Public Involvement is a vital part in the Maine Department of Transportation?s planning and decision-making. MaineDOT recognizes that everyone who uses Maine?s transportation network is a customer, and MaineDOT strives to gather as much public input as possible in making transportation decisions.
In order to ensure the public has input in transportation system decision planning, MaineDOT has drafted a Public Involvement Plan, and is now seeking public comment on this document. There is a 45-day public comment period associated with the plan, and those who would like to view and comment on the Public Involvement Plan can visit www.mainedot.gov.
The MaineDOT Public Involvement Plan provides an overview of MaineDOT?s mission and the objectives of the involvement plan. The plan describes state and federal regulations, including a summary of activities that require public participation. It discusses the three major types of public involvement that are used to inform the traveling public and provide for opportunities for input in transportation decision-making.
The plan creates strategies for involving the public at all steps in the decision-making process, starting with the development of MaineDOT?s Twenty Year Statewide Transportation Plan, the creation of the Six Year Transportation Plan, the Biennial Capital Work Plan and then on to the project development phase for implementation of specific transportation system improvements.
The plan details the variety of public involvement in an activity or project, from formal public hearings to comment periods and surveys. Public involvement plans can often include advisory and stakeholder committees and other transportation planning partners. MaineDOT has developed a free-flowing process that includes a variety of tools designed to ensure that people have access to as much information as possible and opportunities to participate in decisions affecting Maine?s transportation system.
For more information on this public involvement plan and the opportunity to comment on the plan, please visit www.mainedot.gov. There is a 45-day public comment period that runs through April 23, 2010.