CHAPTER 5 : SOCIAL IMPACTS

Social impacts of a transportation project are impacts that disrupt the normal
daily functions of a community or neighborhood. Typically, it is the broader
region or jurisdiction that enjoys the social benefits of a transportation project
while the social impacts are borne by the local community—particularly the
neighborhoods immediately adjacent to the transportation project. Therefore,
social impact assessment is often conducted at the neighborhood level.

But what is a “community” or “neighborhood?” Social scientists have defined

these terms in a variety of ways. Some defining characteristics of a “community”
include; geographic proximity and boundaries, a shared sense of identity, shared
ethnicity or demographic characteristics, religious affiliation, common
membership in a group or organization, psychological unity among the residents,
social stability, or the common use of facilities or services in an area. A
“neighborhood” is a small social unit based on face-to-face contacts and a sub-
unit of the geographic community. A neighborhood can also be thought of as a
local area with an identity that can be distinguished from the larger jurisdiction
and where the daily life of residents involves contact with or dependence on
other neighborhood residents, businesses and facilities.

Social impacts have historically been given little consideration during the
development of transportation projects. The evidence lies in the many
communities that have been adversely affected by transportation projects. In
some cases, the social impacts were so severe that affected neighborhoods were
unable to recover. Because of these situations, state and federal transportation
and environmental laws now require that potential social impacts of
transportation projects be identified and addressed. Chapter 9 of the Project
Development and Environment (PD&E) Manual requires that all potential social
impacts from a transportation project be addressed during the preparation of an
environmental document. This chapter provides methods to achieve those
objectives.

UNDERSTANDING POTENTIAL IMPACTS

Social impacts can be generally categorized under the following headings:
• Community Cohesion;
• Community Facilities and Services;
• Mobility; and
• Safety.

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These impacts are not mutually exclusive; nor can they be measured
independently. They are interrelated and are best understood when considered
together. For example, a road-widening project may increase vehicle speeds and
reduce pedestrian crossing opportunities, making it more difficult for residents
to move freely about the neighborhood (a mobility impact). The same project
may impair access to the neighborhood corner grocery store (a community
facility impact), and make it less safe for disabled, school-aged, or elderly
residents who regularly cross the road (a safety impact). Therefore, any analysis
of social impacts must be considered holistically.

What is Community Cohesion?

Community cohesion is the degree to
which residents have a sense of • Is there evidence that the
belonging to their neighborhood or neighborhood is cohesive?
community, including commitment to
the community or a strong attachment • To what degree do residents
to neighbors, institutions in the have a sense of belonging to
their neighborhood?
community, or particular groups. The
level of community cohesion is often • Will project alternatives damage
evidenced by the degree of interaction or facilitate that cohesiveness?
among individuals, groups, and
institutions within a community.

A sense of community is generally expressed through frequent social interaction,

use of community facilities and services, local participation and involvement in
social activities, and an undefined sense of solidarity. Members of a “cohesive
community” often have a collective outward identity. Other indicators include
the presence of recognized community leaders, residential stability, a family
orientation, active elderly populations, defined community or neighborhood
organizations, and area name identification.

Figure 5-1: Traditional neighborhoods often exhibit a high level of cohesion.

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The assessment of social impacts should answer two questions relative to
community cohesion. First, is there evidence that community cohesion exists in
the neighborhoods adjacent to the project alternatives? Second, if there is
evidence of cohesion, will the project alternatives damage that cohesiveness and,
if so, to what extent? Transportation projects can adversely affect community
cohesion through relocation or barrier effects. For example, the large scale
relocation of residents or removal of popular meeting places or community
facilities can unravel the delicate balance of social interaction in a neighborhood.

Transportation projects can also create a physical or perceived barrier within

the neighborhood, discouraging neighborhood interaction across the facility. The
barrier effect is especially damaging to cohesiveness if it involves physically
isolating one section of a neighborhood from the rest. For example, the
extension of a grade-separated expressway may physically separate and isolate a
few blocks of a neighborhood, diminishing the cohesiveness of the neighborhood
as a whole. Isolation of the area could lead to a variety of unwelcome
circumstances, such as increased residential turnover, social isolation for the
elderly or disabled, and increased crime.

Conversely, transportation projects can improve community cohesion. For

example, a transportation improvement project may remove cut-through traffic
from nearby residential streets and provide additional pedestrian crossings,
making it easier for neighborhood children to cross streets and generally
increasing opportunities for neighborly interaction.

What are Community Facilities and Services?

