Transportation Planning 101:The Role of Resource and RegulatoryAgencies in Transportation Planning

Webinar

August 23, 2010

Presenters

Mary E. GrayFederal Highway Administration

Office of Project Development and Environmental Review

Theresa HutchinsFederal Highway Administration

Office of Planning

2

3

Purpose of Webinar

Describe how statewide and metropolitan transportation planning works:

• The role that resource and regulatory agencies play within planning

• Identify opportunities for successful engagement

4

Intended Audience

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife

• NOAA Fisheries

• BLM/ Forest Service

• U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency

• Tribes

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

• State Historic Preservation Offices

• State DOT(s)/ FHWA

5

Interactive Poll

How would you rate your familiarity with the transportation planning process?

6

What is Transportation Planning?

Transportation planning:• Establishing a vision• Demonstrating influence

or impact of demographics• Assessing future

opportunities and challenges

• Identifying short and long-term options

Transportation Planning Activities

• Monitoring

• Forecasting

• Identification

• Estimating

• Developing Plans

7

8

Why Do We Plan?

9

Laws and Regulations

• 23 USC 134/135 : Requires statewide and metropolitan transportation planning

• 23 CFR 450 :

Describes the general transportation planning process

10

SAFETEA-LU

• Emphasizes environmental, tribal, and land management agency consultation

• Establishes funding levels for each year • Includes natural and human

environmental considerations• Emphasizes security • Requires states to consult with

local officials

11

Planning Regulations Pertaining to Agency Involvement and Collaboration

• Consultation with agencies during development of long-range transportation plans

• Consideration of conservation plans, maps, and inventories of naturalor historic resources

• Discussion of potential environmental mitigationactivities

12

The Transportation Process

Visioning & Goals

NeedIdentification

Objectives& Performance

Measures

Analysis &Evaluation

Alternatives

Monitoring

Plan Approval

ProjectDevelopment& Operation

ProgramDevelopment

ThePublic

RegionalAgencies

TribalGovernment

User/Special Interest

Groups

PrivateSector

LegalSystem

FederalGovernment

MPO

States

13

Key Participation Points in the Planning Process: Vision & Goals

Visioning & Goals

NeedIdentification

Objectives& Performance

Measures

Analysis &Evaluation

Alternatives

Monitoring

Plan Approval

ProjectDevelopment& Operation

ProgramDevelopment

14

Objectives and Performance Measures

Visioning & Goals

NeedIdentification

Objectives& Performance

Measures

Analysis &Evaluation

Alternatives

Monitoring

Plan Approval

ProjectDevelopment& Operation

ProgramDevelopment

15

Problem Identification and Alternatives

Visioning & Goals

NeedIdentification

Objectives& Performance

Measures

Analysis &Evaluation

Alternatives

Monitoring

Plan Approval

ProjectDevelopment& Operation

ProgramDevelopment

16

Selection, Analysis, Evaluation, and Decision-making

Visioning & Goals

NeedIdentification

Objectives& Performance

Measures

Analysis &Evaluation

Alternatives

Monitoring

Plan Approval

ProjectDevelopment& Operation

ProgramDevelopment

Arkansas' Ecoregion-Based Approach to Wetlands Mitigation

• Ecological connectivity

• Prevention of further environmental fragmentation

17

18

Plan Approval and Programming

Visioning & Goals

NeedIdentification

Objectives& Performance

Measures

Analysis &Evaluation

Alternatives

Monitoring

Plan Approval

ProjectDevelopment& Operation

ProgramDevelopment

19

Pennsylvania's Ecological Mitigation and Enhancement Projects

The Bigger Picture: a way to minimize road construction impacts on ecosystems

20

Project Development, Operation, and Monitoring

Visioning & Goals

NeedIdentification

Objectives& Performance

Measures

Analysis &Evaluation

Alternatives

Measure &Monitoring

Plan Approval

ProjectDevelopment& Operation

ProgramDevelopment

21

Role of Federal Agencies in Transportation Planning

• FHWA and FTA

• Approve the STIP

• Assist the State DOT with planning oversight

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• Bureau of Indian Affairs

22

Role of State DOTs in Transportation Planning

• Prepare and maintain Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan

• Develop Statewide Transportation Improvement Program

• Involve the public• Other duties

23

Key Products of Statewide Transportation Planning Process

Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan (LRSTP)• Policy statements• Covers at least 20 years• Developed in consultation with Tribes and local governments• Public involvement• Updated periodically

Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)• 4-year list of priorities• Fiscally constrained by year• Updated at least every four years• Approved by FHWA and FTA

24

Role of the Metropolitan Planning Organization in Transportation Planning

• An MPO is a decision-making body made up of representatives from local government and transportation agencies with authority and responsibility in metropolitan planning areas.

