Achieving the goals of the Transportation Action Plan requires using public engagement to build trust and leverage relationships for greater outcomes. Being intentional with the desire to want to build trust, deepen connections in the community, and create outcomes that resonate with people in the city who use the projects is an important piece of the work. We understand that connecting with those who may not have literacy in typical government engagement and processes, are burdened from a time, mental or physical barrier to participate, or those who do not see the importance of our work relative to other more pressing needs around housing, food, safety and health can create a disconnect between our projects and our goals.
By taking a closer look at the engagement practices and strategies employed with transportation projects and focusing on using engagement to advance racial equity, we can build capacity within the community to better serve community needs, foster partnerships and create opportunities for on-going feedback. The intent of engaging more diverse voices during project development is to achieve better outcomes, as we serve more needs through our transportation projects.
Deepen the partnerships with other City departments, including the Health Department, Neighborhood and Community Relations, and Community Planning and Economic Development, to build internal capacity and better understand the intersecting goals of each department’s work with communities; advance key intersecting goals around racial equity, outcomes in public health, public safety, transportation and mobility, and climate change and resiliency.
Equity Active Partnerships
Low
2020-2023 (Years 0-3)
Successfully completed to date and on-going
Public Works continues to collaborate with other City departments on projects, policies and processes. A few examples of cross-departmental collaboration include the Blue Line Extension Light Rail Transit project, Upper Harbor Terminal Redevelopment, New Nicollet Redevelopment, the Racial Equity Framework for Transportation and the Community Streets Survey.
Develop parameters and accountability measures for inclusive community outreach and engagement.
Equity Active Partnerships
Low
2020-2023 (Years 0-3)
Complete
Public Works completed the Racial Equity Framework for Transportation in 2023 that provides direction on how to plan, conduct and evaluate inclusive community engagement. This includes identifying language concentrations, conducting accessible events and standardizing demographic questions to evaluate whether participants' demographics are representative of local demographics.
Increase opportunities to partner with communities through contracting to deepen the outreach related to transportation plans, programs and projects.
Equity Active Partnerships
Medium
2020-2023 (Years 0-3)
Successfully completed to date and on-going
Public Works created a pilot Community Engagement Consulting Pool for 2025-2027 to allow staff to contract directly with community-based organizations, businesses and non-profits.
Utilize outreach strategies that engage the most vulnerable of impacted community stakeholders.
Equity Active Partnerships
Medium
2020-2023 (Years 0-3)
Successfully completed to date and on-going
Public Works completed the Racial Equity Framework for Transportation (REF) in 2023. It guides us in conducting engagement and evaluation as well as developing metrics. It focuses our equity work in transportation projects and programs in Minneapolis through four goals, twenty-four strategies, and sixty-four actions. Starting in 2025, staff reports on the REF on a bi-annual basis. Engagement plans for street projects are shared publicly on project websites and include outreach strategies to engage the most vulnerable of impacted community stakeholders.
Implement an engagement approach that deepens community knowledge of transportation, by focusing on non-project specific relationship building with community and includes feedback with stakeholders post-project implementation.
Equity Active Partnerships
High
2020-2023 (Years 0-3)
Successfully completed to date and on-going
Public Works completed the Racial Equity Framework for Transportation (REF) in 2023, which provides direction on building trust, cultivating partnerships and sharing results of projects and programs with the community. Staff report on the REF on a bi-annual cycle.
Support the work of All Boards and Commissions and the Division of Race and Equity to advance the Strategic Racial Equity Action Plan’s operational priority of engaging diverse communities by continuing to focus on diversifying the Pedestrian Advisory Committee and Bicycle Advisory Committee.
Equity Active Partnerships
Medium
2020-2023 (Years 0-3)
Successfully completed to date and on-going
In 2024 and 2025, Public Works coordinated with the Minneapolis City Clerk on restructuring the appointment process for the Pedestrian and Bicycle advisory committees.