In general, a community facility or
service is any public or private Will the project impede or enhance the
organization that a local population ability of residents to make full use of
relies upon for goods or services. community facilities and services?
Community facilities and services
include, but are not limited to:
• Schools;
• Religious institutions;
• Parks, recreation centers and playgrounds;
• Social service agencies;
• Housing for the elderly, retirement centers,
or other special needs residential facilities;
• Hospitals and other medical facilities;
• Community centers;
• Senior centers;
• Libraries;
• Retail and other commercial establishments;
• Day care centers; and
• Emergency services, such as fire and police stations.

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Not only do these facilities provide essential services, they also contribute to
higher levels of community cohesion. The availability and use of community
facilities and services, both public and private, plays an important role in
determining the degree of cohesion, social interaction, and overall quality of life
in a community.

The question that the social impact assessment attempts to answer is, will the
project impede or enhance the ability of residents to make full use of community
facilities and services? A transportation project can adversely impact a
neighborhood by removing or relocating community facilities and services or
otherwise impairing access to those facilities. Conversely, the impact could be
positive if a community facility is relocated to an area that is actually more
accessible to neighborhood residents.

A Note on the Needs of Special Groups

Some groups may have greater difficulty negotiating adverse project impacts,
such as seniors, children, persons with disabilities, low-income persons, and
racial or ethnic minorities. For example, transportation projects requiring
displacement may intensify existing problems of segregation or discrimination for
minorities. In addition, low-income individuals, seniors, persons with disabilities,
and minorities tend to rely on internal community social networks more than other
groups and often have greater difficulty adjusting to changes in these networks.
Seniors, children and persons with disabilities may require special design
features, such as pedestrian facilities, to facilitate mobility during and after project
construction.

What is Mobility?
Mobility has several definitions depending
upon the subject of analysis. For the purpose
of social impact assessment, mobility is simply
the ability of local residents to move freely
about their community. This definition
incorporates all modes of transportation and
places special emphasis on the ability of non-
driving populations (disabled, low-income,
elderly and children) to move freely
about the neighborhood and carry Will project alternatives enhance or
out normal daily activities. It is impede the ability of residents to move
determined by the degree of freely about their neighborhood?
accessibility of various areas and
land uses within a neighborhood.

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The question that the social impact assessment attempts to answer regarding
mobility is, will project alternatives enhance or impede the ability of residents to
move freely about the neighborhood? A transportation project can affect
mobility by creating physical and psychological barriers within the
neighborhood. A widened road may attract more vehicles, potentially making it
more difficult for pedestrians to cross. For an elderly or disabled person, the
sheer length of the journey may create a barrier. Both of these scenarios can be
addressed through pedestrian-friendly features in the roadway design.
However, not addressing neighborhood mobility issues in the project
development process could have a significant adverse effect on the quality of life
in the neighborhood.

Transportation projects or programs can also positively affect neighborhood

mobility. A transportation improvement project could improve traffic flow on a
major thoroughfare, thereby reducing cut through traffic on neighborhood
streets and improving conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists. Including a new
bus stop location or a bike path in the project design could also increase
neighborhood mobility. An access management policy aimed at increasing
vehicular and pedestrian connections between businesses helps to improve the
overall accessibility of those areas.

What is Safety?

For most transportation projects, safety is typically assessed in terms of

vehicular safety using crash data as the measure. Community impact
assessment requires a broader definition that includes the effects of the
transportation project on neighborhood safety. In this context, the assessment
of safety impacts also considers whether or not residents feel safe in their
neighborhood and includes issues such as crime, emergency services and
bicycle/pedestrian safety. The question to answer when assessing potential
safety impacts is, will project alternatives negatively or positively affect non-
motorist (pedestrian and bicycle) safety conditions, crime in the neighborhood,
and emergency (police, medical, and fire) response times?

For example, a transportation project

may result in increased vehicular traffic, How will project alternatives affect
wider rights-of-way, and higher travel pedestrian and bicycle safety,
speeds that adversely affect pedestrian crime, and emergency response
safety. Such impacts could be more times?
severe for elderly persons and persons
with disabilities, who may find it more difficult to cross the road safely. As
mentioned in Chapter 2, the significance of these impacts must also be
considered in context. For example, if the study area has relatively low levels of
pedestrian activity and the project would resolve a traffic hazard, then
pedestrian impacts are probably not as significant.

