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Public Participation Plan

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11 South  S

Public Participation  Plan

The Adirondack  /  Glens  Falls  Transportation  Council  (A/GFTC)  is  the  designated  Metropolitan
Planning  Organization  (MPO)  for  the  Planning  and  Programming  Area  that  includes  all  of
Warren  County,  all of  Washington  County,  and  the Town  of  Moreau  and  Village  of  South  Glens
Falls  in northern  Saratoga  County.  A/GFTC  is  responsible  for  facilitating  a  regional
transportation  planning  and  programming  process that  is  continuing,  cooperative  and
comprehensive  for  all  area  projects  and activities  eligible  for  funding  through  the  Federal
Highway  and  Federal  Transit Administrations.  The  active  participation  of  the  public  and
community  as  a  whole,  in  addition  to  area  elected  officials  and  municipal  professionals,  is
necessary  in  order  for the  transportation  planning  process  to  be  effective.

A/GFTC  is  committed  to  facilitating  meaningful  public  participation.  This document  will  outline
a  standard  policy  for  encouraging  public input  and  ensuring  access to major  A/GFTC  activities
and  products.

A.  Meetings,  Appearances  and  Access  to  Staff

A/GFTC  holds  meetings  that  allow  frequent  access to the  planning  process,  including  Technical
Advisory  Committee  meetings  (generally  every  six  to  eight  weeks)  and  two to  three  Policy
Committee  meetings  annually.  These meetings  are  open  to  the  public  and  always  held  in
accessible  locations.  Hearing ‐ or sight ‐impaired  or  limited  English‐ speaking  individuals  will  be
provided  with

assistance  if  A/GFTC  is  given  timely  advance  notification.  All meetings  are
announced  at  least  one  week  prior  to  the  event  and  are open  to  the  public.  Time  is  allotted  on
all  Technical  Advisory  and  Policy  Committee  meeting  agendas  for  visitors issues.   Although rare,
any  special  meetings  of  these  committees  outside  of  those  that are  regularly  scheduled  will  beadvertised  and  conducted  under the  same  set  of  procedures.

Aside  from  regular  committee  meetings,  the  Council  periodically  engages  in  specific  planning
studies  that  require  involvement  of  individuals  that  may  have  a  direct  personal  or professional
stake  in  the  outcome  of  the  study.  Public  input  is  critical  during these  studies  to  ensure  that a
wide  variety  of  issues  and  alternatives  are identified  and addressed.  Outreach  efforts  need  to
be  appropriately  tailored  to  community  interests  in  order  to generate  involvement.  In  the  past,
A/GFTC  has  advertised  local  planning  initiatives  in  smaller  local print  publications  and  by
posting  notices  at  community  gathering  points  such as  banks,  churches,  restaurants, stores,  and
recreational  facilities.  The Council  also  strives  to  hold  public  meetings  at  locations  and  times
that  are  accessible  and  convenient  to  local  stakeholders,  often in  conjunction  with  recurring
Adirondack  /
G lens
Falls
T ransportation
C ouncil

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municipal  meetings  to  maximize  outreach.  Non ‐traditional  meeting  venues  will  also  be
considered  provided  that  those  locations  are  universally  accessible.
Public  appearances  do  not  necessarily  have  to  be  tied  to  a  specific  project  or initiative.  A/GFTC
staff  has been  and  will continue  to  be  present  at  different  locations  throughout  the  year  such  as
local  commercial  centers,  recreational  areas,  libraries,  community  expos  and  other  locations  or
functions  that  could  generate  interaction  between  staff  and the public.  Informational  materials,
draft  documents  and  comment  forms are  provided  to  encourage  feedback  and  to communicate
the  significance  of  local  involvement  in the  planning  process.  Public  appearances  are
announced  in  advance  with  information  on  dates,  times,  and  locations.

The  A/GFTC  office  is  located  in downtown  Glens  Falls  within  the  handicap ‐accessible  Empire
Theater  Plaza, near  many  other  services  and  destinations  and  accessible  by  public  transit.  Staff
members  are  available  to  discuss  issues  and  concerns  with  members  of  the  public.  Response  to
public  requests  and  inquiries  is given  a  high  priority.

