Highway Engineers Assess the Public Hearing Process

Report No: 77-R9

Published in 1976

About the report:

Representatives from the eight construction districts of the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation were interviewed concerning their involvement in public hearings. The sample consisted of seven district engineers and eighteen other district officials. The interviews contained both open- and closed-end questions, and took from 40 minutes to 1 hour and 50 minutes to administer. All interviews were completed within a six-week period in June and July 1975. Overall, the respondents were found to be at least abstractly sympathetic to the concern of the ordinary citizen, and to understand the inability of the layman to appreciate the time constraints and technical considerations involved in the planning, location, design, programming, and construction of highways. The study indicated that the engineers considered the hearing not to be a mere formality but a source of information to be reviewed and used where justified.

Documents

77-R9

_{Disclaimer Statement:The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s), who is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Any inclusion of manufacturer names, trade names, or trademarks is for identification purposes only and is not to be considered an endorsement.}

Authors

Jerome R. Saroff

Last updated: January 28, 2024