The City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department awarded YPMO a five-year Public Outreach and Community Engagement Services on-call contract that began February 1, 2020. Our first assigned project was a neighborhood improvement in the Park South neighborhood, along 16th Place, Wier Avenue, Violet Drive, and 17th Street, between 16th Place and Tamarisk Avenue. The purpose of the project was to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility by installing sidewalks, ADA ramps, new streetlights with overhead feed, upgrading existing street light heads to LED if needed, and relocating signs, mailboxes, and utility boxes behind the new sidewalk. This project was the first of many Phoenix Street projects we would take on over the next five years.

In the design phase of the project, YPMO prepared a Public Information and Outreach Plan, including constraints to area businesses and residences. Involving the affected church and residences in the design phase was crucial to the success of the process. Anne Thompson prepared an exhibit and the City’s Project Manager met on-site with the Church’s pastor to discuss alterations that would need to be made to their security gate and driveway entrance. The three of them stood in the parking lot of the church approximately ten feet apart, on a hot May morning, and discussed the project while wearing masks. The pastor had concerns regarding egress and turning radius for funeral processions, which at the immediate onset of COVID were more frequent. The team worked with the pastor and in the end, made no changes to the position of the driveway and the gate was extended to roll open in a different direction.

An in-person public meeting was initially required in the scope of work, but it was changed to a presentation that was made available on the City’s website. YPMO prepared a construction postcard mailer to introduce the planned improvements and kept the community informed throughout construction. These notifications included the schedule and design information for driveway reconstructions. YPMO managed a project hotline and resolved any questions or concerns with the design team. The team also prepared a door hanger for the contractor’s use to notify the residences as work progressed to reconstruct individual driveways.

Since then, YPMO has had the pleasure of providing outreach on more Phoenix Neighborhood Improvement projects in various locations, including:

• 43rd Street: McDowell Road to Palm Lane

• 15th Avenue: Catalina Drive to Earll Drive

• 26th Avenue: Van Buren Street to Polk Street

• Earll Drive: 50th Street to 52nd Street
• Atlanta Avenue: 18th Place to 19th Place