Who Uses This Site?
Transportation Partners
This site is designed to provide public involvement tools and resources to:
- planners
- project managers
- local and federal authorities
- consultants
- contractors
- other states
- community and advisory groups
General Public
For more information about public meetings and hearings regarding current or planned highway projects, please check Mn/DOT's construction project pages or contact your local district office.
Conflict Resolution for all Stakeholders
Contact the Mn/DOT Ombudsman if you have transportation concerns and complaints related to the planning, programming and project delivery process that you feel have not been resolved through regular channels. The Ombudsman will connect you with the appropriate people to address your issues and also look for ways that Mn/DOT can improve based on your feedback.
Tools & Resources
- Hear Every Voice II: Public Involvement Guidance 2008.pdf
- Planning
- Programming
- Project Development
- Construction
- Maintenance & Operations
Mn/DOT Goals leading to 21st Century Solutions
"To rebuild public trust and confidence in Mn/DOT and the transportation community as a whole."
"To make sure the decisions we make in the future are really being responsive to public values."
"To regenerate a spirit of innovation and creativity in the state of Minnesota."
Tom Sorel,
Transportation Commissioner
Hear Every Voice (HEV):
Mn/DOT Public and Stakeholder Participation Guidance
To involve the public is to Hear Every Voice
Engaging the public is no longer optional. It is the way transportation departments must do business – now and into the future.
Public influences create the context in which transportation professionals must function.
These influences include:
- Funding of Mn/DOT - budgets, staff size, etc.
- Mn/DOT programming and planning decisions
- Project- specific input and effectiveness
- Community and Partner relations
- Statutory and Political mandates
- Quality of Life
In the realities of today, the public and stakeholders are vital partners in providing and maintaining transportation services.
Mn/DOT is confident that public and stakeholder participation will have significant positive impacts on the Department, employees and other transportation partners. The organization recognizes that skill development, access to best practices, along with tools and other resources, must be available.
Hear Every Voice: Mn/DOT Public and Stakeholder Participation Guidance is an initiative to support employee learning and implementation of effective public participation.
The initiative is comprised of – components:
Hear Every Voice – the Document – a documentation of public involvement and stakeholder consultation practices with Mn/DOT, as required by FHWA.
Hear Every Voice - Tools & Resources – on-line access to participation best practices including:
- Foundations of effective participation,
- Planning tools,
- Implementation techniques
- Evaluation tools
- Resource links to FHWA, ASSHTO, and other organizations publications and web sites.
Hear Every Voice – Training and Skill Development – a comprehensive curricula of courses and skill practices to support employees in planning, implementation, evaluation and/or management of public and stakeholder participation.
When to Engage the Public
Participation is a key element at Every Stop Along the Road
Stakeholder consultation and public involvement play an integral role in Mn/DOT’s decision-making processes at every step of a project from planning to project maintenance and operations. In order to fulfill the department’s mission, Mn/DOT is committed to involving members of the public throughout the state in the development and implementation of its plans and programs. In order to “hear every voice,” Mn/DOT’s stakeholder consultation and public involvement processes must be:
- appropriate
- accessible
- transparent
- accountable
- meaningful
- inclusive of the state’s diverse population
Contact
For questions or assistance with your public participation efforts, contact:
Vanessa Levingston
Public Involvement Consultant
Mn/DOT Office of External Partnering
Mail Stop 670
Phone: 651-366-3177
E-mail: vanessa.levingston@state.mn.us
FHWA, ASHHTO and Mn/DOT recognize
U.S. transportation organizations must be redesigned to incorporate public and stakeholder participation OR face an inability to meet their responsibilities.
Training Brochure
Click on this link to see the latest information in the Training Brochure.
To register for a class
- No classes are scheduled at this time; future classes are being planned.