Barrier effects caused by transportation projects can also

impede or enhance the delivery of emergency services in a
neighborhood. Increased congestion, or local street closures
caused by an above grade expressway, can delay emergency
response times. Conversely, decreased congestion or improved

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neighborhood access attributable to project alternatives can improve emergency
response times.

Transportation projects can also contribute or be perceived as contributing to

increased neighborhood susceptibility to crime and reduced “community
policing.” For example, if a roadway extension physically separates a park from
the rest of the neighborhood, the physical separation can have the effect of
reducing the real or perceived safety of the park. Safety impacts such as these
can be addressed through attention to design features such as visibility of
various areas from the roadway, roadway width, lighting, and landscaping or
even through partnering strategies, such as involving a municipality in
developing a crime prevention program for the area.

DATA SOURCES
Most of the data required to assess social impacts should have been collected
and mapped during development of the community profile, as described in
Chapter 4. This includes all relevant demographic, economic, and housing data,
an inventory and map of community facilities and services and transportation
characteristics, and a summary of community issues and attitudes. Additional
suggestions for identifying existing conditions are provided below by topic area.

Other relevant information would have been collected for the purpose of
describing the project and study area, as described in Chapter 2. This includes
the statement of purpose and need for the project, which should be available
from the Long Range Transportation Plan developed by the Metropolitan
Planning Organization, and local comprehensive plans. The FDOT planning
office may also maintain relevant background material on project planning
issues.

Fieldwork is particularly important for understanding social characteristics of

neighborhoods in the study area. Time should be spent observing and recording
neighborhood activities in relation to the social issues that have been identified.
Things to look for include general levels of pedestrian activity and whether
residents walk to neighborhood facilities such as parks, schools, community
centers, and businesses. Also, do residents interact with each other? Do
neighbors stop and talk to each other on the street? Do neighborhood kids play
together at the playground or at each other’s houses? Do seniors congregate at a
particular location in the neighborhood?

Where social impacts are a potentially significant issue, additional information

may be needed for an accurate impact assessment. Supplemental data collection
activities would be aimed at expanding upon the community profile and
obtaining information specific to a neighborhood. This information can be
collected through interviews, surveys, and observation.1 A sample questionnaire
and survey instrument for social impact assessment is provided in Appendix A.
The questionnaire can be used either to supplement or develop the community
profile. The sample survey instrument can be used and modified to collect more

1For basic information on how to conduct statistically significant surveys, see Chapters
4-6 of the 1999 Commuter Assistance Program Evaluation Manual (Center for Urban
Transportation Research, University of South Florida, Tampa).

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detailed information, particularly for community cohesion. Be sure to include a
description of the proposed project and a diagram of project alternatives with the
survey.

ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES
The assessment of social impacts is aimed at determining whether a project
could affect study area neighborhoods, positively or negatively, in terms of
community cohesion, community facilities and services, mobility, and safety.
Bear in mind that these social impacts are often interrelated. In addition, the
assessment should be:
• Sensitive to neighborhood conditions and characteristics;

• Easy to understand; and

• Readily available to stakeholders.

The technique described in this chapter emphasizes simplicity and community
involvement. Although simple, this assessment technique provides a reasonable
basis for determining social impacts of a transportation project. Assessment
techniques that are simply performed, easily understood and incorporate the
sentiments of community stakeholders will be the most effective and valuable to
the project development process.

In general, any assessment of social impacts should involve:

• Identifying existing conditions relative to community cohesion, community
facilities and services, mobility and safety in each neighborhood adjacent to
project alternatives; and
• Determining the potential social impacts to those neighborhoods, both
beneficial and adverse, attributable to proposed project alternatives.

When potential impacts of project alternatives are determined, the results

should be shared with stakeholders and community leaders for their review and
input. This will provide local verification that the assessment accurately
portrays existing neighborhood conditions and will serve to notify the
neighborhood of potential impacts of the project. Keeping leaders and
stakeholders informed will also reduce local anxiety over the agency’s intentions
and serve to build trust between the agency and the neighborhood. The
information obtained through this process can then be used in the project
development process so that the final project alternative is developed with
sensitivity toward potential social impacts.

What Level of Assessment is Appropriate?

The effort expended in determining social impacts should be directly related to
the nature of the proposed transportation project, the perceived potential social
impacts of the project, and the importance placed on those impacts by the
community. If it is determined that potential social impacts will cause strong
public opposition to the transportation project or that significant social impacts
are likely to result from the project, a more extensive social impact assessment
is warranted. Typically, the assessment of social impacts can be accomplished
through the techniques provided in this handbook. Under unique

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circumstances, it may be necessary to enlist the services of a social impact
assessment specialist to serve as a supplemental project resource, particularly in
situations where the relationship between the Department and the affected
community is strained.

