Abstract:
The new guidelines are clear that Title VI and Environmental Justice apply to all transportation decisions. Starting with policy decisions through operations and maintenance, the U.S. DOT Order applies to all programs, and other activities that are undertaken, funded, or approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), or other U.S. DOT components. Involving the public at every stage of the transportation process is not a new concept. Historically there are many metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), state and local agencies that have conducted extensive public involvement programs because that was the practical, cost-effective and efficient way to provide transportation services. So what is the fuss all about? Not all of the transportation providers and oversight agencies did the right things for the right reasons. Too often the people who had the most limited access to the decision process were not included. Black, Hispanic, Asian American, American Indian and Alaskan Native, and Low-Income people were easily overlooked when public involvement processes were designed and implemented. It was too easy to dismiss these folks with the comment, “We sent everyone a notice but these people did not call or attend the meetings that were held.” And frequently this apologetic was accepted by reviewing agencies. The bottom line is that public involvement can help transportation planners meet the environmental justice requirements and to do the right things for the right reasons. Minority and low-income people do not want bad planning or bad engineering. They want to be included in the transportation decisions that affect their daily lives. They may need extra help in working with transportation planners because they do not have the time and money to be on equal footing with the dominant society members. It is in our best interests to accommodate the needs of minority and low income people. This paper will give planners some of the questions that they may want to answer before they design a public involvement process.
