Infrastructure projects can take more than a decade to realize, and the public is involved appropriately at different times. Years of conversations between Springfield residents, businesses and the City led to the adoption of a Refinement Plan outlining a vision for Glenwood. And then more years of community involvement led to the final design for Franklin Boulevard.

With construction of the first phase underway, the task is to make sure the public knows what is going on and how best to move through the construction zone.

Key Elements of the Communication Plan

• Consistent reliable information and city contact person
• Mailings to property/business owners/area residents
• E-Updates to Interested Parties List
• New Franklin Boulevard website with comment function
• Timely response to all submitted comments & questions
• In-person meetings with corridor property/business owners
• Project information displayed at local high visibility locations
• Media (print, radio, TV) to reach commuters
• Electronic Message Boards placed in nearby roadways
• Flyer outreach to low-income, disabled and elderly people

 

Public Outreach Summary

Ongoing Activities After Phase One Construction:

• E-updates set to Interested Parties List as new information is available. Updates also posted to New Franklin Blvd website and can be viewed under “Project News” at right.

Ongoing Activities:

• Electronic message signs placed in various nearby locations.
• Placed information in KeepUsMoving and TripCheck.
• Answered questions submitted to website, by email and phone.
• Added new people to Interested Parties List.

January 2018:

• KEZI TV produced news story about construction progress.
• Register Guard newspaper covered Mayor’s State of the City address, including update on Franklin Boulevard construction.

December 2017:

• Electronic message signs placed in various nearby locations.
• Placed information in KeepUsMoving and TripCheck.
• Answered questions submitted to website, by email and phone.
• Added new people to Interested Parties List.

November 2017:

• Presentation to LTD Strategic Planning Committee.
• E-update sent to Interested Parties with information about progress and holiday construction schedule.
• Electronic message signs placed in various nearby locations.
• Placed information in KeepUsMoving and TripCheck.
• Answered questions submitted to website, by email and phone.
• Added new people to Interested Parties List.

October 2017:

• E-Update sent to Interested Parties with information about progress and traffic control changes.
• Electronic message signs placed in various nearby locations.
• Placed information in KeepUsMoving, TripCheck and the Register Guard’s Road Report.
• Answered questions submitted to website, Facebook, by email and phone.
• Added new people to Interested Parties List.
• Updated detour information on website.

September 2017:

• Two E-Updates sent to Interested Parties with information about progress and traffic control changes.
• Electronic message signs placed in various nearby locations.
• Placed information in KeepUsMoving, TripCheck and the Register Guard’s Road Report.
• Answered questions submitted to website, Facebook, by email and phone.
• Added new people to Interested Parties List.
• Updated detour information on website.

August 2017:

• Electronic message signs placed in various nearby locations.
• Signage adjusted to help traffic flow in response to public request.
• Placed information in KeepUsMoving, TripCheck and the Register Guard’s Road Report.
• Answered questions submitted to website, by email and phone.
• Added new people to Interested Parties List.

July 2017:

• Presentation to Kiwanis Club about project.
• Electronic message signs placed in various nearby locations.
• Placed information in KeepUsMoving, TripCheck and the Register Guard’s Road Report.
• Answered questions submitted to website, by email and phone.

June 2017:

• Sent e-update about adjustments (in response to public feedback) to traffic control and detour.
• Sent postcard to residents and businesses on dead end streets impacted by construction with update on problem solving.
• Electronic message signs placed in various nearby locations.
• Public Service Announcements played on Eugene-Springfield area radio stations.
• Placed information in KeepUsMoving, TripCheck and the Register Guard’s Road Report.
• Answered questions submitted to website, by email and phone.

May 2017:

• Electronic message signs placed in various nearby locations.
• Public Service Announcements played on Eugene-Springfield area radio stations.
• Media advisory resulted in TV coverage on KMTR, KVAL & KEZI.
• Placed information in KeepUsMoving, TripCheck and the Register Guard’s Road Report.
• Sent e-update announcing detour to over 750 people and organizations, forwarded to hundreds more local business employees.
• Delivered flyers and posters to 40 area businesses and mobile home parks with information about detour.
• Contacted freight organization and emergency services providers with information.
• Added new area businesses to Interested Parties List.
• Answered questions submitted to website, by email and phone.
• Added additional signage in response to business requests.
• Website updated with new information.

April 2017:

• Mailed construction information to area residents and businesses, including downtown Springfield.
• Distributed booklets of half sheet flyers with project overview and construction information to area businesses.
• Distributed booklets of half sheet flyers with detour information to area businesses.
• Delivered large posters with detour map to area businesses on request.
• Sent e-update with detour information to a growing Interested Parties List.
• Updated project graphics and website with new information.

March 2017:

• Sent e-update to Interested Parties List regarding the beginning of Phase 1 construction.
• Discussed with BRING Recycling Board of Directors construction plans and potential for mitigation.
• Updated project graphics and website with new information.

November 2016:

• Sent e-update to Interested Parties List with progress regarding utility work.

August 2016:

• Sent e-update to Interested Parties List and postcard mailing to Glenwood area regarding utility work.

May 2016:

• Visited all project area businesses on Franklin Blvd to update and answer questions.
• Hosted informal gatherings at Ponderosa Village and Midway Manor mobile home parks, and at Glenwood Community Church to inform area residents and answer questions.
• Informational fliers distributed to residential doorsteps throughout Glenwood, including mobile home parks Seaver, Riverside, Twin Totems, Shamrock and Eugene RV Mobile Village.
• Outreach with display board at DariMart to reach morning commuters.
• Sent e-update to Interested Parties List with diagram of Phase 1 roundabouts. Project manager responded personally and quickly to all comments received.
• Website updated with new information.

