One of the most important questions INDOT asks at the end of a planning process is, “How effective was the process?” It is important to determine whether goals were met, how information received was used, and how best to improve the process.
Examples of ways INDOT determines if the approaches and techniques used during the planning process were effective include:
INDOT uses participation compiled throughout the planning process to identify trends over the years. This informs INDOT whether the techniques used to provide public outreach are effective to the public or whether INDOT should use different strategies.
Surveys to Measure Public Engagement
INDOT uses surveys to engage with planning partners, including Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Regional Planning Organizations (RPOs), Local Public Agencies (LPAs), other stakeholders, and the general public and inquire about the effectiveness of the planning processes.
Surveys are often sent at key times, for example, upon the completion of a new Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) or Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).
Additionally, INDOT uses surveys and a 60-day comment period to solicit comments from nonmetropolitan local officials. All comments received through this process are documented and addressed in the plans, or if not addressed, the reasons for that decision are provided to the nonmetropolitan local officials or their associations.
For sample templates of post-meeting surveys, please refer to the attachments below:
For the online post-meeting surveys, click the links below: