Global-5 Public Information Expert Shares Insights at FTBA Symposium

Posted on Mar 15, 2026

Global-5’s communications and outreach efforts on the construction project at Interstate 4 (I-4) and Sand Lake Road serves as a national model for educating drivers how to navigate a new traffic pattern. That is one reason Global-5’s Mike Wacht, VP of Strategic Communications, was a featured speaker during the Public Outreach session at the Florida Transportation Builders’ Association (FTBA) 2026 Construction Symposium in February.

Wacht’s 30-minute presentation covered a broad scope of activities in which Global-5 engages in its work communicating construction impacts to the public. He emphasized time importance of the public information team being at the table with the construction and CEI teams from the beginning of the project. This seemingly simple step ensures all parties know the importance the project owner (in this case, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)) places on public information. This sets a high standard for the level of communication among involved parties which keeps the public information team fully apprised of construction activities, especially those that will impact the traveling public and nearby residents and businesses.

Impacts caused by a remodel of the I-4 and Sand Lake Road interchange in Orlando served as the basis for a discussion about construction communications and outreach best practices.

The presentation then covered the variety of communications tools Global-5 uses in its work keeping the public informed and engaged. These tools include Global-5’s trademarked Good Neighbor Outreach™, a high-touch, in-person and digital engagement tool that sends public information officers (PIOs) into the area around the project to let people know what construction impacts are impending. Global-5 employs Good Neighbor Outreach™ in advance of road and ramp closures, informing people of the detours they’ll need to follow, and noisy activities including pile driving. Digital Good Neighbor Outreach™ involves emailing handouts to the surrounding residential or business communities.

In addition to the high-touch outreach, Global-5 also employs high-tech solutions to keep the public informed. It starts with a robust website that features the ability to post articles about activities and impacts; an interactive map; and project detail pages with plans, renderings, videos, photos, aerials, and articles. The construction team pushes website articles to the community through e-blasts and monthly electronic newsletters. These deliver vital information to people’s inboxes, so they don’t have to go looking for it.

The Advance Construction Alert System allows drivers to sign up for notices customized by type of impact, location, and format.

Good Neighbor Outreach™ proactively puts essential information into the hands of those most impacted by construction.

The final portion of Wacht’s presentation included two case studies: the International Drive business stakeholder relationship and the paid media campaign Global-5 used to inform residents, businesses, and drivers about the changeover from a traditional diamond interchange to a diverging diamond interchange.

These case studies detailed how Global-5 manages the relationship with high-impact, high-value stakeholders from the nearby tourism business corridor, helping owners feel involved in the project and letting them know their voices are heard by the construction team. The paid advertising campaign shows how Global-5 responds to major construction impacts with equally impactful communications that effectively reaches hundreds of thousands of eyes and ears to educate them about how to safely navigate the new traffic pattern.

To learn more about Global-5’s availability to speak at conferences, luncheons, lunch-and-learns, and other events, contact John Hamill at 407-571-6771 or johnhamill@global-5.com.