This report was commissioned by the Greater Baltimore Urban League (GBUL) to the

Graduate Program in City and Regional Planning and the National Transportation Center

at Morgan State University. The purpose of the report is to answer two broad research

questions: (a) how does the public participation process in transportation reach,

empower, and take into account low-income and minority communities and their needs,

problems, and aspirations? And (b) how are equity and environmental justice data and

concerns incorporated into the decision- making process? The research employed

multiple methods. These included a literature review; qualitative interviews with

transportation planners, practitioners and policymakers, and other stakeholders in

transportation planning and policy; a focus group; and a survey. Our primary analytical

framework was drawn from critical ethnography and studies of practice and discourse in

public policy.

Three different views of environmental justice emerged from this study. Most

private consulting firms are engaged in environmental justice and citizen participation

because it’s a source of job and contracts. Most public officials are engaged in

environmental justice and public participation because it’s a federal regulation and

requirement. However, most citizen and advocacy groups consider environmental justice

and citizen participation as part of the agency’s mission. The lack of uniform standards

regarding environmental justice issues, coupled with scarcity of information, as well as

the complexity of the issues, are all obstacles in implementing and enforcing environmental justice principles. Access to information is an important issue for

community organizations, advocacy groups, low income and minority groups. Public

agencies often hold meetings at places that are not easily accessible, or at times difficult

for transit dependent, low-income, and minority populations to attend.

We recommend that transportation agencies take a proactive stance in involving

low-income and minority communities in the transportation policy and planning process.

This should involve establishing outreach programs through nonprofit organizations,

minority institutions, and advocacy groups that already play significant roles in these

communities. The transportation agencies should work with these organizations to set up

public meetings and hearings that are accessible. They should consider holding meetings

in the communities themselves, and at times and on days which will allow the maximum

possible participation. One idea that may be effective is holding informal, small-group

meetings in neighborhoods, initiated by community leaders. Another way to boost

participation would be to provide child-care during the meeting. Utilizing people who

understand the culture of the targeted communities to initiate contact is also crucial to

ensure greater participation among minority groups. In addition to the process of

soliciting community involvement, making information on transportation issues readily

available is critical. Such methods as radio, schools, libraries and churches could prove

to be effective means of communications. There is also the need to translate documents

into languages other than English to reach out to the non-English speaking minorities.

The findings also suggest the need for transportation agencies, particularly the MTA, to

re-evaluate bus schedules and routes to meet the demand of low-income and minority

populations that depend on the system. The frequency and quality of the services should

be improved, especially in the poorer segments of the city, in order to make the transit

system just and equitable.