Local transportation planners want more input from sectors they sometimes don't hear from. So, the OKI Regional Council of Governments is changing the way it collects public input.
Communications and Legislative Affairs Manager Julia Brossart says they're trying to reach more people who may not have had much of a voice in transportation planning before.
“We will work particularly with the elderly, low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and households in our region that have no car,” she says, adding that OKI will use more online outreach, like surveys and social media.
She says they want to trust what they get.
“We put human guardrails in place. With the rise of artificial intelligence, we all are learning that a human involved in all input is key to success, and getting really good, positive input that we can actually work on in a meaningful way.”
Brossart says the OKI Regional Council of Governments covers eight counties across the Tri-State, each with very different needs. That includes Butler, Hamilton, Warren and Clermont counties in Ohio; southeast Indiana’s Dearborn County; and northern Kentucky’s Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties.
She says public input on transportation issues carries a lot of weight, so they also made plain-language improvements to documents on its website, to make them clearer and easier for everyone to understand.
“Our transportation system only creates a quality place to live, work and play if it works for everyone,” she says. “We want a safe, viable, economically vibrant transportation system. It is a requirement and important for that to work to hear from every person.”
Brossart says a public participation plan is a federal requirement.
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