5 Steps to Help You Connect Your Message to the Community
By Amy Clay, Counselor
2026 will see the start of multiple major infrastructure projects around Greater Cincinnati: The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, Western Hills Viaduct, and Metro’s new MetroRapid bus rapid transit service are just a few of the projects our Cincinnati public relations agency is supporting. As construction begins and changes are visible, clear, consistent communications with the community becomes more important than ever. The public wants transparency and clarity about what’s happening and what they can expect in terms of traffic and funds management, as well as reassurance that progress is indeed being made (especially important during those inevitable periods when there’s plenty going on behind the scenes but the public can’t see anything happening.)
Successful public works communication is much more than just sharing updates. It’s about building trust across platforms, reducing frustration and helping the community feel connected to the work happening around them. Read on for five strategies to elevate your communications in the year ahead.
1. Show Progress Visually and Often
Infrastructure project timelines typically are measured not in weeks or months, but in years. Understandably, those long timelines punctuated by constant orange barrels and traffic detours can make projects feel endless to the public. Combat frustration by making progress easy to see.
Short videos, drone footage, before-and-after photos and simple milestone graphics go a long way in showing momentum. Even small wins like foundations poured, beams installed or lanes reopened shared regularly help reinforce the understanding that work is moving forward.
People are much more patient with disruption when they can see that tangible progress is being made.
2. Turn Technical Language into Everyday Impact
Engineering terms and acronyms sound like jargon to the general public, but it’s easy to turn those terms into meaningful language. The key is to communicate the everyday impact. Instead of focusing on design configurations, schedules or funding mechanisms, explain how a project will:
- Improve safety
- Reduce congestion
- Shorten travel times
- Support local businesses
- Create long-term cost savings
Every update should answer one core question: Why does this matter to my audience?
3. Reach the Public Where They Are (Which is Everywhere)
In 2026, no single platform reaches everyone. Your project’s audience cuts across demographics, and that means your message must be deployed across mediums.
The most effective public works communications use a mix of:
- Project websites or dashboards
- Traditional news media
- Email newsletters
- Dedicated social media (short updates + visuals)
- Text alerts for traffic impacts
- In-person outreach and community events
While messaging should of course be tailored to the vehicle and its likely audience, it’s important to know that repetition across channels isn’t overkill. It’s the best way to make your message stick the landing.
4. Acknowledge Disruption with Empathy (and Sometimes a Dash of Humor)
Construction is inconvenient. Detours are confusing. Orange barrels are ugly, traffic jams are irritating and noise is upsetting. Pretending otherwise damages credibility.
Strong communicators acknowledge frustration, thank the public for patience and explain what’s being done to minimize impacts. While you want to lead with the eventual, permanent positive impact of temporary aggravation, a realistic tone of transparency and respect goes further than polished one-way announcements. Remind the public that “we’re all in this together” – the project team sits in the same traffic and takes the same detours as everyone else. And sometimes laughter is the best medicine – a funny meme or GIF, used properly, helps take the sting out of small aggravations.
5. Put a Face on Your Project (Over and Over Again)
The best way to build a strong connection with the community is to make them part of your story – and to make your story part of the community. A quick, well-edited video shot on your phone can go a long way toward giving your project a friendlier image, separate from “the government.” Potential topics are only limited by your imagination! Consider:
- An update from the project manager, shot onsite
- Profiles of the local people working to bring the project to life
- A tour of the big equipment used
- Time-lapse video of a project milestone or demolition
- Highlights from student or community engagement efforts
- A synopsis of the public engagement findings and how community input helped shape the project design
When people see themselves reflected in project stories, projects feel less like government activity and more like a shared investment.
Looking Ahead
As infrastructure projects grow more complex and public expectations continue to rise, communication becomes a critical project tool. Communications teams must use clarity, consistency, empathy and creativity to build long-term trust and community pride.
Want to learn more about how Rasor can help you develop messaging and connect your infrastructure project to the community? Contact us at info@gorasor.com or 513-793-1234 to talk.