Identifying Existing Conditions

Begin the assessment by determining the general baseline conditions for each
social issue area – community cohesion, community facilities and services,
safety, and mobility. Chapter 4 describes how to establish baseline conditions
through a community profile. Determining social baseline conditions in study
area neighborhoods is best accomplished by reviewing the socio-economic
inventory map, notes from field visits and the summary of pertinent community
issues and attitudes.

Community Cohesion
For community cohesion, relevant information includes the location of special
populations, the location of community facilities and services, housing data and
information conveying resident attitudes about their neighborhood, and general
observation of community life. Consider how the manner in which they interact
with their neighbors and community facilities. Neighborhood activity
information can only be collected through leader interviews, neighborhood
observation and resident surveys.

Compare this information to the indicators of community cohesion listed below

and, using professional judgment, determine the existing cohesiveness of study
area neighborhoods. Determining cohesion is a subjective task and can be
estimated based on the number of indicators that apply to a neighborhood. In
general, the more indicators that apply to a neighborhood, the more cohesive
that neighborhood is. For example, a neighborhood in which neighbors interact
frequently, rely on community facilities, have long-serving local leadership, are
satisfied with the quality of life in the neighborhood, desire to stay in the
neighborhood, and identify with the neighborhood would, in general, be
considered cohesive. Summarize in detail the findings of this exercise.

Indicators of Community Cohesion

• Interaction among neighbors: Frequent and intense interaction between
community members indicates higher levels of community cohesion.
Generally, neighbors within a cohesive community interact more frequently
and build strong, social relationships beyond an occasional greeting.
• Use of community facilities: Use of and reliance on local services and
facilities indicates community cohesiveness. Local facilities include, but are
not limited to, shopping areas, churches, businesses, medical facilities, and
social services.
• Long-serving community leadership: The presence of long-serving, active
community leadership indicates community cohesion. This indicator can be
applied to local political leadership, civic leadership, business leadership and
religious leadership.
• Participation in local organizations: Active participation in local
organizations indicates community cohesion.

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• Identification with the community: Members of cohesive communities
typically “identify” with the neighborhood. Indicators include the existence
of an established neighborhood name and an identifiable boundary.
• Desire to stay in the community: Members of cohesive communities usually
have a strong desire to remain in the neighborhood and are typically
resistant to the idea of change that may lead to the disruption of the
neighborhood social fabric.
• Satisfaction with the community: Members of cohesive communities usually
express great satisfaction with life in the neighborhood. Residents may
express a desire for specific refinements or improvements, but in general are
highly satisfied with the quality of life within the neighborhood.
• Homogeneity (income, ethnicity, age, etc.): In general, homogeneity of
population contributes to higher levels of community cohesion. Homogeneity
in terms of income and ethnicity appear to be important indicators of
community cohesion.
• Family-oriented versus singles-oriented communities: In general, family
neighborhoods are more cohesive than neighborhoods comprised of largely
single people. This appears to be because children tend to establish
friendships with other children in their community. The social networks of
children often lead to the establishment of friendships and affiliations
among parents in the community.
• Length of residency compared with other variables (e.g., satisfaction with
community): Long-term, voluntary residence in a neighborhood often signals
cohesion because residents have time to establish social networks and
develop an identity with the neighborhood. Length of residency should be
compared to other measures of community cohesion, such as stated
satisfaction with the community and participation in local organizations.
This will determine if residents are remaining in the community because
they want to be there or because they are unable to leave due to economic
hardship or other factors. Vacancy rates within the neighborhood can also
be used to determine if more people are moving in than leaving the
neighborhood.

Community Facilities and Services

Information required to assess social impacts to community facilities and
services includes the exact location of all community facilities and services such
as schools, recreation centers, parks, businesses, religious institutions and the
manner in which neighborhood residents relate to the community facilities and
services (use, access and neighborhood activities). The latter information can be
collected using a combination of neighborhood observation, stakeholder
interviews or through a survey of neighborhood residents.
Using the socio-economic inventory map prepared in the community profile,
identify and highlight the community facilities and services used frequently in
study area neighborhoods and those that serve special populations in the
neighborhood (senior centers, day care centers, ethnic businesses in ethnic
neighborhoods, etc.). Also, using information gained from social service
providers and/or origin destination surveys (see Mobility below) determine the
general location of the primary users of each community facility and service and

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identify the most common routes used to gain access to these locations. Note the
preferred mode of travel used to access each facility and service.

