DOT conducts outreach to communities whenever the agency implements a project or makes changes to the local transportation network. Input from residents and businesses helps DOT assess the character and needs of specific neighborhoods in the project-development process. While each DOT unit that manages a project is involved in community outreach, the Borough Commissioners are the agency’s primary liaison with communities and generally conduct the ongoing dialogue.
The Borough Commissioners routinely meet with Community Boards, elected officials, business leaders, and other community stakeholders to discuss a range of issues, from full-scale street redesign projects to parking regulation adjustments. These meetings take place through various formats, including virtual platforms, community rooms, school auditoriums, agency offices, or on-site visits to address specific concerns.
To facilitate a more robust and inclusive outreach process, DOT’s Public Engagement Group (PEG) engages with community members and other street users at project sites and community workshops to better understand mobility and usage patterns and seek input on project elements. Originally launched in 2015 as the Street Ambassadors Program, PEG has expanded to become a multi-disciplinary team that integrates outreach, data analysis, and design to support DOT’s planning processes. Through the use of in-person surveys, designed with the project managers, the PEG ensures that community feedback is effectively incorporated into the project scoping and design choices.
DOT tailors its community outreach to suit the scope, size, complexity, and magnitude of potential impacts of each project. The outreach process is iterative, as DOT often adjusts and modifies projects based on community feedback. For some projects, as with NYC Plaza Program, Capital projects, local community institutions may be engaged as maintenance and programming partners. DDC also conducts community outreach for DOT street reconstruction Capital projects, in coordination with DOT. DOT notifies local elected officials of every large project and presents the project to the relevant Community Board(s) during planning and prior to implementation. Per Local Law 5 of 2025, DOT will also notify the local elected official and affected community board when removing parking spots in the course of an Operational or Capital project or as part of other efforts.