SHARPEN MESSAGING Messages need to be carefully crafted to reach different internal and external stakeholders. Try to be consistent, clear, positive, and relatable. Staff from Connecticut DOT found their messaging to external stakeholders about the CTfastrak BRT was most effective when they focused more on describing what people could do with the BRT rather than on the technical details about the busway infrastructure they were proposing. Mayor DeMaria has already been quite effective in articulating his vision for BRT in Everett as a delivery mechanism for unlocking a host of valuable benefits to the city that are not directly tied to transportation or mobility, such as creation and preservation of affordability, cleaner air, and the ability to “walk to the corner store to get an ice cream with your kids as in the days of yesteryear.”34
EMPOWER PROJECT PROPONENTS Identify supporters of the BRT project and provide them with the information and tools they need to promote the project as surrogates for city staff. Community advocates whose mission is complementary to public transit (i.e., walking, biking, public health) should be empowered with knowledge about the design, operations, and benefits of the BRT so they can communicate that to their constituents. These proponents can help amplify the city’s message, effectively extending the city’s public engagement resources.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY The cities of Everett and Boston can approach public engagement for the BRT corridor as a way to authentically connect with the communities served by the BRT, genuinely listening and responding to their concerns, and ultimately building a coalition of support for the project. Recommendations for more effective BRT engagement include:35 Public outreach and community engagement needs to begin immediately and continue through detailed planning, construction, and launch of the service. Community engagement for the project should actively try to reach as many of the diverse constituents as possible, not just the few who are able and comfortable to attend public meetings regularly. Work through grassroots and community-serving organizations to reach the people most impacted by the project and bring diverse voices to the table. Special attention should be paid to including neighborhoods and demographics that have historically been marginalized and negatively
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DeMaria 2020a. Carrigan, Wallerce, and Kodransky 2019.
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