PR/MARKETING CASE STUDY

LODGE.ABILITY:
Keeping the traffic moving on the Lodge Freeway

Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) with
Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments

"Detroit gave a traffic jam, but nobody came."
Front page story, Detroit News, April 14, 1987

"It was the most successful public improvement project that we've seen in a long, long time."
Frank E. Smith, President
Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce

"The program really was excellently conceived and executed and turned thousands of regular Lodge users from potential enemies to friends, supporters and admirers."
Saul J. Waldman, Vice President 
Public Affairs, Detroit Edison

"You not only eliminated possible controversy by involving community leaders, but you also generated a tremendous reservoir of good will."
James J. Blanchard, Governor
State of Michigan

"'Lodge.ability' is an excellent example of what government can do to let taxpayers know just what's going on -- and what it means to their everyday lives."
Gene McKinney, Director of Communications
Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association

Background

The nation's first major urban freeway to be closed to traffic for reconstruction was the John C. Lodge Freeway in Detroit. Strongly expressed concerns, and in some cases outright opposition, greeted the proposal to close the freeway used by 120,000 drivers daily. Most vocal were some leaders of the Detroit Central Business District Association and Detroit City Council, who feared the project would greatly reduce traffic to and from the downtown area. News media joined the outcry, along with businesses and other organizations along the nine-mile freeway. MDOT realized a new and innovative approach would be required to keep traffic moving as near to normal as possible during the two years of construction. Research Research was conducted twice: before the construction started and after the first year. The first telephone survey of 800 Lodge users revealed that the public generally wanted freeway improvements but were apprehensive about how the work would affect them: 53% said the work was absolutely necessary, but more than 50% felt the state could not reduce inconveniences to drivers during construction.

Community Relations Excellence Creating a "drive friendly" construction zone and providing quality service to motorists while rebuilding Detroit's Lodge Freeway was recognized by the Public Relations Society of America as the nation's best community relations program by a government organization in 1988. PRSA's coveted Silver Anvil Award was presented to Michigan Department of Transportation Director James P. Pitz (center) and Jack Pyle, director of its Office of Communications, by Marjorie Bradford, who headed the competition. Also recognized for their efforts in the program were SEMCOG (Southeast Michigan Council of Governments), which coordinated the Lodge communication program for MDOT and PR Associates, Inc. of Detroit, which helped with some of the early planning.

Planning
Overall objective: Keep traffic moving smoothly to minimize the potential negative impacts construction might cause for businesses, restaurants, entertainment/sport complexes and health care facilities.

Strategies to accomplish the objective:

1. Make public relations an integral part of construction planning by creating a traffic management/communications program to inform motorists of conditions on the Lodge Freeway before they encountered them and become snarled in traffic.
   
   
2. Create a community task force of officials from businesses, local governments and community organizations in the Lodge corridor to assist in the design of a motorist information plan.
   
   
3. Develop a theme, "Lodge.ability," for recognition of the project and to serve as an umbrella for all communications activities.

A budget of $702,000 for the two-year program covered creation of printed materials; PSA's slide presentation, advertising and opinion surveys. Less than one-quarter of budget was used for advertising.

Execution
Community Task Force: Officials of 85 organizations were invited to assist in planning the motorist information plan. More than 50 of them participated. They provided valuable ideas and feedback.

Media: An aggressive Detroit area media program was key to the public relations program. A full-time media specialist was hired to provide frequent construction and traffic updates.

Helicopter Traffic Reporters: This group was given special attention at a luncheon with the MDOT director before the project and during the project with frequent reports about construction activities.

Hotline: A telephone hotline, 93-LODGE, used taped messages to give motorists information on project status to help them avoid traffic delays. The message was often updated daily. Calls averaged 850-1000 per month during the two years of construction.

Public Service Announcements: Six TV PSAs described construction, informed viewers of the hotline phone or alternative routes. One station used the PSAs frequently in prime time.

Brochures: Community task force members and a radio station distributed 750,000 brochures. Four were targeted to specific sections of the city to show how to get on alternate routes.

Speaker's Bureau: Slide program and speakers were used to describe program to 600 people in 10 organizations. Many motorists received information from public contact people (telephone operators, waiters/waitresses, and ticket sellers) who were specially trained to be knowledgeable about the project--550 were trained in 18 briefings.

Advertisements: Newspaper ads were used twice--at the beginning of construction and when one side of the freeway was closed. Much less advertising was needed than expected because of the excellent ongoing coverage by news media.

Free tow truck service: Tow trucks were hired to travel the Lodge and alternate freeways for two years to provide gasoline, jump starts or to tow stranded vehicles to eliminate traffic tie ups. About 100 vehicles per week received the free service.

Evaluation
There were no major traffic jams during construction.

• In the first year, 24,000 vehicles per day found alternate routes, and traffic moved smoothly as a result.
  
  
• In the second year, the headline of the Detroit Free Press on the day after the southbound Lodge closed said: "No Lodge? No Sweat!" Detroit News said: "Detroit gave a traffic jam, but nobody came."

Negative attitudes of Detroit business and city leaders before construction started were reversed by the end of year one. Opponents became supporters, as documented by letters and quotes in newspapers.

Our second phone survey of Lodge Freeway users, taken after the first year of construction, showed positive attitudes about our work.

• 88% felt the first year's construction caused little or no inconvenience
  
  
• 58% felt state efforts to minimize disruption during construction were good or excellent
  
  
• 61% said state government did a good or excellent job of providing information about the Lodge project

Media reports completely changed from very negative before construction to very positive and supportive during and after construction. MDOT was lauded in radio/TV coverage and newspaper reports, editorials, news, features and columns.

News coverage was widespread and effective in all major media. In research, Lodge users were asked if they found out about the freeway repairs in the following ways.

• from radio reports: 70% said yes
  
  
• from newspapers: 71% said yes
  
  
• from television: 80% said yes

More than 200 officials and engineers from 20 states visited Michigan to view the project during construction and learn about its results.

"Lodge.ability" theme was recognized by 42% of people in second survey, and they could define it...an enviable record for a new "product."

» Contact Jack Pyle for information.

Face to Face Matters, Inc. 1560 Little Lake Drive #16 Ann Arbor, MI 48103 517-243-3223