Winter Public Involvement: Keeping Infrastructure Projects Moving Forward

By Sloane Stinson

Big Sky Public Relations Project and Marketing Manager

Public Involvement is a key component of any successful infrastructure project, but as winter approaches, engagement efforts face unique challenges that can limit public participation. With the time, effort, people power, and dedication required to bring a complex infrastructure project from concept to completion these days, progress can’t slow down due to winter weather, shorter days, holiday schedules, and project fatigue. Projects need to keep moving forward, which means the public needs to stay engaged.

Keeping the community engaged during the winter requires rethinking and reimagining how engagement is approached. Meaningful feedback and information sharing opportunities can still be achieved with a bit more effort, flexible tools, and a little imagination.

Why Does Winter Impact Public Involvement?

Winter Weather Conditions - As Montanans know well, cold, snowy winters shape how we engage with our communities. When roads are icy and evenings are dark, attending an in-person open house, regardless of a project's level of interest, often ranks low on the priority list.

Meeting Fatigue and Construction Season Burnout – Between end-of-year deadlines, holiday commitments, and new-year planning, most people have little energy for another meeting. Also, many people are pretty fed up with infrastructure projects after another busy construction season.

What is a dedicated public involvement manager to do?

Here are some realistic strategies for gathering meaningful feedback and engaging with stakeholders during the dark days of winter:

Offer flexible, self-guided engagement options: Online surveys, comment forms, and an interactive website with recorded presentations or short videos explaining project components enable stakeholders to participate on their own schedule, while maintaining transparency, clarity, and opportunities for feedback.

Virtual open houses/public meetings are also an option. Make sure you schedule the meetings at a convenient time. Lunch hour meetings are a good option and don’t interfere with busy after-school and work activities. Make these meetings engaging through interactive activities, such as polls, survey questions, and question-and-answer sessions, and don’t forget to record and post them on the project website for those who could not attend.

Focus on targeted rather than broad outreach: When broad outreach is difficult, winter is an ideal time to focus on directly impacted residents, businesses, local officials, and community organizations. Having one-on-one phone calls, virtual check-ins, or a quick coffee meeting can often gain more valuable input and build stronger relationships than a large public

meeting would.

Get out into the community: Meet residents and stakeholders where they already plan to be, such as school sports events, meetings and events hosted by partner organizations, shopping centers, and holiday events.

One of the most successful Big Sky Public Relations tabling efforts was for the Bridge Street Bridge and Sportsman’s Bridge replacement projects, which took place at Bigfork’s Holiday Art Walk. Our table was located inside the Bigfork Art & Cultural Center, a warm, high-traffic gathering spot, and a popular place to warm up before the tree lighting ceremony. Through this event, we connected with community members who may not have attended an open house, leading to meaningful conversations and a positive community reception.

If you plan to host a public event, get creative and embrace the season!

Sometimes, winter is the best time to host an open house. This is especially true for rural agricultural communities where the winter offers more free time to attend an open house. Open houses are also a great reason to get out of the house and visit with your neighbors.

Big Sky Public Relations hosted an open house for the Reserve-East Highway project to gather feedback on plans to improve Secondary Highway 258, also known as the East Reserve Highway, in Sheridan County. This area is located in the northeastern corner of the state and is a significant agricultural center.

The open house took place at the Sheridan County Courthouse in Plentywood in February, during a time when it was, as we were told by locals, “too cold for snow.” We provided refreshments and lots of seating, and the event had a great turnout! Many residents took the opportunity to sit and visit with their neighbors while learning more about the project and sharing their input.

Take advantage of the holiday season to engage. The holidays are a great time to show appreciation for the community and thank them for their participation throughout the year, while keeping the project top-of-mind.

For the Sportsman’s Bridge and Bridge Street Bridge replacement projects in Bigfork, we sent out a Happy Holidays -“Building Bridges in the Community” postcard, inviting residents to stop by the holiday-decorated, historic Bridge Street Bridge for some bridge-themed goodies, including mugs, stickers, pens, notepads, and hot chocolate mix, and to learn more and ask questions about the projects. We also asked residents to bring donations for the Bigfork Food Bank. The event was a great success, and the team had many meaningful conversations with residents.

Get community organizations and partners involved. By combining community events or involving community organizations and partners, you can create an incentive for the community to brave the cold and take time out of their busy schedules to attend.

A strong example was the preconstruction open house for the Bridge Street Bridge replacement held in late November 2024, just before Thanksgiving. While the event shared information about the upcoming construction, it also celebrated the historic bridge’s role in Bigfork’s history. The community embraced the event, with the Bigfork Art & Cultural Center hosting a gallery of historic bridge photos, local artists creating bridge-themed items to benefit the Bigfork Food Bank, and attendees donating food. The event drew a strong turnout, informed the community, and celebrated the bridge’s legacy.

Winter Can be a Bridge, Not a Roadblock!

Winter public involvement can further a project’s progress and contribute to its success with a little flexibility, adaptability, realistic goals, and holiday magic. Sometimes success isn’t measured by a packed meeting room, but by whether communities have accessible, meaningful opportunities to stay informed and provide input—even in challenging conditions.

By adjusting strategies to reflect seasonal realities, infrastructure projects can maintain momentum, preserve trust, and ensure public voices remain part of the process year-round.