For the last two years, our team has been working with the teams at Nevada Department of Transportation and JACOBS on the Downtown Access Project to help ensure that we are reaching our diverse communities of color that live along the project corridor. The project is currently in the environmental phase meaning everything is still being envisioned.
Our team knows how critical community outreach and engagement continues to be for local and state based infrastructure projects and initiatives as they truly help uniquely tailor the project from the look and feel, and the community benefits to project ranges and options. For the Downtown Access Project, it means giving the community an opportunity to provide insight on three US 95 highway alternatives and what types of improvements they would like to see in their community.
Earlier this year, we hosted an in person public meeting at the East Las Vegas Library, and it was great to see the response from the community in terms of public comment and attendance. I applaud NDOT and the team for allowing us to invest in creating awareness of the public meeting via door to door outreach at local businesses and community organizations, flyer distributions, working with local media, partnering with local lawmakers such as Councilwoman Olivia Diaz and Councilman Cedric Crear from the City of Las Vegas, and providing onsite interpreters as well as ensuring all maps and visuals were presented in both English and Spanish at the meeting and last not but least, broadcasting the presentation in Spanish on Facebook Live.
How did I know all of our community outreach efforts were paying off? When Omar showed up to the public meeting! At first, I noticed he was a bit shy, getting a sense for what was going on, visiting some of the stations set up, etc. I went up to introduce myself and let him know that myself and team members were available to help explain the project to him (in Spanish!) and what we wanted his input on. He took me up on my offer and took it up another level! How so? After we provided a visual walkthrough of how his home would be impacted, he went outside and called the rest of his neighbors who also joined us for the meeting and presentation! (Follow the story below). The icing on the cake, and honestly it made my eyes water, was Omar getting up and providing public input knowing that we had promised him that an interpreter would be by his side to help him explain his concerns.
Like the tweet says, community outreach and engagement with communities of color starts way before an actual public meeting even takes place. It takes more than translations posted on the website or a media advisory and social post. I am so grateful that our team has an opportunity to work on this project and really roll up our sleeves to get the job done.
To learn more about the project please visit https://ndotdap.com/ or email me to be included in our project update newsletter.
Twitter story here: https://twitter.com/erickaaviles/status/1486136513280634880
Follow the Downtown Access Project social media channels at:
https://www.facebook.com/ndotdap
https://www.instagram.com/ndotdap/