Featured Projects
United Way of Thurston County: Voices of Youth
Healthy Youth - Healthy Community
In partnership with United Way Executive Director and a dedicated Steering Committee, FLT led the design and implementation of this unique 'Voices of Youth' project with six school districts and eleven high schools throughout Thurston County. The first phase of this ambitious initiative involved approximately 450 students in over 50 focus groups conducted by student leaders. Read more
City of Tumwater Community Visioning Project: Former Olympia Brewery
Community visioning for future development of the iconic former Olympia Brewery.
The Olympia Brewery was the former heart of Old Tumwater. Leopold Schmidt began brewing beer in 1896, promoting the trademark "It's the Water" that made Tumwater and Olympia Beer nationally famous. The Visitors Center was the 'must see' tourist stop in the region. The Brewery blew the 5 o'clock whistle for the last time in 2003. Over 400 employees lost their jobs. The buildings and surroundings have sat idle and deteriorating ever since.
FLT Consulting designed and implemented a community visioning project in concert with Lorig Associates. We developed an iterative process to solicit informed decision making from the public. FLT staff worked closely with the Lorig team to blend market research, building analyses and site assessment with a series of substantive and interactive meetings to integrate visions and aspirations with the realities of the site and economic climate. Read more
Hands-on public participation for Mason County, WA
Designed by residents, a community hub takes shape
FLT Consulting and two architecture firms were hired by the Mason County Transit Authority to plan renovations of an old Armory building into a mixed-use transit and community center.
Public outreach and participation was a high priority. The centerpiece of the public participation process was a three-day design fair for citizens, business and officials from towns throughout Mason County. Over 100 participants worked side-by-side with architects to create design renderings of their future community center. They used a process known as a design charrette, which helps ideas take shape in real time, in a hands-on manner. Read more
Metro’s “In Motion” project, Southeast Seattle
Engaging the public in a neighborhood with five different languages
King County Metro hired us to engage the large number of residents in Southeast Seattle who speak limited English. Our aim was to research and identify effective ways to tell them about the advent of light rail service in their area, and the availability of a new smart card fare program.
We began by fostering relationships with community organizations, engaging with citizens at neighborhood events and forums, and creating partnerships with agencies that have established relationships in the area. FLT also brokered a partnership between Metro and ReWA, a large and highly respected social service agency that has worked extensively with immigrant and refugee residents. Read more
“Getting Around Puget Sound” trains Travel Ambassadors
Helping people of all abilities use public transportation
We were hired by Western Washington regional transit provider Sound Transit to produce this training manual. It gives travelers a broad view of their options as they move through Pierce, King and Snohomish counties. It is a teaching tool for travel ambassadors, travel trainers and social service agents to use with the public.
Sound Transit, King County Metro, Pierce Transit, Snohomish Transit and various human service providers from the three counties worked together on this guide. It had to support—but not duplicate—existing county-specific information and travel training programs. Read more
Research and strategy-building for Snohomish County, WA
Focus groups reveal true perceptions of transit safety
We partnered with Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates to conduct a safety perception assessment for the Snohomish County Special Needs Transportation Coalition (SNOTRAC). This diverse group is comprised of Snohomish County-based human service agencies, transit agencies, advocacy groups, people with special transportation needs and others.
The purpose of the project was to provide a greater understanding of the both the real and perceived safety and security concerns experienced by current and potential transit users, and to identify materials and potential strategies for addressing these concerns. We used focus groups and a comprehensive literature review to help achieve the project goals. Read more
Plan boosts transportation access for Hawaiian island residents
Electronic town halls, targeted forums let people be heard
The City and County of Honolulu contracted with FLT Consulting to develop a Human Services Transportation Coordination Plan. Our work began with a comprehensive needs assessment, transportation service provider inventory, and strategies to address coordinated services and funding.
Public participation played an important role in building out the plan. Many opportunities were provided to community members to share thoughts on transportation needs and coordinated strategies, including electronic town hall meetings, focus groups, and surveys. Read more