downtown austin

There’s a new way to be heard and see what others are saying about transportation in Austin.  Since the urban core of a large and fast growing city like Austin needs effective transportation, every Downtown Austin Blog reader should also get snapping.

SNAPPatx – Social Networking and Planning Project in Austin, TX­ – began with UT students sitting around a table talking about how to give students a better way get involved in transportation decisions that mean so much for the their lives in Austin.  These students, the City of Austin’s Department of Transportation, and Alliance for Public Transportation coordinated with Texas Citizen Fund to applied for and won a Federal Transit Administration PTP grant to innovate the use of social media as an easier and more convenient option for engaging Austin’s Strategic Mobility Planning (ASMP).

SNAPP focuses communications specifically toward some of the population segments least likely to show up to traditional planning meetings, e.g., younger adults/students, adults with young families, and seniors.

How SNAPPatx functions

SNAPP coordinates with the City of Austin, and other information resources, to develop and push out timely information about issues and decisions related to Strategic Mobility Planning.

SNAPP actively encourages discussion by:

• Capturing comments related to transportation in Austin.
• Communication specialists who ask questions to ensure each commenter is providing clear input related to Strategic Mobility Planning.
• Hosting surveys and other unique activities.
• To promote even more conversation, all of this is displayed as transparently as possible in aggregate on the SNAPPatx website and separately, Facebook fans see Facebook comments, Twitter followers see tweets, etc.

Finally, SNAPP analyzes all of these comments for type of comment, themes, topics, trends and sentiment.  Specific “gaps” identified are sent directly to the City to become part of their gaps database.  A detailed report on trends, topics, and themes is provided to the Strategic Mobility Plan staff and contractors as additional input into the planning process. And, the analysis of trends, themes, and topic is pushed back out into the SNAPP conversation as well.

Start snapping today

The clock is ticking. SNAPPatx has only months to show the world that Austin figure out how to use social media as a handy way to make a difference in planning – Austin Strategic Mobility Plan to be specific.  So we need you to connect with us by:

Follow us on Twitter

Become a fan on Facebook

Or just go through our website for e-mail or blog connections.

Connecting is the easiest way for you to see information as well as things your neighbors are saying about transportation, and then to contribute your own ideas and thoughts.