TRANSPORTATION 2020 IN TEXAS

Six forums (with 167 speakers and 700 participants) were held in February 1988 in Texas to hear Texan views about surface transportation into the next century. This article reports the process by which staff members and administrators at the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation got those views into the public record where they could influence transportation policy. The staff work was performed by the Planning and Policy Division, Transportation Planning Division, Information Services Section of Travel and Information Division, and by district personnel, particularly district engineers and public affairs officers in the 24 districts. Six books of testimony from the forums and hundreds of written statements and several questionnaire responses were generated by Transportation 2020. After prior planning at the national and state levels, a staff news release was made in September. Scheduling was completed in October and mailing lists prepared by November. Work by public affairs officers, and publicity efforts involving newspapers, radio and television are described. Analysis of questionnaire responses is also discussed.