Several years of study, planning, and preliminary design work are invested into a project before it is designed, right of way is purchased, or construction begins. During this developmental stage of the project, the public must have an active role in the location and design features of the proposed roadway. This role is provided through informational workshops and public hearings.

The Public Involvement Staff is responsible for acquiring sites and establishing dates and times for these meetings. In addition, the Unit places newspaper advertisements and when possible, contacts individual property owners to inform them of these events.

The Public Involvement Officers in the Unit also conduct the public hearings. Hearings are generally held in the evenings at a public building near the proposed project to be convenient for the public. These hearings are often attended by hundreds of people who are concerned about how they will be affected by the project, especially those who own homes or property directly impacted by the proposed highway right of way. The Hearing Officers explain the project and its details and provide answers to many design, right of way, and relocation questions. They also respond to telephone calls and letters voicing concerns about the project. In some circumstances, personal meetings are arranged with property owners to provide information and receive comments. After the hearing, the Hearing Officers meet with other staff engineers to address the comments and determine those that can be effectively incorporated into the final design. All of these activities require close coordination with personnel in other branches, particularly those in the Highway Design Branch and the Planning and Environmental Branch.

Advanced technology is creating new and challenging methods of providing information to the public. In today's electronic age, the Public Involvement Staff seeks new ways to improve public contacts and the presentation of information.

As citizens become more informed and have greater environmental concerns, they become increasingly involved in the planning of new highway projects. The future will require a greater emphasis on providing the public with proper and timely information about the future of their highway system in North Carolina.