From simple sketches and renderings to 3D images and animations, transportation agencies
increasingly rely on visualization methods to explain the design of proposed projects
to the public.
As these tools become more affordable, they are playing a bigger role in public meetings
and online engagement.
Many agencies are institutionalizing visualization to make projects clear to the public and decision
makers.
Some are using immersive applications that add a new dimension to open house meetings.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation uses a variety of visualization tools for
highway projects across the state.
Their goal is to give the public a greater sense of what a proposed project will accomplish,
fostering more informed input.
Examples include virtual reality simulations such as 360-degree panoramic imaging that
can be shown at meetings and on YouTube.
Users can move around a screen to view these scenes from different angles, whether on their
own computer, smart phone, or on a touch screen during a meeting.
For the I-440/Glenwood Avenue Interchange, NCDOT took seven different concepts out to
the public, with 3D models of each concept.
Participants could take a virtual tour of these options at meetings equipped with smart
screens, then comment on their preferences.
They could also view the options and comment online.
To encourage participation, the DOT publicized the meetings and website heavily using radio,
TV, digital media, and geotargeting.
They reached a larger audience and received more informed feedback than on typical past
projects, with over 2,500 comments.
The Washington State Department of Transportation uses visualization to promote focused conversations
about infrastructure projects.
The level of effort depends on the project and may range from a simple rendering to a
fully produced video with 3D models and animations.
One of their most effective projects was a video on the Diverging Diamond Interchange
concept.
The video used multiple visualization techniques and perspectives to create understanding of
this complex interchange.
There's a lot of controversy with the DDI interchange design.
The Visual Engineering Resource Group of WSDOT intentionally took on that challenge.
We built a design, a virtual design of the entire interchange, 3D modeling.
And then put in traffic in there, modeled traffic and people and peds and bicyclists.
And we told a story about what the diverging diamond interchange design was going to provide
us.
The higher safety aspects of it.
The more of the volume that the interchange can handle, and it's a win-win if we can get
that diverging diamond interchange built.
When we built this visual communication product, it was a video, and it went out, and now it
has over a million views.
And we've had so many good comments about it, and a lot of people that have come on
board initially with the DDI and had very negative comments, they watch that video and
then they go, “You know what?
I think we need this.”
The Connecticut Department of Transportation used virtual reality, or VR, to create an
immersive experience for the Walk Bridge Program in Norwalk.
This major program includes the replacement of a 123-year old railroad bridge and other
infrastructure projects.
The program will change the appearance of downtown Norwalk in ways that can be hard
for the public to imagine.
To help people envision the final design and the scale of this mammoth construction effort,
the DOT sponsored a virtual reality simulation that allows the user to view the project from
any angle.
A VR headset allows users to view any stage of construction and adjust other features
such as the time of day.
The VR tool is used at the program’s Welcome Center and in educational outreach at local
schools.
The visualizations are part of a comprehensive public involvement program that includes an
interactive social media presence, neighborhood partnerships, and community events.
Visualization methods can enhance the public involvement process for almost any type of
project.
3D imaging and virtual reality are natural components to all forms of virtual public
involvement, such as social media, video communication, and virtual public meetings.
By embracing these technologies, agencies not only provide today’s audiences with
a deeper understanding of transportation choices, they help prepare for the challenges of the
future.