Building Major Projects and the Public Engagement Process

During the planning stage, we're figuring out what projects will look like. For instance, if we know an area needs a bike connection, we'll determine which side of the street it should be on, identify nearby destinations, and find ways to enhance the space for pedestrians and drivers.

We are focusing on how we can help make neighborhoods safer and more accessible. At this stage, we consider community feedback, engineering limits, the Seattle Transportation Plan goals, environmental rules, and budgets to identify what is practical and desirable. Survey collection and meetings with stakeholders—like businesses or community leaders—can help guide us during this stage.

Questions we're asking at this stage: 

• What needs to be improved? What needs do you have?
• What is feasible with our available funding?
• What is working and not working?
• How do you get around your neighborhood?
• What kind of work would make sense in your neighborhood?

How to get involved in this stage:

The Public Engagement team will connect with the community at this stage to get initial feedback on some of these early questions. Outreach may include meetings with stakeholders, focus groups, open houses, community presentations, and surveys. 

Some things you can do: 

• Engage with us on social media
• Read our plans
• Attend community meetings or open houses
• Take surveys about the project

During the design stage, we move from concepts to something more specific. For example, in our planning stage, we may have learned from community feedback about what side of the street the bike lane should be on, or which sidewalk improvements are most needed. In the design stage, we will incorporate that feedback, but also figure out how signals need to change and how the design will affect underground utilities.

Typically, we split the design process into Early and Final Design, and often further into 4 sub-stages: 10%, 30%, 60%, and 90% design.

At each of these sub-stages we work with reviewers from various departments (such as Seattle Public Utilities, Urban Forestry, ADA, King County Metro, etc. ) and each stage solidifies different aspects of the project. At many of these points, we look for input from the community on the project design.

Early Design

10%: We collaborate with stakeholders and our engineers to draft potential designs and introduce proposals for input. At this point, we may take feedback to create a few project alternatives and ask the community which one they like best.

30%: We take back community feedback and voting results and move forward with selected proposals. Large specifications, like sidewalk widths and channelization, are typically determined at this point.

Late Design

60%: We generally know what the project will look like but are still making small changes. At 60%, we finalize details like landscape amenities using input from the community, engineers, and consultants.

90%: At this point, we are preparing for the construction stage. This includes drafting mailers, thinking about the construction schedule, coordinating with the construction teams, and more.

Some questions we're asking at this stage:

• How does the design work for different travelers with different needs?
• How can we make our design accessible and sustainable for future users?
• Are there potential artistic or visual touches that are important to neighbors?
• What design details work best in this area?

How to get involved in this stage: 

The Public Engagement team will connect with the community at this stage to get initial feedback on some of these early questions. Outreach may include meetings with stakeholders, building a project webpage, sending newsletters and open houses.

Some things you can do: 

• Engage with us on social media
• Visit the project webpage
• Sign up for our newsletters
• Call our project phone line or email our inbox
• Attend open houses
• Vote on project alternatives

The project is happening! We've worked with neighbors to select the full design plan of the project, including where to build, considerations for transit and pedestrians, landscape amenities, and more.

Questions we're asking at this stage:

• How will people be impacted by construction?
• Is there anything we can do to accommodate the needs of community members and business owners during construction such as adjust the timing or create custom signage?
• How can we minimize construction impacts?
• How can we make sure the project lasts into the future?

How to get involved in this stage: 

Our Public Engagement team now attends the construction meetings to serve as liaisons between neighbors and the construction team and will reach out to update you on construction schedules, and to see how we can best accommodate residents and businesses, all while balancing the needs of the construction team to complete the work as efficiently as possible. Outreach usually includes construction notices and street signage. 

Some things you can do: 

Engage with us on social media
Visit the project webpage
Sign up for our newsletters
Call our project phone line or email our inbox
Attend open houses
Use the Find It, Fix It App if issues arise

The project is complete! To ensure projects last for years into the future, our crews often come back to do routine maintenance as needed.

Sometimes we may come back soon after the project is significantly completed to make additional changes and modifications or complete some last small pieces of the work.