B.  Access  to  Planning  Documents

The  core  documents  produced  by  A/GFTC  that  serve  to  govern  the  Council’s  programs  and
policies  in accordance  with  the Final  Metropolitan  Planning Rule  are  the Long  Range  Plan , the
Transportation  Improvement  Program , and  the Unified  Planning  Work  Program .
 The  Long  Range  Plan  (LRP)  establishes  a program  of both  short ‐
and long‐term  goals  and recommendations  for  a  planning  horizon  of  20 ‐25  years,  and  is designed  to  facilitate  the
development  of an  integrated  and  efficient  intermodal  transportation  system.  The  LRP  is
updated  once every  four  years;  the current  LRP for  A/GFTC  is  2035  Ahead.

 The  Transportation  Improvement  Program  (TIP)  is  a  listing  of  capital  surface
transportation  projects  that  are  selected  and  programmed  to  receive  federal funding.
The  TIP  is  updated  every two  years  and  represents  a  prioritized  listing  of  projects
intended  to address  the  challenges  and  opportunities  listed  in the  LRP.
 The  Unified  Planning  Work  Program  (UPWP) is   the  annual  work  program
that  identifies
the  transportation  planning  and  programming  activities  that  are  to be  undertaken  by
the  staff  in support  of the  Council  during  the current  State  Fiscal  Year(s).  The  UPWP
coordinates  annual tasks  that  the  MPO  hopes  to accomplish  in  support  of the  LRP
through  the  use  of  FHWA  and  FTA funding  in  addition  to  local  and
state  contributions.

Figure  1  illustrates  the  relationship  between  the  major  products  of the  MPO  process  and  the
development  of capital  projects,  as  well  as the  numerous  opportunities  for  public  involvement
that  are  available  throughout  that  process.

In  addition  to  the  core  documents,  A/GFTC  will  typically  enga
ge in  1‐3  individual  projects  per
year  that  are  listed  in that  year’s  UPWP  as  distinct  tasks. The  reports  that  result  from  the
execution  of those  tasks  are  considered  to  be  major  planning  studies.

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Local
Municipalities
(cities, towns, and villages) Federal and State
Transportation Officials
Counties
Adirondack / Glens Falls Transportation Council
Work Program
(UPWP)
Issue and Project Identification
Project
prioritization and selection
Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP)
Project design
and
construction
Long Range
Transportation Plan

Public
Involvement

Public
Involvement
Figure  1 ‐ Public  Involvement  Opportunities  in  the  MPO  Process
Public
Transportation
Operator (GGFT)

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The  following  requirements  have  been  established  by  A/GFTC  and  will be  followed  during  the
production  of  the  Long  Range  Plan,  TIP, UPWP,  and major  planning  studies:

1. Core  documents  and  major  planning  studies  are  developed  in  consultation  with  the
public  and  affected  local,  State,  and  municipal  planning,  economic  development,  and
environmental  organizations.
2. Draft  versions  of  all  MPO  core  documents  and  major  planning  studies  will  be  made
available  to  the  public  for  review  and  comment  for a  period  of  at  least  thirty  days.
3. Legal  notices  will accompany   public comment  periods for draft  core  documents.  Copies
of  those  draft  core documents  are  to be  made  available  at  loca
l municipal  offices  and public  libraries.  Those  locations  are listed  on  the  A/GFTC  website  when  the  documents
are  distributed.
4. Copies  of  documents  will  be  made  available  to  individuals  with  disabilities  upon  request
by  mail  or  direct  consultation  by  appointment  as  is  reasonable  and  warranted.
5. All  draft  documents  are  available  on  A/GFTC’s  website.  The  site  features  links  to
comment  modules for  each  document.
6. All  public  comments  received  are  documented  and  considered  by  A/GFTC  staff  and the
TAC  for  incorporation  into  each  final  document  as  is  warranted  and  appropriate  prior  to
the  adoption  of  final  documents  by  the  Policy  Committee.
7. Major  comments  that  generate  significant  revisions  between  publically ‐distributed

draft documents  and  final  documents  will  be  summarized  and included  as  appendices  to
those  documents.