Mobility
Most data required to assess mobility within study area neighborhoods should
be available from the community profile, neighborhood observation and survey
results. Useful information includes data showing the general layout of the
neighborhood, the location of special populations, concentrations of pedestrian
and bicycle activity (based on neighborhood observation) and neighborhood
travel behavior (based on responses to neighborhood surveys). Both existing and
future traffic data should be available from the transportation needs analysis
carried out as part of the overall PD&E effort.

If mobility is raised as a community concern or special populations could be

adversely impacted, additional mobility data may be needed. Additional
baseline data can be collected by conducting a limited origin-destination survey
at key points in the community. The survey is a simple interviewing exercise
whereby pedestrians and bicyclists are asked to define their travel patterns.
Collect the data at neighborhood locations with a high level of bicycle and
pedestrian activity or at key community facilities. Neighborhood leaders can
help identify good locations to collect this type of information.
Sample questions for a limited origin-destination assessment include:
• Where are you going?
• Where are you coming from?
• Do you typically walk/bike to reach this destination?
• How often do you make this trip?
• At what time do you typically make this trip?
• Where else do you typically walk/bike in the neighborhood?
• At what time of day do you typically make the trips?
• Do you find this neighborhood convenient to walk/bike in?
• Do you generally feel safe walking/biking in this neighborhood?
• What locations within the community do you feel less safe in while
walking/biking?
After the relevant information has been collected, map the existing mobility
conditions in study area neighborhoods. Identify, at a minimum, vehicular and
non-motorized traffic patterns, areas where travel modes interface (transit
stops, pedestrian crossings, etc.), general travel behavior in the study area, and
any mobility issues unique to the area (e.g. special event locations, pedestrian
crossings serving persons with disabilities, etc.).

Safety
Most data required to assess safety should already be available from the
community profile. Particular attention should be paid to those community
facilities and services that are sensitive from a safety standpoint such as schools,
religious institutions, hospitals, other medical facilities, senior centers, etc.
Also, additional information on community safety (resident opinion on

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neighborhood safety issues) should be provided through survey results.
Supplemental information regarding emergency services should be gathered by
meeting with emergency service providers in the study area. Ask those
providers to identify emergency route information and any neighborhood
facilities and areas that are sensitive to changes in the provision of emergency
services.
Identify and map existing study area safety conditions, including:
• Areas where safety is an identified concern;
• Emergency routing information; and
• Neighborhood structures and areas sensitive to changes in the provision of
emergency services.

Summarize Existing Conditions

The final product of these efforts should be a map identifying all existing
neighborhood conditions related to social impact assessment and a summary of
key issues. This map would be based upon the socio-economic inventory
conducted in the community profile and any additional information obtained
that is specific to the various social impact areas. There should also be an
estimate of community cohesion for study area neighborhoods.

Determining Potential Impacts

Using the summary of existing conditions, now evaluate potential social impacts
associated with project alternatives. The assessment can be accomplished as
follows:
1. Overlay a map showing the alignment of each project alternative onto the
socio-economic inventory map. Compare the maps as follows:
• Using the map overlay and the information on community cohesion from
the baseline assessment, complete the social impact assessment
checklist provided below. Document all relevant information resulting
in a ‘yes” answer to a checklist question. (Note: The checklist is provided
as a general guide and should be modified to meet specific project needs.)

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Checklist for Assessing Social Impacts
1. Will the project create a barrier that divides the
neighborhood or limits access to all or part of the
Yes c No c
neighborhood?
2. Will the project impact any special groups (such as the
elderly, persons with disabilities, racial/ethnic/religious
Yes c No c
groups) within the neighborhood?
3. Will the project reduce the amount of social interaction that
occurs within the neighborhood?
Yes c No c
4. Will the displacement of residents resulting from the
proposed project negatively affect the perceived quality of life
Yes c No c
in the neighborhood?
5. Will the project affect access to, or result in the removal of,
neighborhood facilities or services that are needed and valued
Yes c No c
by neighborhood residents?
6. Will the facilities and services subject to removal or
relocation be able to remain in or within proximity of the
Yes c No c
neighborhood?
7. Will the project result in an increase in noise, vibration, odor
or pollution that reduces social interaction in the
Yes c No c
neighborhood?
8. Will communal areas (e.g., parks and playgrounds) used by
residents be negatively affected by construction of the
Yes c No c
project?
9. Will the availability and convenience of transit services be
reduced as a result of the project?
Yes c No c
10. Will the project negatively affect pedestrian and non-
motorized mobility within the neighborhood?
Yes c No c
11. Will vehicular mobility within the neighborhood be
negatively affected by this project?
Yes c No c
12. Will vehicular traffic increase as a result of the project?
Yes c No c
13. If vehicular traffic increases, will this create unsafe
conditions for non-motorized transportation within the
Yes c No c
neighborhood?
14. Will “blind or isolated” areas be created that are difficult to
monitor for criminal activity as a result of the project?
Yes c No c
15. Will emergency response routes be negatively impacted as a
result of the project?
Yes c No c

