How does a cross-border communication strategy keep those most impacted informed about a project with frequent binational disruptions?

Services Provided:
Binational Communication
Public Involvement
Public Relations
Social Media
Graphic Design
Video Production

How do we highlight the importance of the aerospace industry in New Mexico?

Services Provided:
Social Media Management
Graphic Design
Project Management
Photo & Video Production
Public Relations

This $96 million project is in the middle of El Paso and at the crossroads of North American freight traffic. Barracuda PR worked alongside TxDOT, CONSOR and SUNDT Construction to keep those who were impacted by the project on both sides of the El Paso and Ciudad Juarez border well informed.

GOALS & CHALLENGES

While improvements to the I-10/US 54 interchange impacted daily commuters, improvements to the I-110/US 62 interchange impacted cross border freight utilizing the Bridge of the Americas port of
entry. Additionally, several nearby neighborhoods were impacted because of their proximity to the project or being situated along detour routes. Effectively communicating the impacts of construction would require a fully bilingual, cross platform communications strategy.

GOALS & CHALLENGES

APPROACH

While the tactics required creativity, the messaging required great discipline. High-impact closures — even if only tentative — were communicated early and consistently throughout the project. Additionally, messaging had to faithfully return to the project’s main goal of creating direct connections between I-10 and Loop 375 at mid-city while gently correcting misconceptions that the project was aimed at speeding cross-border traffic between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez.

• Monthly community meetings streamed live on the project Website and Facebook page.

• Regular bilingual newsletters, news releases and social media content, including video-rich campaigns which explained work progress and detailed coming detours.

• Bilingual door-to-door flyering ahead of impacts to commercial and residential areas.

• Bilingual text message alerts on high-impact closures.

• Bilingual project hotline.

• A speakers bureau which meaningfully engaged neighborhood associations, border trade groups, churches, schools, elected officials and civic groups.

• TxDOT’s first ever joint news conference with officials in Ciudad Juárez, México.

The entire team’s agility was put to the test when COVID-19 put a stop to many in-person interactions. Just as construction didn’t stop, neither did communication. BPR worked with TxDOT to augment outbound virtual communications tools to ensure the public could continue to get the information on which it had come to rely.

RESULTS

The results of these efforts meant a truly binational communications campaign. From door-to-door outreach for those locally impacted neighborhoods to well informed international freight traffic, to text alerts for the daily commuter, everyone impacted had an opportunity to stay updated with project news, traffic closures and detours throughout the life of the project.