Comments on: The PR issues surrounding toll roads in Arizona http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/the-pr-issues-surrounding-toll-roads-in-arizona/ A (dry heated) group blog from Phoenix, Arizona on public relations, marketing and social media Mon, 22 Aug 2011 21:48:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Linda VandeVrede http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/the-pr-issues-surrounding-toll-roads-in-arizona/comment-page-1/#comment-11729 Linda VandeVrede Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:00:49 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=3099#comment-11729 Tim - so glad to hear how aggressively PR is involved in this issue/decision. With so many people moving here and visiting here, our roads have never been more important. Tim – so glad to hear how aggressively PR is involved in this issue/decision. With so many people moving here and visiting here, our roads have never been more important.

]]> By: Tim Tait http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/the-pr-issues-surrounding-toll-roads-in-arizona/comment-page-1/#comment-11726 Tim Tait Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:25:49 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=3099#comment-11726 Linda, As you suggest, ADOT has been engaged in pretty comprehensive customer, leader, market and perception profiles based on research over the past two years. Public-private partnerships, which MAY ultimately include HOT lanes, are just one of the reasons. The larger issue for us is identifying the services and belief of customers to help guide decisions in these "difficult" budget times. Despite transportation services designed to be self-sustaining, more than $500 million has been siphoned into other state budget areas. On top of that, revenues -- as we all can relate to -- are way down. Data is helping us to decide which maintenance issues the public most values. Lane markings or potholes? Reflective signs or snowplowing? While data cannot guide every decision, it is supporting a new way to make decisions -- in these times when tough decisions have to be made. Construction moves forward with federal dollars, but operational factors are left to suffer (rest areas, MVD offices, layoffs). Public-private partnerships are one of the avenues we are exploring. We are open to receiving concepts from companies with an interest. We'll see what we get and then get specific in talking with the community about these ideas. One point we have been clear on: public support is absolutely required for any public-private partnership (like our policy today for roundabouts). These are exciting times -- and at ADOT, the PR shop is right in the middle of the navigating the course. Warmly, Tm Tait ADOT Linda,

As you suggest, ADOT has been engaged in pretty comprehensive customer, leader, market and perception profiles based on research over the past two years. Public-private partnerships, which MAY ultimately include HOT lanes, are just one of the reasons. The larger issue for us is identifying the services and belief of customers to help guide decisions in these “difficult” budget times. Despite transportation services designed to be self-sustaining, more than $500 million has been siphoned into other state budget areas. On top of that, revenues — as we all can relate to — are way down.

Data is helping us to decide which maintenance issues the public most values. Lane markings or potholes? Reflective signs or snowplowing? While data cannot guide every decision, it is supporting a new way to make decisions — in these times when tough decisions have to be made. Construction moves forward with federal dollars, but operational factors are left to suffer (rest areas, MVD offices, layoffs).

Public-private partnerships are one of the avenues we are exploring. We are open to receiving concepts from companies with an interest. We’ll see what we get and then get specific in talking with the community about these ideas. One point we have been clear on: public support is absolutely required for any public-private partnership (like our policy today for roundabouts).

These are exciting times — and at ADOT, the PR shop is right in the middle of the navigating the course.

Warmly,
Tm Tait
ADOT

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