Engagement often purports to “meet people where they are” – but how that looks in practice differs widely. This session will present three examples that showcase different tools and approaches to build public trust and deliver meaningful outcomes that improve peoples’ lives.
The first case study will showcase a planning study from the Twin Cities (“Transportation Needs in Daily Life”) that, from the outset, envisioned supplementing quantitative travel demand model data with qualitative, lived experience-focused data from conversations with local communities. The panelists will demonstrate practical tools for measuring real-world transportation barriers and aligning solutions with community priorities for safety and equity. Participants will learn proven techniques for gathering meaningful community feedback, and most importantly, how to translate findings into impactful policy improvements.
The second case study will detail recent planning efforts in Eastwick, an environmental justice community in Philadelphia. While a recent planning effort used engagement best practices – such as round tables with an expert in community trauma from urban renewal – the project ultimately had to be replaced with public services that met immediate community needs around ongoing flooding, which included staff time to build local capacity by helping residents navigate municipal, state, and federal resources. Participants will learn how throwing out the toolkit and aligning local and community priorities can build public trust.
The final presentation will knit together lessons learned, tools, and approaches with Oregon-specific examples. This part of the session will be intentionally interactive, opening a discussion with the audience about how the aforementioned examples and similar work can help practitioners build trust and connection in Oregon’s communities to deliver meaningful outcomes.
Founder and Principal Investigator, Safe Streets Research and Consulting, LLC
Dr. Rebecca Sanders (she/her), Founder and Principal Investigator of Safe Streets Research & Consulting, LLC, brings 17 years of academic and consulting experience analyzing and addressing pedestrian, bicyclist, e-scooter, and motorist safety, behavior, and mobility through crash... Read More →
Tom is a Senior Planner and the Oregon Office Lead for Zan Associates, a company specializing in creative engagement and communications for planning and infrastructure projects. He excels at facilitating discussions about planning and is passionate about creating inclusive spaces... Read More →
Senior Planner, Safe Streets Research & Consulting
Alma is a Senior Planner for Safe Streets Research & Consulting, a company specializing in rigorous crash and survey data analysis to provide insights into pedestrian, bicycle, e-scooter, and motorist safety, behavior, and mobility. Alma grew up in Portland and recently moved back... Read More →
Friday April 25, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am PDT DoubleTree Hotel - Expo Hall1000 NE Multnomah St, Portland, OR 97232, USA