25

Typical functions of an MPO

• Establish a setting forregional decision-making

• Identify and evaluate transportation improvement options

• Prepare and maintain a Metropolitan Transportation Plan

• Develop a Transportation Improvement Program

• Involve the public

26

Key Products of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process

• Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)

• TransportationImprovementProgram (TIP)

• Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

27

Relationship between State DOT and MPO in Transportation Planning

27

• Continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive process

• Plans and programs must be consistent

• Providing a forum to discuss issues and plan transportation improvements

• State DOTs have primary oversight for MPO planning processes

28

Integrated PlanningLand UseSystem

TransportationSystem

Water ResourcesSystem

Other Natural,Cultural Resource

Systems

Integrated Approach

Opportunities to support multiple community goals and improve quality of life

29

Planning and Environment Linkages

30

Interactive Poll

Have you been involved in helping your DOT or MPO create a transportation plan?

31

Role of the Resource and Regulatory Agencies in Transportation Planning

• Provide data and expertise on the natural and human environment

• Collaboration and information exchange, leading to:

- Better stewardship of the environment

- Improved project delivery

• Required by law and regulation

32

When should information be provided?

• Early in the planning process

• At key decision points

• Whenever your expertise is needed

• Through out project development process

33

Benefits to Resource Agencies from this Involvement

• Early involvement can beefficient and increase flexibility

• Early consultation can help avoid and minimize environmental impacts and improve advance mitigation

• Balance needs among agencies

34

Important information to Provide

• Resource maps• Species recovery plans• State Wildlife action plans• Environmental Justice

population data • Identification of Tribal

Resources • Historic Properties Inventories• Expertise to interpret and use

data

35

Tools & Methods for Integrating Planning and the Environment

• Education and training• Formalize interagency

coordination• Fund resource agency

positions• Data and information sharing• Analysis and decision support

tools• Joint scenario planning

Data and Information Sharing Example

North Carolina’s Conservation Planning Tool

36

Joint Scenario Planning Example

Sacramento Blueprint

37

Participation Plan:• Transparency• Involvement Opportunities• Meaningful Engagement• Effective Communication• Education• Continuous Evaluation

Long-Range Transportation Plan Participation Example

What Moves You Arizona

38

39

What Types of Agreements are Helpful?

• MOA

• MOU

• Advance Mitigation Site Concurrence

• Agency Collaborations

40

Documentation

There are three potential levels of process/decision documentation:

• Identification of issues or concerns that will need to be studied during NEPA

• Passing data or analysesfrom planning to NEPA

• Documenting decisionsmade in planning forNEPA

41

• General public

• Elected officials

• Advocacy groups

• Tribal governments

• Private sector

Role of Other Stakeholders

42

Role of Tribes

• Consultation applies to MPOs and State DOTs

• Maintain Sovereignty

• Tribal lands and Traditional Tribal Lands

43

Local preservation commissions, historical societies, other NGOs

• Inform planners of historic places and preservation priorities

• Avoid and minimize transportation impacts to historic districts

• Promote heritage tourism and preservation efforts

44

Other Involvement Opportunities

• Planning & Environment Linkages training

• Ecological Grants

• STARS Workshops

• SHRP 2 pilots

45

Question and Answer Session

Federal Resource Agency Liaisons

Agency Contact Phone Email

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

James G. Gavin (202) 564-7161 Gavin.JamesG@epa.gov

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Catherine Liller (303) 236-4318 Catherine_Liller@fws.gov

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Michael Lamprecht (202) 761-4599 Michael.J.Lamprecht@usace.army.mil

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

Carol Legard (202) 606-8522 clegard@achp.gov

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

Valerie Hauser (202) 606-8530 vhauser@achp.gov

USDA Forest Service Paul T. Anderson (703) 605-4617 ptanderson@fs.fed.us

Thank you

Mary E. GrayFederal Highway Administration

Office of Project Development and Environmental Review

(360) 753-9487

mary.gray@dot.gov

Spencer StevensFederal Highway Administration

Office of Planning

(202) 366-0149

spencer.stevens@dot.gov

47