Step 4: Build a Coalition and Outreach

Successfully delivering a Bridge Bundling program in Illinois requires cooperation from multiple stakeholders at different levels of government, the private sector and the general public. Achieving this cooperation can be accomplished through coalition building, stakeholder outreach and a targeted communications plan.

Elements of a successful communications plan should include the following components:

  1. Goals and Objectives: Identify the overall goals and objectives of the communications plan, such as increasing awareness about Bridge Bundling among key stakeholders.
  2. Audience: Identify the target audience for the communications plan, such as state and local government officials, contractors, local engineers, community groups and the general public.
  3. Key Messages: Develop key messages tailored to the specific needs and interests of the target audience.
  4. Appropriate Medium: Identify the most effective communication channels and tactics for reaching the target audience. These may include website content, social media posts, press releases, email newsletters, webinars, in-person presentations, and outreach events.
  5. Timeline: Develop a timeline for implementing the communications plan, including specific milestones and deadlines for each component.
  6. Measurement and Evaluation: Establish metrics for measuring the effectiveness of the communications plan, such as website traffic, social media engagement, media coverage, or stakeholder feedback.
  7. Resources: Identify the resources necessary to implement the communications plan, such as staff time, budget, and technology.

  • IDOT Office of Planning and Programming
  • Soybean Farmers (and those responsible for transporting soybeans)
  • State Officials
  • Township, City and County Officials
  • County and Local Engineers
  • Public Sector
  • Private Sector
  • Non-for-Profits
  • Advocacy Groups

  • Measuring Effectiveness
  • Measuring Action
  • Built-in Analytics
  • Compile and Report Regularly
  • Results

Issue Statement

The goal of this communications plan is to outline an effective communications framework needed to deliver a Bridge Bundling project in Illinois. This plan will:

  • Identify critical stakeholders
  • Outline key messaging
  • Develop an overall communications strategy
  • Tactics
  • Provide metrics to measure outcomes

Target Audience

The target audience includes all key stakeholders that will have a role in developing the bridge bundle or will be directly impacted by its development:

  • IDOT Office of Planning and Programming
  • Soybean Farmers (and those responsible for transporting soybeans)
  • State Officials
  • Township, City and County Officials
  • County and Local Engineers
  • Public Sector
  • Private Sector
  • Non-for-Profits
  • Advocacy Groups

Key Messages

The goal of the communications plan is to effectively share information with the public and other external stakeholders about the project itself. This portion of the plan will provide a high-level overview of the project basics, including (but not limited to):

  • Definition of Bridge Bundling
  • Which bridges are being rehabilitated and reconstructed
  • Why Bridge Bundling is being used
  • The procurement method
  • How much it is going to cost
  • How it is being paid for
  • Key dates
  • Potential closures/impacts to the travelling public
  • Where to submit questions/concerns (i.e. website or telephone number)

The goal of this section should be for someone to understand at a high level what the project is and how it may impact them. The plan should be available online to the public and should be discussed thoroughly during state/local/MPO board meetings, which are generally available to the public via a livestream.

Strategy

The strategy of the communications plan will be rooted in clear, transparent lines of communication. This can be accomplished by:

  • Developing Robust Stakeholder Map: This map will provide a visual representation of the different stakeholder groups that are affected by the project, either directly or indirectly. The stakeholder map also allows provides a visual of how stakeholders interests are aligned, and how strong these interests might be. For example, Soybean farmers and advocacy groups might have a strong connection, but soybean farmers and the private sector may be more tenuously connected.
  • Establishing Stakeholder Working Groups: Establishing stakeholder working groups allows the project sponsor to create specific communication approaches based on specific stakeholder need. For example, the communications approach for a stakeholder group that includes members of the general public might consist of regular town hall meetings.
  • Manage the Cadence of the Messaging: It will be critical to provide enough information to stakeholders, but the timing of the messaging can have a huge impact on its effectiveness. Sending lengthy messages too quickly will be ineffective and look like SPAM, but not providing enough information will create questions for stakeholders and make the project sponsor look unreliable. Finding the right cadence will be necessary to optimize the messaging surrounding the project.

Tactics

The tactics to execute the communications plan include:

  • Utilize Different Forms of Media: Communication through traditional and social media is essential. Town hall and other in-person stakeholder meetings add value, but online media will be a more powerful tool for disseminating a message. In addition to a website, social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok should all be vectors of communication for the project sponsor.
  • Host in-person events
  • Become involved with the local community: This could mean becoming a member of the local chamber of commerce, sponsoring a sports team, or organizing a community clean-up.

Measuring Results

  • Stakeholder surveys and feedback
  • On-time product delivery
  • Quantitative Metrics (website traffic, social media, etc.)
  • Number of stakeholder touchpoints/public outreach events