Metropolitan Transportation Plans Best Practices

1. Metropolitan Transportation PlansBest Practices Michigan Transportation Planning Association 35th Annual Conference July 14, 2011 Flint, MI Jim Thorne, FHWA Resource Center

2. Outline • What do we expect from long range transportation plans? • What are the requirements? • Some recognized Best Practices • Let’s Talk

3. What do we expect from our long range transportation planning efforts?

4. What do we expect from our long range transportation planning efforts? • Regional consensus on priority projects. • Projects that shape transportation and economic investments and help establish regional development form. • Range of other recommendations (policies, guidelines, studies, ?) • Developed through collaborative, community based process. • Consideration of range of issues and interactions. • Set vision and goals for what region hopes to achieve within next 20 years (or more).

5. What is Required of MTP/LRP/LRTP

6. The Three C’s A Continuing, Cooperative, and Comprehensive multimodal transportation planning process . . .

8. The Transportation Plan • States ways the region plans to invest in the transportation system • Includes both long-range and short-range program strategies/actions • Develops an integrated intermodal transportation system • Facilitates the efficient movement of people and goods.

9. The Transportation Plan • At least a 20-year horizon at time of adoption • An update every 5 years – 4 years for non-attainment and maintenance areas • Multi-modal • Covers capital improvements and operations • Contains an environmental discussion • Fiscal constraint – Year of Expenditure (YOE) $ • Early and continuous public involvement • Consideration of the 8 Planning Factors • Conformity with air quality requirements

10. Some specifics from the regulation (23CFR450.322) • Short and long-term strategies - integrated multimodal transportation system • Facilitate the safe, efficient movement of people and goods • Forecast transportation demand over period of the plan • Existing and proposed transportation facilities - integrated system. • Operational and management strategies to improve performance • Consider Congestion Management Process results (TMAs) • Assess capital investments and other measures needed to maintain and make the most efficient use of the existing transportation system • In air quality NA/M areas, the design concept and scope descriptions of all existing and proposed facilities to permit conformity determinations. • Potential environmental mitigation activities and potential areas • Pedestrian and bicycle facilities • Transportation and transit enhancement activities • Financial plan demonstrates consistency of proposed transportation investments with available and forecasted sources of revenue, using (YOE) $

11. SAFETEA-LU Planning Factors • Economic vitality of the region • Safety of the transportation system • Security of the transportation system • Accessibility and mobility options • Environmental protection, energy conservation, and quality of life • Integration and connectivity of the system • Efficient system management and operations • System preservation

12. What’s a Best Practice? • A method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that is used as a benchmark. A superior method or innovative practice that contributes to the improved performance of an organization, usually recognized as "best" by other peer organizations. It implies accumulating and applying knowledge about what is working and not working in different situations and contexts. A working method, or set of working methods, which is officially accepted as being the best to use in a particular business or industry, usually described formally and in detail.

13. So how would you go about identifying best practices for long range transportation plans. • Seriously, what would you do?

14. What are some Cited Best Practices • U.S. DOT Planning Excellence Awards • AMPO Awards • APA Awards • Certification Review Commendations • A Michigan Effort • Wander around the Web

15. 2010 Planning Excellence, LRP Related • Capital District Transportation Committee Albany, New York • Implementing the Regional Plan: The Community and Transportation Linkage Planning Program • Category: Transportation and Land Use Integration • Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization, Wyoming • Transportation Safety Management Plan • Category: Safety Planning • Minnesota Department of Transportation • Minnesota Comprehensive Freight and Passenger Rail Plan • Categories: Freight Planning, Planning Leadership, and Public Involvement and Outreach

16. 2008 Planning Excellence, LRP Related • City of Charlotte, North Carolina • City of Charlotte Transportation Action Plan • Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho • Communities in Motion: Regional Long-Range Transportation Plan 2030 • Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments • Moving Forward, Pikes Peak Area 2035 Regional Transportation Plan

17. 2006 Planning Excellence, LRP Related • Chatham Urban Transportation Study, • Savannah, GA • Connecting Savannah: Moving People-Making Neighborhoods • Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization, WY • PlanCheyenne • Denver Regional Council of Governments • Metro Vision 2030 Planning and Implementation Program

