Stakeholder Involvement Plan and Context Sensitive Solutions

The goal of this SIP is to actively seek the participation of communities, agencies, individual interest groups, and the general public throughout the project development process.

A robust stakeholder involvement process holds the keys to developing a strong understanding of the project, minimizing adverse impacts to the community, and fostering public support for the project. The SIP will be used as a blueprint for defining methods and tools to educate and engage all stakeholders in the decision making process for this project. The SIP has been developed to ensure that stakeholders are provided a number of opportunities to be informed, engaged, and provide input as the project progresses.

Stakeholder Involvement Plan (SIP)

Review the full SIP document. This is a fluid plan and may be continually updated during the life of the project. It will be routinely reviewed, evaluated and modified to reflect the changes and needs of the project and the public.

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The SIP provide more details about the following stakeholder involvement goals:

Identify the Project Study Group (PSG)
Identify the Corridor Planning Committee (CPC)
Identify the Task Force participants.
Identify general stakeholders.
Identify the roles and responsibilities of the lead agencies.
Identify responsibilities of other agencies.
Establish the timing and type of involvement activities with all stakeholders.
Establish stakeholder requirements for providing timely input into the project development process.

The SIP incorporates Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) project development principles from Section 19-2 of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Bureau of Design and Environment (BDE) Manual and the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) public involvement goals for this project. IDOT and CDOT are committed to supporting and implementing communication processes to gain information from stakeholders that will be used to develop an informed solution for the project. The success of the committee and public outreach structure outlined in this SIP relies on consistent and robust communications between all parties.

Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS)

The NDLSD Phase I Study will be conducted using principles of IDOT’s guidelines for Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) Process. This is an integrated approach to problem solving and decision-making that will help build a general understanding of the project among all interested community members and promote involvement by providing all stakeholders a mechanism to share comments and concerns through the study process.

The CSS process will help:

Understand the stakeholders’ key issues and concerns.
Involve stakeholders in the decision-making process early and often.
Establish an understanding of the stakeholders’ project role.
Address all modes of transportation and land use issues.
Apply flexibility in design to address the stakeholders’ concerns whenever possible.
Identify and engage the general public that lives, works, or visits facilities within the project area.
Educate the public on the project goals and direction.
Incorporate regional stakeholders in the discussion.

The CSS approach will provide stakeholders with the tools and information they require to effectively participate in the study process including an understanding of the NEPA process, transportation planning guidelines, design guidelines, and the relationship between transportation issues and project alternatives.