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2. For each “yes” answer, note whether the impact will be permanent or
temporary. For example, access to community facilities and services may be
impeded during construction, but not following construction (a temporary
social impact). The most important outcome of this exercise is to look
critically and objectively at the project alternatives and consider all potential
impacts to study area neighborhoods from the perspective of all parties
potentially impacted. Use the screening criteria provided in Table 2-2 to
consider the relative significance of each impact identified on the checklist.
Weigh each impact in relation to study area characteristics and relevant
project benefits. Summarize the results of this analysis.
3. When the checklist is complete, prepare a written summary of potential
social impacts of each project alternative on study area neighborhoods.
Document all relevant supporting information, particularly information
leading to a “yes” answer. There is no quantitative scoring or evaluation
mechanism associated with the social impact assessment checklist. In
general, the more “yes” answers, the more potential that social impacts will
result from project alternatives.
4. Present the results of the assessment and the method used to reach those
results to study area stakeholders for their input. They may recognize a
potential impact that the analyst using the checklist may overlook. Ask
them if there are any additional impacts that may have been overlooked.
5. Identify strategies for addressing each impact. A “yes” answer to any of the
checklist questions indicates the need to explore the potential for revising
alternatives or otherwise addressing the impacts. Some impacts may be
unavoidable and may require mitigation. The solution may be more or less
extensive, depending upon the significance of the particular impact and its
relationship to project benefits. Sample mitigation and problem solving ideas are
provided below.

Assessing Potential Social Impacts

Step 1: Create a map overlay of existing neighborhood conditions and

proposed project alternatives.
Step 2: Review the map overlay and complete the social impact
assessment checklist.
Step 3: Identify potential impacts, summarize results, and document
supporting information.
Step 4: Provide the summary for stakeholder review and refine accordingly.
Step 5: Weigh the significance of each impact and consider potential
solutions.
Step 6: Identify strategies for addressing project impacts.

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MITIGATION AND PROBLEM SOLVING
A broad range of strategies for addressing adverse community impacts are
presented throughout this handbook. Below is an overview of some additional
sample strategies for addressing social impacts.
1. Avoid – Alter the project to avoid a potential impact. Examples include:
• Shifting a project to avoid displacing a church that serves as the focal
point of neighborhood activities;
• Shifting a project to avoid creating a barrier through a cohesive
neighborhood; or
• Shifting a project to avoid separating a vital community facility like a
park or a senior center from a cohesive neighborhood.
2. Minimize – Modify the project to reduce the severity of an impact.
Examples include:
• Reducing the project design speed in order to accommodate narrower
lanes; or
• Locating a transit facility such that vacant land is utilized instead
taking a valued neighborhood business.
3. Mitigate – Undertake an action to alleviate or offset an impact or to replace
an appropriated resource. Examples include:
• Relocating an impacted community facility in a new, easily accessible
location within the neighborhood; or
• Improving crosswalks, adding traffic calming devices and increasing
pedestrian crossing times in areas with high levels of pedestrian traffic.
4. Enhance – Add a desirable or attractive feature to the project to make it fit
more harmoniously into the community. Examples include:
• Incorporating landscaping and street furniture into a project design;
• Providing a small park or recreational use (ie, fishing pier) along a
causeway or under a bridge.

CONCLUSION
The results of the social impact assessment can be used to guide the project
development process. Upon completing the assessment of social impacts, do the
following:
• Incorporate all relevant actions taken, findings reached, and commitments
made as part of the assessment of social impacts into the CIA report (see
outline on page 4-14);
• File all relevant documentation in the official project file;
• Incorporate the relevant findings of this assessment into the project
development process to minimize the social impacts of the final project on
study area neighborhoods; and
• Incorporate the documentation from the assessment into the relevant section
of the environmental document for this project per the Engineering Reports
Chapter in Part 1 of the PD&E Manual.

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