Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC Robert C. Hampshire, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC Sue Lawless, Acting Deputy Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Washington, DC Niloo Parvashtiani, Engineer, Mobility Consultant Solutions, Iteris Inc., Fairfax, VA, and Chair, TRB Young Members Coordinating Council Sophie Shulman, Acting Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC Karl Simon, Director, Transportation and Climate Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC Polly Trottenberg, Deputy Secretary of Transportation and Acting Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC Jim Tymon, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, DC Veronica Vanterpool, Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC * Membership as of May 2024. 

N AT I O N A L C O O P E R AT I V E H I G H W AY R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M NCHRP SYNTHESIS 632 Visualization for Public Involvement A Synthesis of Highway Practice Robin Christians WSP USA, Inc. Denver, CO Pamela Lebeaux WSP USA, Inc. Washington, DC Subscriber Categories Administration and Management • Design • Planning and Forecasting Research sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration 2024 

NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY NCHRP SYNTHESIS 632 RESEARCH PROGRAM Systematic, well-designed, and implementable research is the most Project 20-05, Topic 54-07 effective way to solve many problems facing state departments of ISSN 0547-5570 transportation (DOTs) administrators and engineers. Often, highway ISBN 978-0-309-70998-9 problems are of local or regional interest and can best be studied by Library of Congress Control Number 2024940526 state DOTs individually or in cooperation with their state universities © 2024 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of and others. However, the accelerating growth of highway transporta- Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trade- tion results in increasingly complex problems of wide interest to high- marks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. way authorities. These problems are best studied through a coordinated program of cooperative research. Recognizing this need, the leadership of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in 1962 ini- COPYRIGHT INFORMATION tiated an objective national highway research program using modern Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining scientific techniques—the National Cooperative Highway Research written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously Program (NCHRP). NCHRP is supported on a continuing basis by published or copyrighted material used herein. funds from participating member states of AASHTO and receives the Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this full cooperation and support of the Federal Highway Administration publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the (FHWA), United States Department of Transportation, under Agree- understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, APTA, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, or NHTSA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. ment No. 693JJ31950003. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and The Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine was requested by AASHTO to reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP. administer the research program because of TRB’s recognized objectivity and understanding of modern research practices. TRB is uniquely suited Cover art designed and supplied by WSP. for this purpose for many reasons: TRB maintains an extensive com- mittee structure from which authorities on any highway transportation subject may be drawn; TRB possesses avenues of communications and NOTICE cooperation with federal, state, and local governmental agencies, univer- The report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to sities, and industry; TRB’s relationship to the National Academies is an procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved insurance of objectivity; and TRB maintains a full-time staff of special- by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. ists in highway transportation matters to bring the findings of research The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the directly to those in a position to use them. researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation The program is developed on the basis of research needs iden- Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; the tified by chief administrators and other staff of the highway and FHWA; or the program sponsors. transportation departments, by committees of AASHTO, and by The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or spec- the FHWA. Topics of the highest merit are selected by the AASHTO ifications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which Special Committee on Research and Innovation (R&I), and each year provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, R&I’s recommendations are proposed to the AASHTO Board of Direc- procedures, or specifications. tors and the National Academies. Research projects to address these The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and topics are defined by NCHRP, and qualified research agencies are Medicine; and the sponsors of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program do not selected from submitted proposals. Administration and surveillance of endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear herein research contracts are the responsibilities of the National Academies solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report. and TRB. The needs for highway research are many, and NCHRP can make significant contributions to solving highway transportation problems of mutual concern to many responsible groups. The program, however, is intended to complement, rather than to substitute for or duplicate, other highway research programs. Published reports of the NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from National Academies Press 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360 Washington, DC 20001 (800) 624-6242 and can be ordered through the Internet by going to https://nap.nationalacademies.org Printed in the United States of America 

The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non- governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president. The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president. The three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine. Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org. The Transportation Research Board is one of seven major program divisions of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to mobilize expertise, experience, and knowledge to anticipate and solve complex transportation-related challenges. The Board’s varied activities annually engage about 8,500 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org. 

