The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its implementing regulations require that comprehensive and continuous public involvement efforts be incorporated into every EIS process. All Penns Neck Area EIS project consultants are committed to the goal of designing and implementing an extensive and inclusive public involvement program that solicits public input from the earliest stages of EIS preparation. To achieve this critical goal, the Voorhees Transportation Policy Institute team is working in close collaboration with the highly respected and experienced public involvement firm of Helen Neuhaus & Associates, Inc.


Elements of the Penns Neck Area EIS public involvement program include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Extensive interviews with local officials, residents, community groups, business organizations, state and federal agency representatives and other interested parties;
• An EIS advisory committee, known as the Partners' Roundtable. The Roundtable will be comprised of various stakeholders charged with discussing and building consensus on key project issues, such as defining the mobility problem to be addressed, identifying goals & objectives for addressing the problem and developing a process by which approaches and alternatives for addressing the problem can be evaluated;
• Small group listening sessions and project-related issue groups/workshops;
• A public scoping meeting early in the EIS process and a series of open houses throughout the process;
• A project website to disseminate information regarding the EIS process to the public.
• A Public Hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which will provide a formal opportunity for receiving broad-based input on the DEIS. Widespread notification of the Hearing and availability of the DEIS will include display ads, letters of invitation and media announcements.

• An informal Open House in conjunction with the Public Hearing, which will enable the public to review project exhibits and discuss the technical studies, alternatives under consideration, and DEIS with project staff. Interactive computer graphics, user-friendly exhibits, and a videotape of the official Hearing presentation will encourage maximum participation in the Hearing process.

All of the public involvement and outreach activities described above embrace the principles of Context Sensitive Design (CSD), including flexible design, respectful communications and negotiation and conflict resolution. CSD seeks to meet area transportation needs while preserving the historic, natural, aesthetic and environmental resources of a given community; and create a partnership with local stakeholders through an open and collaborative community-oriented process.

To learn more about CSD, please click on the links below:

NJDOT CSD Frequently Asked Questions
USDOT Principles of Context Sensitive Design