Screen shot of Caltrans' winning entry
By Tamie McGowen
Assistant deputy director, Public Affairs
I’m happy to announce the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) named the winners and shared this video today of the western region for 2022 America’s Transportation Awards Competition. Caltrans won the “Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Small category” for the 360 Tours Project developed by Joaquin Pedrin in the Division of Design, District 4.
During the pandemic, Caltrans strategies for engaging with internal and external stakeholders changed dramatically. With limited opportunities for face-to-face meetings, the department found it challenging to communicate intent on various issues. Caltrans’ 360 Tours addressed that problem, while taking public engagement to the next level. The interactive, web-based interface is an easy-to-use tool for project managers to communicate a project’s intent to internal and external stakeholders. The system works without specialized software or skills to operate and is accessible through desktop and mobile devices. Visitors to the website can “zoom in” to areas of interest and view simulations of impacts like sea-level rise on existing or future roadways. Visually demonstrating these effects communicates the process for non-English speaking users as well, creating more equitable engagement.
View more information about the project here and see an example of the 360 Tours here. Find the AASHTO press release here.