Throughout  any  given  program  year, A/GFTC  staff  utilizes  consultant  contracts  to  facilitate
smaller‐ scale planning  and  engineering  assistance  to  participating  memb
er municipalities.
These  efforts  are  typically  less  time  intensive  than  conventional  planning  studies  and  are
targeted  towards  addressing  a  local,  rather  than  a  regional  issue, transportation  issue.  The
resulting  reports  are  generally  not  adopted  by Policy  Committee.  A  process  similar  to  the  one
noted  above for  core  documents  and  major  planning  studies  will  be  followed  for  these  technical
assistance  contracts  and  other  A/GFTC  activities  that  result  in  a written  report,  hereby
referenced  collectively  as  technical  reports.
1. Technical  reports

are developed  in  consultation  with  the public  and  affected  local,
State,  and  municipal  planning,  economic  development,  and environmental
organizations.
2. Prior  to  finalizing  the  documents,  draft  versions
of  technical  reports  will  be  posted
online  at  the  A/GFTC  website  for  public  review  for  a  period  of  fourteen  days.
3. Copies  of  draft  documents  will  be  made  available  to  individuals  with  disabilities  upon
request  by mail  or  direct  consultation  by appointment  as  is  reasonable  and  warranted.
4. All  public  comments  received  are  documented  and

considered  by  A/GFTC  staff  and the
TAC  for  incorporation  into  each  final  document  as  is  warranted  and  appropriate.

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5.
Major  comments  that  generate  significant  revisions  between  publically ‐distributed  draft
documents  and  final  documents  will  be  summarized  and included  as  appendices  to
those  documents.

C.   Communications

A/GFTC  Website
The  A/GFTC  website  ( www.agftc.org
) was  developed  in  2001  with  the goal  of  facilitating  public
involvement  as a  high  priority.  Draft  documents,  final  publications,  meeting  announcements,
agendas  and  meeting  minutes  are  all available  for  review  and  comment.  A/GFTC  requires
consultants  to  provide  electronic  copies  of  all  documents  produced  for  the  Council  to  facilitate
online  viewing  by  and  email  distribution  to  interested  parties.  A  separate  link  to  contact  staff
directly  is  easily  accessed  from  the  home  page,  and  all  draft  documents  include  an  electronic

comment  form that generates  an  e ‐mail  message  to  A/GFTC  staff  at the  request  of the  user  (the
site  also  contains  phone,  fax,  and  mailing  contact  information  for  A/GFTC  staff).  The  webs
ite
has  become  the  principal  mode  for  the  sharing  and distribution  of  documents.  Although  the  site
is  an  effective  tool  for  posting  news  on  recent  staff  activities  and  publishing  documents  and
announcements,  utilization  of  the  site  by  the  public  to  submit  comments  and  suggestions  is
infrequent.

Social  Media
A/GFTC  has  a  dedicated  organizational  Facebook  page  and  Twitter  account  that  can  used  to
distribute  project  development  updates  and

meeting  announcements  and to post  draft
documents.  The inherent  advantages  of  these  platforms is  that  they  allow  for  immediate  public
interaction  and  entail  minimal  staff  effort.  However,  the  effective  range  is  limited  to  enrollees
and

their  online  connections.  Staff will continue  to  use  these  platforms  as  a  supplement  to  the
website,  monitor  emerging  online interaction  platform  trends and adjust  outreach  activities
accordingly.

Conventional  media  (mailing,  print,  radio,  and  television)
Given  the  widespread  availability  and  usage  of  online  information  and  social  interaction  sites,
A/GFTC  has  become  less  reliant  upon  conventional  media.  Staff

has  determined  that  mass
circulation  of  printed  materials  is   generally  costly,  consumptive,  and  inefficient.  Printed
materials  are  still  deployed  on  a  limited  basis  and are individually  available  upon  request.
A/GFTC  periodically  conducts  targeted mailings  and  surveys  via  conventional  mail,  and mail
remains  the  primary  means  to  communicate  funding  and  programming  opportunities  to
A/GFTC  member  municipalities.

Print

media  coverage  of  A/GFTC  activities  from  daily  and  weekly  publications  has  been  poor.
Press  releases  often  do not  generate  the  desired  responses;  many  A/GFTC  planning  activities,
regardless  of  scale,  go  largely  unreported.  Advertising  in  print  media  has also  been  determined
by  staff  to be  of  high  cost  and  low yield.  A/GFTC  will  continue  to  purchase  legal  notices  to
announce  public  comment  periods

for  draft  core  documents.  Staff will also  continue  to  send
out  press  releases  regarding  ongoing planning  efforts  and  related  public  workshops

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Utilization  of  local  radio  stations  has proven  to  yield  mixed  results  for A/GFTC.  Targeted
communications  to  local  stations  regarding  specific  ongoing  planning  studies  have  generated
favorable  responses  and  occasional  on ‐air  interview  opportunities.  However,  radio  advertising
has  not  proven  to  be  a  cost ‐effective  means  of  notification  regarding  A/GFTC  activities.