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS CRP STAFF FOR NCHRP SYNTHESIS 632 Waseem Dekelbab, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs, and Manager, National Cooperative Highway Research Program Edward T. Harrigan, Senior Program Officer Daniel Magnolia, Senior Program Assistant Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications Heather DiAngelis, Associate Director of Publications Hilary Freer, Senior Editor NCHRP PROJECT 20-05 PANEL Joyce N. Taylor, Maine Department of Transportation, Augusta, ME (Chair) Anita K. Bush, Nevada Department of Transportation, Carson City, NV Joseph D. Crabtree, Kentucky Transportation Center, Lexington, KY Mostafa Jamshidi, Nebraska Department of Transportation, Lincoln, NE Jessie X. Jones, Arkansas Department of Transportation, Little Rock, AR Raymond J. Khoury, Virginia Department of Transportation, Richmond, VA Brenda Moore, North Carolina Department of Transportation (retired), Cary, NC Jesus Alberto Sandoval-Gil, Arizona Department of Transportation, Phoenix, AZ Cynthia J. Smith, Mississippi Department of Transportation, Jackson, MS Jean M. Wallace, Minnesota Department of Transportation, St. Paul, MN Mary Huie, FHWA Liaison Jim McDonnell, AASHTO Liaison TOPIC 54-07 PANEL Whoibin Chung, Virginia Department of Transportation, Richmond, VA Tina Geiselbrecht, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Florence, TX Matthew S. Haubrich, Iowa Department of Transportation, Ames, IA Raissah Kouame, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Boston, MA Ricky Jamal Milliner, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Newington, CT Marylou Taylor, California Department of Transportation, Sacramento, CA Raul Andres Velasquez, Jr., Minnesota Department of Transportation, Maplewood, MN Claire E. Randall, TRB Liaison 

ABOUT THE NCHRP SYNTHESIS PROGRAM Highway administrators, engineers, and researchers often face problems for which information already exists, either in documented form or as undocumented experience and practice. This infor- mation may be fragmented, scattered, and unevaluated. As a consequence, full knowledge of what has been learned about a problem may not be brought to bear on its solution. Costly research findings may go unused, valuable experience may be overlooked, and due consideration may not be given to recommended practices for solving or alleviating the problem. There is information on nearly every subject of concern to highway administrators and engineers. Much of it derives from research or from the work of practitioners faced with problems in their day- to-day work. To provide a systematic means for assembling and evalu­ating such useful information and to make it available to the entire highway community, the American Association of State High- way and Transportation Officials—through the mechanism of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program—authorized the Transportation Research Board to undertake a continuing study. This study, NCHRP Project 20-05, “Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices,” searches out and synthesizes useful knowledge from all available sources and prepares concise, documented reports on specific topics. Reports from this endeavor constitute an NCHRP report series, Synthesis of Highway Practice. This synthesis series reports on current knowledge and practice, in a compact format, without the detailed directions usually found in handbooks or design manuals. Each report in the series provides a compendium of the best knowledge available on those measures found to be the most successful in resolving specific problems. FOREWORD By Edward T. Harrigan Staff Officer Transportation Research Board Visualization in its many forms is recognized as an important element of public involvement in transportation decision-making. As visualization technologies and applications have matured and become more readily available, their potential to increase public understanding and inform dialog during planning and project development has greatly expanded. Recent trends in public involvement practice—including the dramatic increase in the use of video as part of social media communication and the move to virtual public involvement that greatly accelerated during the pandemic—have made it easier for agencies to show visualization products to a broad public audience. An increased focus on meeting the needs of participants with limited English proficiency, low literacy, or low or no broad- band access has also prompted greater reliance on visual communications. Despite the transformative potential of newer visualization tools for public involvement, their uptake among state departments of transportation (DOTs) has been uneven, and the current state of the practice is not well understood. The objective of this synthesis was to document state DOT practices of visualization for public involvement throughout the life cycle of plans, programs, and projects. Information for this study was gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs. Case examples of four state DOTs provide additional infor- mation on practices of visualization for public involvement throughout the life cycle of plans, programs, and projects. Robin Christians of WSP USA, Inc., Denver, CO, collected and synthesized the information and wrote the report, supported by Pamela Lebeaux, WSP USA, Inc., Washington, DC. The members of the topic panel are acknowledged on page iv. This synthesis is an immediately useful document that records engineering considerations and practices that were acceptable within the limitations of the knowledge available at the time of its preparation. As progress in research and practice continues, new knowledge will be added to that now at hand. 



CONTENTS 1 Summary 4 Chapter 1 Introduction and Background 4 Background 4 Objective and Method 6 Organization 7 Chapter 2 Literature Review 7 Current Status and Trends in Implementing Visualization for Public Involvement 10 Existing Guidance Materials 12 Areas for Further Exploration 13 Chapter 3 State of the Practice 13 Methods and Implementation 19 Guidelines and Procedures 20 Challenges and Barriers 22 Chapter 4 Case Examples 22 General Observations 23 Caltrans 27 Michigan Department of Transportation 31 North Carolina Department of Transportation 36 Utah Department of Transportation 42 Chapter 5 Summary of Findings 42 Background and Objectives 42 Summary of Prior Chapters 43 Barriers to Advanced Visualization for Public Involvement 43 Knowledge Gaps and Suggestions for Further Research 46 References 48 Glossary 49 Abbreviations 50 Appendix A Survey Instrument 56 Appendix B Survey Responses 72 Appendix C Case Example Interview Outline 74 Appendix D Visualization Example Source Links