01515416

Component

States facing declining fuel tax revenues and increasing road infrastructure needs must not only find feasible solutions, but must also communicate them successfully to the public. Oregon began investigating new methods of funding its transportation system in the early 2000s. The Road Usage Charge Pilot Project, completed in early 2013, tested the feasibility of a per-mile fee system with a group of volunteer participants. The project team employed an online social media strategy with a project-specific website, blog, and video that provided both information to website users and a forum for discussion about the issues surrounding the project. The project revealed the efficacy of social media in communicating complex, technical issues to the public, and creating effective engagement that provided the Oregon Department of Transportation with useful feedback. As the federal government and states continue to experience declining fuel tax receipts, new transportation funding solutions must be found. Effective communication and engagement with the public is key to helping move these proposals forward.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADA60 Public Involvement in Transportation.

01503729

14-4589

English

9p

2014

Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; References

Communication; Financing; Infrastructure; Mileage-based user fees; Outreach; Pilot studies; Social media

Oregon Department of Transportation

Oregon

Data and Information Technology; Finance; Highways; Policy; I70: Traffic and Transport

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2014 Paper #14-4589

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Jan 27 2014 3:36PM