Kansas City, Missouri Wet Weather Solutions Program: A Twelve Step Program

The measure of a successful public participation effort is not only sharing information, and gathering public input but also in changing behaviors on a larger scale. The Wet Weather Solutions Program was created by the City of Kansas City Missouri to reduce flooding, improve water quality and protect and restore the natural environment. To prepare the long-rang plan, a large scale public participation process was employed. It resulted in an innovative plan but also drove significant changes to the culture of an entire city organization; and introduced and promoted sustainability throughout all aspects of the City. As a result of the public participation process, Kansas City is destined to be one of the greenest cities in the United States over the next 25 years. A unique perspective from inside the public participation process of a $4.0 billion public infrastructure project is outlined from the lead public participation consultants for the Program.