Summary of Virtual Public Input Opportunity

The Gaston-Cleveland-Lincoln Metropolitan Planning Organization (GCLMPO) invited the public to comment on the Catawba Crossings Feasibility Study between January 6 and February 4, 2021. The GCLMPO distributed approximately 500 email invitations on the morning of January 6, 2021. The emails included an English and Spanish language postcard and Fact Sheet. This email list included individual emails maintained by the GCLMPO and the City of Belmont. The Project Team [1] and various project stakeholders agreed to forward the invitations to their email distribution lists and post the announcement to their websites and social media accounts. The public comment opportunity was also advertised as a media release and on GCLMPO’s social media accounts, including Facebook and Twitter.

While electronic outreach was the primary means of communication, the GCLMPO also printed English and Spanish-language postcards and placed them at multiple locations in the project area, including:

• Byrum’s Grill – 4606 S. New Hope Rd., Belmont
• Cramerton ABC Store – 4701 S. New Hope Rd., Belmont
• South Point Market and Grill – 1901 South Point Rd., Belmont
• Lake Mart – 2333 South Point Rd., Belmont
•  Dixie Grill – 9115 Dixie River Rd., Charlotte

 

Additionally, Bloomfield Estates, a mobile park home located at 3714 Walkers Cover Trail, Charlotte, distributed English and Spanish-language postcards via an eblast to their residents.

The public was instructed to visit the Project Webpage (www.catawbacrossings.com), review project materials and provide feedback. Spanish translation of the Project Webpage was also available. Five thousand six hundred ninety-six (5,696) first time visitors were recorded on the Project Webpage between January 6 and February 4, 2021 with 13,411 total site visits traced to 5,815 visitors (2.31-page views per visitor). The Project Webpage included an introductory video, corridor map, and various information about the feasibility study goals and objectives and the preliminary need and purpose statements. The five-minute introductory video, housed on the GCLMPO YouTube channel, was viewed 1,807 times during the public comment period. The video script was translated to Spanish and available in closed captions.

The public was encouraged to provide written feedback via an online MetroQuest survey (catawbacrossings-demo.metroquest.com/) or by email ([email protected]). The MetroQuest Survey was also translated to Spanish. One thousand one hundred seventy-five (1,175) individuals took the MetroQuest survey which consisted of a variety of questions including current travel behavior and experiences, transportation needs, and priorities and preferences to consider in the development of the Catawba Crossings Project.

[1] Including Town of Cramerton, City of Gastonia, Gaston County, Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO)