Arizona Department of Transportation
Brock Barnhart, Assistant Communications Director
October 20, 2013
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Five Key Things That Must Exist to Ensure Your Agency Enjoys a
Robust Public Involvement – Communications Programs.
Five Key Elements
Cooperation
Collaboration
Communication
Creativity
Partnership
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February 20, 2013
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The actual landslide occurred on a stretch of highway on the Navajo Nation, and -- in an area with little redundancy of travel routes -- effectively cut off travel between two neighboring communities. Substantial and sustained efforts were taken to communicate with local communities.
 Established an office in City of Page city hall that was staffed twice a week to provide a convenient resource for the local community.
 ADOT representative spent one day a week in the Navajo Nation's Bodaway Gap
Community to be available to answer questions.
 Personal visits are made regularly to surrounding communities, tourist attractions and businesses spread over several miles on either side of the landslide.
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Coordination meetings routinely held with the Page City
Council, Coconino County Board of Supervisors, Navajo
Division of Transportation, Navajo Nation agencies and tribal chapters. Coordination and outreach activities also extend into Utah (City of Kanab).
Maximized partnerships with Arizona Highways magazine, Arizona Department of Tourism and AAA
Arizona to spread the word that these major tourist destinations remained accessible.
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Initial Communication Challenges
 Six hours from Phoenix, very limited media access
 Coincided with large snow storm
 Limited cell phone access, difficult to get immediate information
 Slide located on the Navajo Nation: language barriers, environmental and cultural sensitivities
Immediate Communication Efforts
 Relied heavily on social media to reach traditional media
 Three ADOT Communications staff members and Deputy State Engineer flown to site
 Began immediate coordination with state, tribal and local officials and neighboring states.
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ADOT sustained social engagement since the event, creating videos and blogs to provide updates and responding to travel-related inquiries.
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 ADOT Blog series “Transportation Defined” utilized to more fully explain many of the complicated terms and processes associated with the geological assessment and the project process.
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Continual partnering sessions were held to involve decision makers from several different agencies, jurisdictions and groups.
A long standing tribal government to agency partnership provided a strong foundation to streamline elements of project delivery and clearances.
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