The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) was honored with the Leader of Innovation Award for its exceptional leadership in driving forward-thinking public engagement strategies. This case study highlights how NCDOT’s collaboration and commitment to innovation are reshaping the future of transportation planning and public involvement across the U.S.
Community Profile
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) oversees a multimodal transportation network serving a diverse population of over 10 million residents.
The state’s diverse geography—from mountainous terrain to low-lying coastal plains— and growing population present unique challenges in maintaining and improving transportation infrastructure.
North Carolina’s population is equally diverse and includes a growing mix of urban and rural residents, significant Hispanic and African American populations (totaling over 34%), and a rising number of older adults, all of whom have distinct mobility needs.
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Population over the age of 65
The Challenge: Streamlining Input and Strengthening Collaboration
NCDOT identified a significant opportunity to streamline the collection and analysis of public input from its numerous Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) across the state. The challenge was to consolidate feedback into a single, accessible system, allowing the department to better track, analyze, and respond to community concerns.
NCDOT staff also wanted to foster stronger collaboration across its teams, ensuring more efficient communication and a unified approach to transportation planning and public engagement. Improved team communication would create smoother workflows and ensure everyone was aligned on planning and engagement efforts.
How PublicInput Was Used
At the core of NCDOT’s success is its commitment to internal collaboration and strong leadership. Spearheaded by staff in the Environmental Analysis Unit, initiatives aimed at improving public engagement were coupled with efforts to foster peer collaboration across departments. This leadership helped align public involvement strategies and set NCDOT apart for its forward-thinking collaborative approach.
By working closely with PublicInput and local transportation planning organizations, NCDOT helped create a platform that centralized all engagement data in one place. This streamlined decision-making and ultimately helped more people get involved in the planning process.
Engagement at Scale: Data-Driven Impact
NCDOT’s engagement dashboard (pictured below) demonstrates the extent of their efforts to involve the public, reinforcing their commitment to be open, inclusive, and data-driven. With PublicInput’s platform, they have centralized community feedback, enabling teams to collaborate more effectively and make better use of public input than ever before.
The results of this approach speak for themselves. Through NCDOT’s centralized engagement platform:
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- 71k participants contributed their input
- 774k survey responses were gathered
- 75k public comments were submitted
- 121k new contacts were collected, expanding outreach
- 444 residents attended public meetings, with 7,440 meeting comments captured
- 2.58 million emails were sent, increasing engagement and awareness
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The Results: Leading Innovation through Collaboration
NCDOT’s commitment to doing things differently has led to real improvements:
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- Centralized Public Input: A single system that makes it easier to track and respond to community feedback
- Increased Transparency & Inclusivity: Simplified the process for residents to have their say in transportation planning
- Improved Decision-Making: Better data supports smarter choices about policies and projects
- Stronger Cross-Department Collaboration: Teams work more effectively by partnering with local organizations to better engage the public
- Leadership in Engagement: Set a new standard for making transportation planning accessible to everyone
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NCDOT’s success demonstrates how internal collaboration, coupled with innovative approaches to public engagement, can drive positive change in government processes. As NCDOT continues to evolve its public engagement strategies, other agencies can look to their example to create stronger connections with the public, increase efficiency, and set new standards for inclusive planning.
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