Television  coverage  opportunities  for  A/GFTC  are  limited.  The  A/GFTC  area  is  generally
considered  to  be  part  of  the  larger  Albany ‐Schene

ctady ‐Troy  media  market;  most  network
coverage  is  centered  around  the  greater  Capital District.  Coverage  from  Look  TV,  an
independent  station,  and  YNN,  a 24 ‐hour  cable  local  news  network,  has  been  fair,  with
occasional  responses  to  press  releases  resulting  in  on ‐air  interview  opportunities  as  well  as
televised  meeting  reports.  Staff

has  invested  no  money  directed  towards  TV  advertising,  but
will  continue  to  notify  TV  stations  of  ongoing  events  via  press  release.

D. Summary  of  Action  Items

Public  involvement  is  critical  to  the  transportation  planning  process  for  several  reasons,
including  broadening  the  array  of issues  that  can  be  identified  to maximize  responsiveness  to
public  issues  and  concerns,  increasing  the  sense  of  ownership  and  influence  on  a  project  or
initiative,  facilitating  public  consensus,  and  enhanced  public  awareness.  Providing  avenues for
public  access  to  the  planning  process  at  every  practical  opportunity  is  essential,

but  the
participating  public must  also  know  their  comments  and  suggestions  will be  taken  seriously.
A/GFTC  will  continue  to  implement  the  following  procedures  to  maximize  meaningful  and
ongoing  public  participation:

Meetings,  Appearances  and  Access  to  Staff

A. All  A/GFTC  Technical  Advisory  Committee  and  Policy  Committee  meetings  are  open  to
the  public  and  held  in accessible  locations.
B. Advance  notification  will  be  given  for  planned  public appearances.
C. A/GFTC  will  continue  to  staff  a professional  office  in  an  accessible  location.
D. Staff  is available  to  the  public  during  office hours  or  by  appointment  if  necessary.
E. Responsiveness  to  public  inquiries  will  be  given  top  priority.

Access  to  Planning  Documents

A. Core  documents  and  major  planning  studies  will  be:
1. produced  in  consultation  with  the public  as  well  as affected  public  and  regional
agencies.
2. made  available  in  draft  form  online  and  individually  upon  request  for  a  public
comment  period of  no  less  than  30  days,  with  public  comment  periods
advertised  in  local  media.  Copies  of  draft  core
documents will  also  be made
available  at  local  municipal  offices  and  libraries  during  the public  comment
periods.
3. finalized  via adoption  by  the  Policy  Committee  after  consideration  and
documentation  of  any  substantive  public  comments  submitted  and received
during  the public  comment  periods.

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B.
Technical  reports  will be:
1. produced  in  consultation  with  the public  as  well  as affected  public  and  regional
agencies.
2. made  available  in  draft  form  online  for  a  period  of  14  days.
3. finalized  by the  Technical  Advisory  Committee  after  consideration  and
documentation  of  any  substantive  public  comments  submitted  and received
during

the  public  comment  periods.

Communications

A. The  A/GFTC  website  will  be  the  primary  means  of  outgoing  communication.  Draft and
final  documents,  meeting  announcements  and updates  of  ongoing  staff  and consultant
activities  will  continue  to  be  posted.
B. Social  media  sites  will  be  maintained  and  used  to  supplement  website  postings.  Postings
on  these  sites  are  to:
1. provide  public  notification  of  scheduled  meetings  and
appearances.
2. provide  public  notification  of  the  availability  of  draft  documents  and  public
comment  periods.
3. provide  alternative  means  for  public  comment  and questions.
C. Legal  notices  will be  purchased  to  announce  public  comment  periods for and  the
availability  of  draft  core  documents.
D. Press  releases  will  be  used  to  announce:
1. public  meet

ings  associated  with  major  planning  studies.
2. public  comment  periods for and  the availability  of  draft  core  documents.
E. Targeted  surveys,  mailings,  and  public  postings  will  be  used  to  publicize  and  generate
public  comment  on ongoing  major  planning  studies  and  technical  reports  as  is
warranted  by  the  scale  of  the  effort.

A/GFTC  will  continue  to  monitor  meeting  attendance,

public  comments,  web  inquiries,  and
general  feedback  as  a  means  of  improving  the  Council’s  outreach efforts.