The Arizona Department of Transportation's (ADOT) Office of Communications and Public Involvement recently snagged two national awards for their skillful strategies in keeping drivers in the loop on significant roadway projects. Recognized at TransComm's annual gathering—wherein over 200 transportation communicators convened—the ADOT's approaches have set a benchmark for public engagement in the maze of American roadway improvements.
Spotlighted for their innovative public involvement was ADOT's I-17 Improvement Project team, according to a press release from ADOT. They garnered praise for using a medley of tools, outreach, and visual storytelling to cover the overhaul of a 23-mile segment of Interstate 17. The campaign had a clear goal: to inform the public not only about the widening of the roadway but also Arizona's premier flex lanes system, offering both progress updates and highlights from the daily grind of construction.
In a similar stroke of excellence, the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project earned the highest award for AASHTO's public relations programs and campaigns. The blueprint for this strategy employed a mix of traditional and innovative methods, aimed at disseminating information about ADOT's most extensive urban freeway reconstruction to date. A pioneering move for ADOT was the leveraging of a paid advertisement and a dedicated free project mobile app to keep the community abreast through the four-year construction period.
For the Arizona transportation authority, these recognitions are not mere trophies on a shelf. They represent a commitment to transparent communication, a cornerstone in the agency's operations that extends beyond public outreach to encompass news media relations, social media interaction, and a host of other communication avenues. Such dedication ensures that Arizona commuters stay informed, not just for convenience, but for their safety and the safety of the construction crews who toil to improve the travel arteries of the nation.
