Community Impact Assessment Strategic Plan
Introduction
This pamphlet was developed by the Florida Department of Transportation in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), for transportation managers to promote the importance of Community Impact Assessment (CIA) in transportation decisionmaking within their respective organizations. The pamphlet contains the principles behind community impact assessment, and outlines main focus areas, program benefits, and methods to integrate and institutionalize this key component of transportation decisionmaking. Other community impact assessment resource documents, available through FHWA, are also referenced in the pamphlet. This document serves to strongly encourage managers to put CIA into practice with in their organizations and to actively partner with FHWA in such efforts. The benefits to the organization and the citizenry will be self-evident. FHWA will continue to work closely with states that embrace and practice this concept. CIA must become a way of doing business for transportation decisions to fully meet the needs of communities. As a manager, your response to this initiative is a key element to program development. Come and join us in this effort!
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What is CIA?
CIA stands for Community Impact Assessment, and includes the process to evaluate the effects of a transportation action on communities and their quality of life - the human environment. Its focus is on the early and continuous gathering of information from the community and other sources. This information is used as input into transportation decisionmaking throughout the planning, project development, design, mitigation, and construction of a project.
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What are the Main Focus Areas of CIA?
- Early Identification of Community Issues
The CIA process identifies community values, issues, problems, and affordable solutions in concert with other programs early in transportation decisionmaking.
Community values have been defined as:
"A set of ideals, which are openly practiced or hidden, that are shared among individuals that identify themselves as a group. Community values are often expressed in written, oral, ritual or symbolic forms to communicate these ideals to the group or others. These values, which may evolve over time, may relate to family, education, government, recreation, social class, communication networks,
health and general welfare."
(FDOT, 1999)
- Proactive, Inclusive Problem Solving and Collaborative Decisionmaking
Networking with the community, the process promotes the early and continued involvement of community groups through proactive outreach
initiatives; provides for open access to decisionmakers; shares information between the transportation organization and the various communities, groups, and
agencies; and collaborates in decisionmaking to mutually solve community problems.
- Continuous Process that Transitions Throughout Project Development
The CIA process begins in transportation planning and ultimately continues throughout the life of the project.
- Community-based Decisionmaking
The CIA process contributes to and strengthens transportation decisionmaking, formulating plans and programs that are based on community values. Potential problems and solutions can be brainstormed with the communities and evaluated early in the process so that concerns are recognized and addressed. This approach creates a broad decisionmaking framework for problem solving and
is a positive enabling environment for meeting community goals.
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Why is CIA Important to a Transportation Organization?
- Good Business Practice
Transportation organizations gain support for transportation improvements which are based on community values. This enables the organization to more effectively and efficiently meet its mission. Thus, the improvement becomes a "positive" contribution to the well-being of the community. As a result, the organization attains its goals and gains the respect, credibility, and trust of the community.
- Stabilize Work Programs
An informed public and open-participatory process reduces the uncertainty and provides a high degree of project success.
- It's the Right Thing to Do!
CIA allows the transportation organization to best serve the community, solve problems, and improve the quality of life, while meeting its mission
What are the Benefits of CIA?
- Increased Efficiency and Effectiveness
- Time and resources are wisely spent.
- Conflicts are reduced.
- The timing from concept to completion can be reduced.
- Resources can be diverted from dead-end, doomed projects.
- Promotes Partnering and Program Integration
- Jointly identifies solutions to common problems.
- Integrates partnering and streamlining into daily activities.
- Provides opportunities for mutual goal attainment, reducing duplication of effort and additional expenditures.
- Builds strong concensus.
- Addresses Environmental Justice Issues
- Includes the "traditionally underserved" citizens in desionmaking.
- Promotes equal and open access to information and descionmakers by all citizens.
- Heightens sensitivity toward civil rights and environmental justice considerations.
- Enhanced Quality of Life
- Transportation improvements reflect community values.
- Mobility needs are better met.
- Community issues are addressed.
- Everybody wins!
Additional Information regarding CIA principles and practices can be
obtained from:
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Human Environment
HEPH-10
400 7th Street, S.W., Room 3301
Washington, D.C. 20590
(202)366-0106
Web address:
www.fhwa.dot.gov
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