By: Amy Elmore, AICP, Strategic Safety and Innovation Manager | EXP
In the world of transportation and safety planning, the question is not, “Do we engage the public?” The question is, “How do we do it well?” As a Strategic Safety and Innovation Manager, I’ve spent my career answering this question with three core values: innovation, data and empathy.
These values are not just buzzwords. They are the foundation of engagement strategies that work – strategies that don’t just inform the public, but inspire trust, action and shared ownership. When you get the balance right, people don’t just participate, they feel seen, heard and part of the solution.
Innovation: Meeting people where they are – not where it’s convenient for us
Real engagement starts with creativity. If our outreach only shows up in government buildings, inboxes or social media posts, we often miss those most impacted by the decisions we make.
When working on the RideSMART2Daytona campaign in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation, District Five, instead of a standard motorcycle safety public service announcement (PSA), we partnered with a local influencer and non-profit, Smiles Fur Miles, whose therapy dog has gone viral on social media for her ability to ride cars, motorcycles and even owns her own airplane. Therapy dog Koda the Fluff stars in videos with poignant messages that remind viewers to ride smart and stay safe. These short, engaging videos catch viewers’ attention and send a message in a creative and heartfelt way. By accompanying this memorable video with a comprehensive communications strategy, including utilizing geotargeted advertising in high-crash areas and multilingual digital content, we maximized our overall reach.
The results were:
- Over one million people reached.
- Safety messages that bikers shared.
- A data-driven campaign strategy that was memorable and created behavior change.
Data: Building a strategy before you build a survey
To create a survey that will inform your project, it is essential to know your audience. Surveys are a common and effective way to gather and analyze public opinion. But truly meaningful outreach starts before the survey hits the streets.
When EXP led public engagement for the Access2050 Long Range Transportation Plan for the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization, we let data guide every step. First, we identified benchmarks for success with the client at the start of the project. Then when corresponding with the public, we used targeted digital ads and geographic and demographic GIS analysis to ensure we heard a wide range of voices. Lastly, we continuously monitored the campaign metrics, which allowed us to assess and pivot our strategy when necessary.
Empathy: Planning with people, not just for people
From 2023 to 2025, EXP worked with the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority on the Connected Community Bus Network Plan. The plan impacted many residents that do not actively use or have access to digital platforms. To engage an audience not traditionally found on these platforms and collect meaningful data, our team met these citizens where they were. Our team road the public transit bus routes and performed on-the-spot interviews with passengers. If our strategy only included digital tools, instead of a comprehensive approach, we would have excluded voices of senior citizens, people with limited English proficiency, individuals in low-income areas and people without smartphones or access to the internet.
Feedback informed and shaped the plan. The response from the public was positive, with participants stating that they felt heard and valued. By meeting people where they are, you can design an engagement strategy that removes barriers and builds trust with your audience.
A formula for engagement that works
The best engagement strategy is not the flashiest or the loudest, but the most intentional. By prioritizing the core values of innovation, the purposeful collection of robust and representative data and empathetic listening and communication skills from start to finish, project teams can create strategies that capture attention, build trust and lead to informed decisions. It is crucial to lead with purpose, because when we get engagement right, we don’t just improve projects – we improve lives.