Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan (SMTP): Creating Connections to Inform Policy
Client: Minnesota Department of Transportation
Date Range: 2020-2022
Summary: In support of MnDOT’s SMTP plan, the Musicant Group created an engagement approach that incorporated local BIPOC artists to translate dry transportation jargon into accessible comics that were utilized by trusted community partners for community conversations. The narratives helped create a way for people to connect and share their experiences around key transportation trends, such as climate change, equitable transportation, aging infrastructure, and more.
Project Goals & Strategy
The goal of the project was to reach a representative group of Minnesotans and have conversational connections that help planners understand their lived experience with the transportation system.
Our strategy involved collaborating with local BIPOC artists to translate dry transportation jargon into accessible comics to help people share their experiences around key transportation trends, such as climate change, equitable transportation, aging infrastructure, and more.
What we did
During this project, we delivered:
7 community-organization-led virtual conversations, including meetings held in Spanish and Vietnamese
Comics explaining technical transportation subjects in relatable narratives, designed by local BIPOC artist
Virtual, interactive platform to share transportation experiences to inform planning
Development of a multi-channel statewide engagement effort
Enlistment of a local radio host
Outcomes & Benefits
Through our engagement, over 1,000 BIPOC individuals were reached throughout the state of Minnesota.
Other benefits from our engagement efforts included:
Overcoming pandemic-related barriers to equitable engagement on a statewide basis
Building relationships between MnDOT and partner communities
Incorporating multiple languages into our engagement, thereby expanding our reach and diversity of inputs
Testimonals
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“The Musicant Group is experienced in pushing the boundaries on engagement and heightening community trust through use of small scale RFPs for artists and trusted community advocates. They have an existing, proven process in place to efficiently administer mini-grants, allowing us to easily incorporate this type of partnership with community into our engagement process.”
- MnDOT 2022 Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan, Letter of Interest