April 2016:

• Gave presentation at Springfield Lions Club.

March 2016:

• Sent e-update to Interested Parties List with information about timeline and adjustment to Phase 1 parameters. Project manager responded personally and quickly to all comments received.

February 2016:

• Gave project presentations at the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Twin Rivers Rotary, and the Board of Directors of BRING Recycling.

January 2016:

• Gave presentations to Lane Utilities Coordinating Council, Springfield Rotary, Springfield City Council, and appeared on KMTR TV.

December 2015:

• Gave presentations to Lane Transit District’s EmX Steering Committee, and to Springfield City Club.

November 2015:

• Sent e-update with roundabout art concept and funding information. Project manager responded personally and quickly to all comments received.
• Gave project presentations to the Arts Commission, the Economic Development Committee, and the Chamber of Commerce Government Issues Committee.

October 2015:

• Used Food for Lane County’s Meals on Wheels to deliver informational flyers to individuals in Glenwood who were unable to attend the Open House.
• Sent e-update with thank you and Open House Summary. Project manager responded personally and quickly to all comments received.
• Shared project information with media on several occasions.

September 2015:

• Stood with display outside the area’s highest volume venue, Dari Mart, three times to invite to Open House, share information, and collect sign-ups for ongoing communication.
• Sent Open House postcard invitation to all businesses and residents in Glenwood, a total of about 1,300 postcards.
• Produced and delivered postcard in Spanish for residents.
• Sent e-invite to Interested Parties List.
• Attended Glenwood Water District Board meeting to invite members to the Open House and share project materials. Participants offered suggestions about effective outreach and communication, and asked questions about the project.
• Invited the Chamber of Commerce, City Club, Twin Rivers Rotary, and Springfield Downtown Rotary to the Open House, and requested that they consider the project for a future presentation.
• Questions from residents in the Ponderosa Mobile Village resulted in a meeting with staff, attended by the Mayor. A postcard invitation was mailed and hand-delivered to residences in advance of the meeting. Approximately 35 residents attended the meeting at Roaring Rapids Pizza and participated in a respectful conversation.
• Visited all mobile home parks in Glenwood, shared the Open House postcard with the managers and invited residents to the Open House. Mobile home parks included: Ponderosa Village, Midway Manor, River Bank, Seaver, and Shamrock. Spanish language Open House invitations were delivered to Latino residents in Twin Totems and Eugene Mobile Village.
• Visited all businesses adjacent to Franklin Blvd to personally invite to the Open House, and gave Project Manager’s business card to any new businesses with encouragement to contact with concerns.
• Distributed Open House invitation postcards to the doorsteps of Glenwood residents.
• Developed public-friendly information flyer for Open House.
• Held Open House on Phase 1 design progress at Roaring Rapids Pizza attended by more than 160 people.
• A preview of the Open House was reported in the Register Guard, and the event was covered by three local TV stations: KEZI, KMTR, and KVAL.

August 2015:

• Began recruitment for Open House using display boards to share project information, collect contact information for ongoing communication, and personally invite to Open House.
• Spoke with Glenwood Community Church members, distributed postcards, and collected email addresses for the e-update list. The pastor later posted the Open House invitation on the bulletin board.

July 2015:

• Sent letters to property owners regarding soil testing.
• Expanded outreach to include all Glenwood businesses between the Willamette River and I-5 with personal introduction, Project Manager’s business card, and invitation to contact at any time with questions.
• Sent e-update to Interested Parties List with progress report and more details about the design.
• Project manager responded personally and quickly to all comments received.
• Developed 2 informational display boards for outreach: (1) Project Overview and (2) Why Modern Roundabouts.

June 2015:

• Project Manager met with Springfield bicyclists to describe the design and answer questions about how to safely navigate roundabouts, and to encourage ongoing communication.

April 2015:

• Sent postcard to all Glenwood residents and businesses about walking path completion to distinguish it from the road project and limit confusion.

March 2015:

• Sent e-update to Interested Parties List with project introduction, links to information, and contact information for Project Manager. Project manager responded personally and quickly to all comments received.

February 2015:

• Developed materials for communication with the public including: New Franklin Blvd identifiable graphic look with header, clear project description and timeline, corridor map and phase graphic.
• Developed and launched New Franklin Blvd website with ability to submit comments to the City at any time, and to make project materials available to all.
• Sent graphic postcard to all residents and businesses in Glenwood to introduce the project, the project manager, and encourage people to sign up for ongoing information.

January 2015:

• Sent letters to all business and property owners adjacent to Franklin Blvd saying that the project was moving forward, surveyors would be on the corridor, and inviting direct connection with the project manager for any questions.

Project Manager responded quickly and personally to all comments and questions received by email or phone.

Summer 2014:

• Developed an Interested Parties List for ongoing project communication. This list is continually and deliberately built and now includes more than 550 contacts.
• Arranged and presented the project footprint and next steps at various Springfield civic organizations to reach the broader Springfield community.

March 2014:

• Sent letters to all business and property owners saying to expect a call to make appointment to share the footprint map and discuss project impacts.
• Met in-person with each property and business owner directly adjacent to the corridor to share and discuss project, including what to expect next.

October 2013:

• Developed a concise project description and FAQ sheet.
• Sent letters to all business and property owners in Glenwood to announce the project, and to expect a personal visit from staff. Visited every business in the Glenwood area, as defined by National Environmental Policy Act, to establish direct personal contact, understand their business and the potential impacts, show the project plan, collect contact information, and encourage ongoing direct communications. Data was collected for the required socio-economic baseline study.

For additional information, please contact:
Kristi Krueger, Principal Engineer, kkrueger@springfield-or.gov, 541-726-4584.