Two one-day workshops covering public involvement and communication skills; case studies of bridge projects integrating CSS principles; and a group exercise to develop a public involvement strategy for a current MassDOT bridge project.
Beginning in September 2008, the consultant team conducted several introductory and brainstorming conference calls with six staff members at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT, formerly MassHighway) and the FHWA Division office. The group decided to focus technical assistance efforts on working with the bridge division because: 1) their staff had not been fully included in previous CSS-related efforts; 2) the DOT has primary control over all bridge projects (as opposed to roadway projects, many of which are initiated and developed by municipalities); and 3) a recently approved Accelerated Bridge Program had greatly increased the funding and activity in the bridge division. In 2006, MassDOT developed a new Project Development and Design Guide that should be followed for all projects but which was not specifically written for bridge projects. Other interdepartmental challenges had led to the bridge division managing their own projects without involvement of the Project Management office, and thus bridge division personnel were not exposed to the same training and operating procedures as other agency project managers. Nonetheless, the bridge division needed to include aspects of CSS in their work, such as early coordination, scoping from the beginning of the project, public involvement, wildlife and recreational accommodations.
The Technical Assistance consisted of two one-day workshops held on May 4th and 5th, 2009 in Boston for a total of 78 participants.
