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Improving Connectivity: The Custer Interchange Project
Appendix C Public Relations Skill Set
| Idea Name |
Detailed Description |
Implementation Details
(barriers, skills set coordination, etc.) |
| Market Research |
- Market research and stakeholder identification. See what the public is actually saying they want done.
- Need to focus on the public's needs.
- Main issue - close Custer or keep it open during construction.
- Public communication plan.
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Conduct a public survey early. |
| Access |
- Passive access control will be an issue the public and businesses are going to be interested in.
- Early property owner research - access issues.
- Take advantage to what is adjacent to the highway - certain land owners. For example - the IR, have them buy in to the project so they know what is going on, on a day to day basis.
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| Positive Project Name |
Have a new "positive" name for the project. The public doesn't look at it negatively now, they just want it built. Other states have used public/media to help name the project.
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| Selling Points |
- The new interchange will take some traffic volume off of N. Montana and Custer, initially. Use this positive aspect to "sell" the project to the public?
- Reduce delay.
- Better facility when project is complete.
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| Funding Issues |
- Community does not understand that we don't have the necessary funding yet to build in 2011.
- Campaign to tell public how funding works?
- Seek alternative funding sources? Cost sharing - city/county?
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| Internal Information |
Keep MDT employees informed and positive about the project. |
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| Public Outreach |
- Full time public information/designated spokesman officer for the Custer Interchange? Maybe third party to inform public? Make this part of contract? This has been successful in other states as well as Montana.
- Use radio to update the public. Also, television - morning and nightly news, traffic updates. MDT has used this before. Also, phone number with up to date info about traffic during construction.
- Mailing list/Newsletter - "sign up here to receive an email about construction/traffic".
- Chamber of Commerce has been very involved - they should stay involved in the project.
- Model traffic congestion, so public can see the traffic in action. On our website?
- Educate students. Go to schools to educate about new interchange construction. Engineering/construction PR. Need elementary teaching tools for the public to show how highways are built?
- Accelerated bridge construction has a positive impact on the public.
- Need to have Public Relation plan.
- Implement Pre/Post construction surveys?
- We need a good Custer Interchange website.
- Questionnaire in newspaper about how public perceives construction/traffic?
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| Local Employer Communication |
- Biggest business/chamber complaint has been reduced business from area businesses.
- Determine markets/large businesses that create traffic through the project and keep these key businesses informed throughout the construction of the project.
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| Negatives vs. Positives |
Negatives
- Funding - project delay.
- Communication to community.
- Lack of knowledge.
- 2 years to go on design.
- 2011 construction date?
- 2 season construction project.
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Positives
- Will public and media like alternative bidding methods?
- Could be a large national construction firm building the project - We could use alternative bidding process to accelerate construction?
- By accelerating construction - We can save the public costs.
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| Emergency Response |
Emergency Response - need to coordinate with them about the construction project. (May not impact Custer. Emergency services do not use Custer now.) |
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Contact
Construction Feedback
E-mail Construction
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Updated: 04/04/2011 |
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