Improving Virtual Public Involvement in Transportation Agencies (2026)
Chapter: Summary
SUMMARY
Improving Virtual Public Involvement in Transportation Agencies
Virtual public involvement (VPI), defined by the Federal Highway Administration as “the use of digital technology to engage individuals or to visualize projects or plans,” has become an essential part of public participation in transportation decision-making in the United States (FHWA HEP 2024). VPI has reduced barriers to participation for many people, while presenting challenges for others.
VPI was on the rise well before the COVID-19 pandemic brought it into the mainstream of public involvement practice. However, the rushed pace of VPI implementation has left agencies with limited guidance on choosing, customizing, and using VPI tools effectively. Through structured research, the research teamʼs objective for NCHRP Project 08-142, “Virtual Public Involvement: A Manual for Effective, and Accessible Public Involvement” was to provide a comprehensive reference on VPI suitable for both beginning and experienced public involvement practitioners, project managers, and other agency staff.
The research for this guide was intended to capture and distill key principles and practical tips for VPI use from the insights of diverse practitioners throughout the United States, along with members of the public who participated in experience-based user testing. The research included the following:
- An extensive literature review, drawn primarily from Internet resources, recorded webinars, conference presentations, industry publications, and case study reports
- A nationwide survey of state departments of transportation and regional planning organizations on their experiences using VPI during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Interviews with experts from the nonprofit sector on how they engaged with the populations they serve
- Virtual focus groups with agency and private-sector practitioners across the United States, providing in-depth discovery on issues, challenges, and best practices for VPI
- User experience research with members of the public, who provided real-time reactions and feedback on their experiences with a variety of self-guided engagement tools
The resulting guide is designed to help practitioners select, create, use, and evaluate VPI tools and techniques for transportation plans and projects. It covers the following topics:
- The federal policy context for VPI
- The toolkit, with descriptions of 27 tools in use along with examples, best practice guidelines, and practical tips on how to get the most benefit from each tool
- Advice on planning for VPI, including how to work with communities at each step to co-create a public involvement process through goal setting, audience identification, and a tool-selection process that integrates VPI and traditional tools
- Designing effective information for use in VPI
- Applying the principles of user experience design to develop engagement experiences that resonate with VPI participants
- Strategies for addressing the digital divide and other accessibility considerations
- How to prepare and conduct effective virtual meetings, including meeting design, logistics, preparation, facilitation, and follow-up
- Approaches for measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of VPI, including quantitative and qualitative indicators
