Planning Games And Public Participation

In 1997, the Charlotte County-Punta Gorda Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) evaluated its 4-year history of public involvement programs. Although some of the techniques were cited by the Federal Highway Administration in a best practices publication, the evaluation concluded that only general issues were being identified. The evaluation recommended that the MPO survey for specific needs in the context of costs and available revenues. A game-like survey instrument was developed to survey for more specific and detailed information. The technique of incorporating simulation and gaming qualities into the process proved so successful that several more games were developed for different situations, including Strings and Ribbons, Group Grope (Thiagarajan, 1995), and Wheel of Needs. As a consequence, participation has increased, events are more fun for both the citizens and staff, complicated information is easily transferred between citizen and staff, and the diversity of participants has increased. The games allow for humor, fun, and positive interaction. They have been used to generate data for project selection criteria analysis, to develop a sidewalk and bikeway needs list, to improve short term (under 5 minute) interaction with citizens at shopping malls and Chamber of Commerce expos, and improve brainstorming/prioritization events.

• Digital Copy:
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• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Beever, Lisa B
  • Wagner, Nancy
• Conference:
  • Seventh National Conference on Transportation Planning for Small and Medium-Sized Communities
  • Location: Little Rock Arkansas, United States
  • Date: 2000-9-28 to 2000-9-30
• Publication Date: 2000

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: Seventh National Conference on Transportation Planning for Small and Medium-Sized Communities, September 28-30, 2000, Little Rock, Arkansas

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Best practices; Bikeways; Costs; Game theory; Metropolitan planning organizations; Needs assessment; Public participation; Revenues; Shopping centers; Sidewalks; Simulation; Strategic planning; Transportation planning
• Uncontrolled Terms: Project selection
• Geographic Terms: Florida
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; Terminals and Facilities; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01042441
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 28 2007 2:30PM