I - 475 Reconstruction: Planning and Environmental Linkages Study
Between I - 75 in Grand Blanc and I - 75 in Mt. Morris , Michigan
Public Involvement Plan
Prepared by: HNTB Michigan, Inc. November 2021
1 OVERVIEW
This Public Involvement Plan (PIP) is intended to outline engagement with the public throughout the I-475 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study process. This outreach will help gather feedback from the public on the corridor to identify an Acceptable Alternative(s) that meet the project's purpose and need. Engagement will continue throughout the study, and an Acceptable Alternative(s) will be delivered in the final PEL study report.
The PIP will include public involvement meetings and forming a Local Advisory Council (LAC) and Business Advisory Council (BAC). Both will be made up of residents, stakeholders, and businesses in the community. The PIP aims to ensure the PEL study is transparent by engaging with the public and stakeholders early and often.
2 SCHEDULE
This PIP covers the full extent of the study from fall 2021 through fall 2022. Milestone dates are highlighted in the below high-level schedule:
Table 1: Key Milestone Dates for I-475 PEL
Deliverable Projected Date
Open House #1 9/15/21
Deploy PIMA 9/27/21
LAC Meeting #1 12/8/21
LAC Meeting #2/BAC Meeting #1 1/31/22
Open House #2 3/1/22
LAC Meeting #3/BAC Meeting #2 6/6/22
Open House #3 6/27/22
LAC Meeting #4/BAC Meeting #3 8/15/22
*The dates above are projected and subject to change
Process for MDOT review of materials for meetings/website:
• Send files and updates to Jocelyn Garza (MDOT), Carissa McQuiston (MDOT), and Monica Monsma (MDOT). Files should be sent as attachments with the ProjectWise link.
• MDOT Communications will proofread all materials and content shared with the public and posted on public websites. Three days for MDOT project team review and three days for MDOT communications review should be allocated.
I-475 Reconstruction: Planning and Environmental Linkages Study Public Involvement Plan (Version 1 – November 2021)
3 AUDIENCES
Outreach will engage the following audiences:
• General public
• Residents
• Commuters
• Representatives from local businesses, faith-based institutions, education, and civic leaders
Invitations to the public meetings will be sent to every resident and business within a half-mile of the I-475 corridor, which comes to around 14,400 addresses. Stakeholder outreach will focus on the inclusion of the groups in Tables 2 and 3. Additional contacts will be added throughout the study process.
Table 2: Local Advisory Council Groups LAC Agency
City of Flint
City of Flint
City of Flint Planning
Congressman Kildee's Office
Executive director, Flint Latinx Community Center
Crim Fitness Foundation
MTA
Mott Foundation
Evergreen Valley Neighborhood SE Flint
Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission
House District 49th
House District 34th
Senate District 27th
Flint Neighborhoods United Court Street Village
Central Park Neighborhood District
Lapeer Park & Oakwood Park Neighborhood Association
Kearsley Park Neighborhood Association
Foss Avenue Block Club
Buick City Redevelopment Company
Flint Farmers Market
I-475 Reconstruction: Planning and Environmental Linkages Study Public Involvement Plan (Version 1 – November 2021)
LAC Agency
U of M Flint
Flint Cultural Center
Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce
Friends of the Flint River Trail
Communities First, Inc.
Michigan Faith in Action
St. John Street Historical Committee
Environmental Transformation Movement of Flint
Friends of the Grand Blanc Grid
Genesee Wanderer's Cycling Club
Grand Traverse District Neighborhood Association
No Greater Faith neighborhood
Flint College Cultural Neighborhood
Downtown Flint Neighborhood Residents
Greater Emmanuel Temple
Gethsemane Missionary Baptist
Eastside Improvement Association
Burton Township
Grand Blanc Township
Mt. Morris Township
Mott Community College
Flint Community Schools
Genesee Intermediate School District
Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
Genesee County Habitat for Humanity
Table 3: Business Advisory Council Groups
BAC Agency
Ascension Genesys Health System
AT&T Michigan
Bishop International Airport Authority
Chase
Community Foundation of Greater Flint
Consumers Energy
Dee Cramer, Inc.
E & L Construction Group
Fessler & Bowman
I-475 Reconstruction: Planning and Environmental Linkages Study Public Involvement Plan (Version 1 – November 2021)
BAC Agency
Fifth Third Bank
General Motors CCA
The Genesee Group
Goyette Mechanical
GST Michigan Works!
Hamilton Community Health Network
HAP — Bridget Hollingsworth
Hubbard Supply Co.
The Huntington National Bank
Hurley Medical Center
Kettering University
Koegel Meats
Landaal Packaging Systems
Lear Corporation
Lewis & Knopf CPAs, PC
Lurvey Construction
Mac Foods Group
Management Diversified, Inc.
McLaren-Flint
Mott Children's Health Center
NorthGate
Plante & Moran, PLLC
ROWE Professional Services
Serra Automotive
Shaltz Automation
Skypoint Ventures
Sorensen Gross Company
University of Michigan-Flint
Weinstein Electric
Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy
Alpha Motorsports
Refinery Hair Co.
CompuNinjas
Robin's Nest
I-475 Reconstruction: Planning and Environmental Linkages Study Public Involvement Plan (Version 1 – November 2021)
4 COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND TACTICS
The following communication tactics will be used to engage with the public:
• Postcards: Before every public meeting, a postcard invitation will be sent to inform the public about an in-person meeting and virtual option for engaging.
• Public Involvement Management Application (PIMA): PIMA will be used to organize stakeholders, conduct outreach to stakeholders, hold virtual ondemand meetings, collect contacts and comments, and track the level of engagement with stakeholders and the public.
• Social Media: MDOT's social media channels (Facebook and Twitter) will help spread the word about the study and public meetings and gather comments from the public.
• Press Releases: MDOT press releases will be used to announce public comment periods and public meetings.
• Survey: Used to gather baseline data from the public to understand the corridor's opportunities and challenges.
• Materials: The following materials will be used during public meetings and advisory committee meetings and posted online as downloadable PDFs.
o Project Boards
o FAQ
o Presentation – posted both as a narrated and closed caption video and ADA-compatible PDF with notes.
o Meeting notes from committee meetings
o Public meeting summaries
Action
Postcard Mailed/Press Release
Announcement/Social Media
Announcement
Create Presentation/Boards/Other Materials
Email invites follow up to key stakeholders
Social Media Reminders
Timing
Four weeks before the event
Six weeks before the event
Three weeks before the event
Two weeks before the event, the week of the event
Table 4: Public Meeting Engagement Outreach
4.1 Public Meetings
Public meetings will be held in Flint, a central location for the I-475 corridor. Public meetings will be used to gather public input throughout the PEL study. Each public meeting will serve a purpose to create and refine the Alternative designs until an accepted Alternative(s).
• Open House #1: To introduce the PEL study, gather feedback from the community on what they would like to see and do not want to see for the I-475 corridor.
• Open House #2: Present Alternative corridor designs for public feedback and comment.
• Open House #3: Present Acceptable Alternative(s) corridor designs with public comments incorporated for final public feedback and comment before the study is finalized.
4.2 PIMA On-Demand Virtual Meetings
In addition to in-person meetings, public meeting comment periods will also include a virtual meeting component through PIMA. Using a narrated presentation with captions will provide an online option for viewing study information and providing comments and will allow MDOT to reach a wider audience. The virtual on-demand meeting will be promoted with the in-person meeting details.
