Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program
Project-Level Public Information and Outreach Examples

Colorado Department of Transportation
Draft Revision of Section 626 Public Information Services

July 22 , 2008

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Contact Information: workzonepubs@dot.gov

Section 626 of the Standard Specifications is hereby revised for this project as follows:

Subsection 626.01 shall include the following:

The Contractor shall provide the following public information services on an ongoing basis throughout the duration of the project:

At the preconstruction conference the Contractor shall introduce the Public Information Manager (PIM) for the project and present a public information plan and strategies or methods for communicating project activities. The Contractor shall prepare and submit a preliminary list of stakeholder groups and specific stakeholders that need to receive ongoing communication about the project.

  • The PIM shall be available on every working day, accessible and on call by cell phone or pager at all times and available upon the request of the Engineer at other than normal working hours. The PIM shall communicate with the Engineer daily.

    The Contractor shall establish a Public Information Office (PIO) equipped with a telephone and an answering machine or answering device with the capability to record a message from the caller. This may be a cell phone, but must be a local number. The PIO shall be equipped with a computer and an e-mail account. The PIO may or may not be located within the Contractor's regular office provided that the telephone has a local call number. The PIM shall record a friendly greeting on the project's published phone line each week, updating the message throughout the week, as necessary, depending on changes in work schedule, activities and traffic impacts. The recording shall include each week's forthcoming activities including work days, hours and expected traffic delays, posted detours, project completion date, and office hours. The PIM shall check the answering machine at least twice every calendar day, including weekends. The PIM shall respond to callers and e-mail inquiries as soon as possible, but at least within 24 hours. The PIM shall keep a logbook of all calls including the contact name, date of contact, date responded, the contact's comments, and the action the PIM took. A copy of this log shall be submitted to the Engineer every two weeks or more frequently, as requested by the Engineer.
  • The PIM shall maintain communications with businesses and individual residences, commuters, local government entities and all other stakeholders that are directly adjacent to and affected by the project. Using a communications method or strategy approved by the Engineer, the Contractor shall notify stakeholders about the project two weeks prior to beginning any lane restrictions or project activities. Depending upon project impacts, contact with stakeholders may be required daily, weekly, monthly or periodically throughout the duration of the project. Communications tools could include hand flyers, door hangers, newsletters, mailers, using e-mail distribution lists, etc. All public information correspondence and subsequent updates must be approved by the Engineer 48 hours before distribution.

    Each communication tool shall include contact information, PIM's name, office phone, CDOT Web-site address with CDOT logo. Cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses shall be provided where service is available. The communication shall include the description of work, lane restrictions, a detour map if warranted, the anticipated start and completion dates, hours of operation and work schedule, and a Slow for the Cone Zone message.

The Contractor shall erect construction traffic signs with the dates the Contractor expects to initiate and complete construction and with the Contractor's public information office's or PIM's phone number at each major approach to the project. The signs shall conform to the requirements of Section 630 and shall be erected at least one week prior to the beginning of construction.

An individual project Web-site shall be developed and shall be hosted on CDOT's web site using the CDOT template. The Contractor shall coordinate with the Region Public Relations Manager to develop the website in accordance with the CDOT standard template. The site will be revised as directed by the Engineer. The web site shall also conform to the CDOT Web-site Standards which can be found at: http://www.dot.state.co.us/WebStandards/.

CDOT's Regional Public Relations Manager will write and distribute all News Releases to the media and handle all media relations and outreach unless otherwise directed by the Engineer.

The Contractor superintendent or PIM shall submit weekly lane closure reports using the template provided by the Engineer for transmittal to the CDOT PR Regional Manager, the CDOT PR Web-site Manager, and the CDOT Traffic Operations Center.

The Public Information Services Contact Sheet shall include the following:

  • Subsection 626.02 shall include the following:

    The Engineer will monitor the PIM and all public information services. When the Contractor provides acceptable public information services in accordance with these specifications, partial payments for the pay item Public Information Services will be made as the work progresses. These partial payments will be made as follows:
    • When 5 percent of the original Contract amount is earned, 25 percent of the amount bid for this item will be paid.
    • When 10 percent of the original Contract amount is earned, 40 percent of the amount bid for this item, less all previous payments, will be paid.
    • When 25 percent of the original Contract amount is earned, 50 percent of the amount bid for this item, less all previous payments, will be paid.
    • When 75 percent of the original Contract amount is earned, 75 percent of the amount bid for this item, less all previous payments, will be paid.
    • When 100 percent of the original Contract amount is earned, 100 percent of the amount bid for this item, less all previous payments, will be paid.

Failure to provide acceptable public information services will result in withholding of progress payment for this item. Continued failure to provide the services required will result in non-payment of the corresponding percentage of the original bid item and may result in suspension of the work in those areas affected until acceptable public information services are provided by the Contractor.

For the purpose of public information services, the term "original Contract amount" as used above, shall mean the amount bid for the construction items on this Contract, not including the amounts bid for Public Information Services and Mobilization.

Payment for Public Information Services will be full compensation for all fliers, public information office, telephone lines, and all other labor and materials required to complete the item, except signs. Signs will be measured and paid for in accordance with Section 630.

Payment will be made under:

  • Pay Item: Public Information Services
  • Pay Unit: Lump Sum

Contact the Regional Public Relations Manager when developing this special provision.

Include the following personnel requirements for Contractor Public Information Manager (PIM).

  • Include the PIM requirements below on Significant Projects:

    Contractor PIM shall be a professional, having graduated from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Communications, or closely related field of study. In addition, the PIM shall have two years experience in community outreach and partnership development or a comparable field.
  • Include the PIM requirements below on Non-Significant Projects:

    Contractor PIM may be the Contractor Project Superintendent or another project staff person. The PIM shall have good verbal and written communications skills.

Include appropriate requirements of the Transportation Management Plan including the requirements of the Public Information Plan. The plan will include may include the following items:

  • Stakeholder and contact list
  • Timeline of communication activities
  • Communication methods to be used

On Significant Projects the Design Engineer must contact the CDOT Regional Public Relations Manager to coordinate the project communication and stakeholder outreach requirements. A significant Project requires a Public Information Plan that guides the approach to anticipating, planning and implementing and evaluating communications and outreach throughout the duration of the significant project. The plan shall detail the individual stakeholder mitigation, communications methods or strategies. Note to designer: The Public Information Plan may also require development of a PI Crisis Communication Plan.

Designer shall discuss with PR before including.

Include the appropriate contacts from the list below in the Public Information Services Contact Sheet:

Public Information Services Contact Sheet

Owners:

Colorado Department of Transportation Project Engineer
Name:
Address:
Phone:   Fax:   Cell:   Email:

Colorado Department of Transportation, Regional Public Relations Manager
Name:
Address:
Phone:   Fax:   Cell:   Email

Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Traffic Management Center
425-C Corporate Circle
Golden, CO 80401
Phone: (303) 512-5830   Fax: (303) 274-9394

Other Contacts:

City or County of:
Phone:   Fax:   Email:

Fire Department:
Phone:   Fax:   Email:

Police Department:
Phone:   Fax:   Email:

Public Works Department:
Phone:   Fax:   Email:

Colorado State Patrol
Phone:   Fax:   Email:   Emergency Notification:

Office of Operations