18. 2006 Planning Excellence, LRP Related • Maricopa Association of Governments • Area Regional Transportation Plan • Metropolitan Transportation Commission • Mobility for the Next Generation: Transportation 2030 Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area • Minnesota Department of Transportation • Minnesota Performance-based Statewide and District Transportation Plans and Minnesota Statewide Freight Plan

19. AMPO MTP Related Awards • Transportation 2040 Plan, Seattle, WA, 2010 • Pathways 2030, Flagstaff, AZ, 2009 • Envision Missoula, Missoula, MT, 2009 • MTP 2035, Sacramento, CA, 2008 • Environmental Mitigation, SEMCOG, 2007 • Transportation 2030 - Placemaking for Prosperity, Binghamton, NY, 2006

20. APA Planning Awards • Our Regions Plan • Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission • Public Outreach 2008 • The Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) • Atlanta Regional Commission • Implementation 2009

21. Practices that get Recognized(Certification Reviews) • Scenario Planning or Visioning efforts. • Land use and transportation integration. • Address environmental mitigation, consultation, safety, security, freight, and operations. • Project selection and prioritization methods. • Goals and objectives connected to selected strategies. • Performances measures. • Public engagement methods and results. • Improved technical methods. • Planning and Environmental Linkages efforts.

22. Literature Review of LRTP for Development of the Flint-Genesee County 2035 LRTP

23. What Notable MTP Examples Have You Seen?

24. What was the best part of your most recent MTP effort?

25. What would you do different in your next Plan?

26. What part of MTP’s do you think is most overlooked? Or the biggest opportunity for improvement?

27. Searching the Web

28. SHRP2: Collaborative Decision Making • TCAPP Transportation for Communities – Advancing Projects through Partnerships • Long Range Planning • Binghamton: Community Vision based on Scenario Planning • Maricopa: Balancing Regional Needs through Consensus • Integrated Planning • Maricopa Regional Transportation Plan • Wasatch Front Region Regional Transportation Plan www.transportationforcommunities.com

29. PSRC Vision 2040Topic Summaries

30. PSRC Brochure

31. PSRC Map/Poster

32. MARC Website

33. Transportation Outlook 2040 GoalsMid American Regional Council • Accessibility- Maximize mobility and access to opportunity for all area residents • Climate Change & Energy Use** - Decrease the use of fossil fuels through reduced travel demand, technology advancements and a transition to renewable energy sources • Economic Vitality - Support an innovative, competitive 21st-century economy • Environment - Protect and restore our region's natural resources (land, water and air) through proactive environmental stewardship • Place Making** - Coordinate transportation and land-use planning as means to create quality places in existing and developing areas, and strengthen the quality of the region • Public Health** - Facilitate healthy, active living • Safety & Security- Improve safety and security for all transportation users • System Condition- Ensure transportation system is maintained in good condition • System Performance** - Manage the system to achieve reliable and efficient performance • **New plan goals for Transportation Outlook 2040

34. MARC: Performance Measures & Progress Report

35. Freight • Notable Example: Philadelphia/Trenton MPO (DVRPC) • GMTF identifies projects already included in Plan and TIP that benefit freight • Works with local governments and DOT to review/resolve smaller scale problems identified by shippers and carriers • Involved in private sector industry groups • Goods Movement Task Force—co-chaired by MPO and DOT • GMTF identifies freight projects to improve access to the port, eliminate bottlenecks, improve rail-highway grade crossings • Freight Day event highlights and quantifies activity • Use CMAQ funds for freight rail projects

36. Web-based Techniques • Interactive Plans & (S)TIPs • YouTube • Social Networking • Online Surveys

37. Web-Based GIS Transportation Plans & TIPs Atlanta’s 2030 Long-Range Plan

38. YouTube • Denver Rapid Transit District

39. Social Networking • Chicago MPO on Facebook Washington DOT on Twitter

40. Online Surveys • Maryland DOT Online Survey in collaboration with Library Systems

41. Revenues: Notable Practices (Process) • Florida DOT: • Twice yearly revenue estimating conferences with MPOs and variety of FL state agencies www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/policy/pdfs/revhandbk.pdf • MTC: • Collaborative process to review revenue sources, estimates and supporting assumptions through Partnership Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC). Includes counties, cities, transit operators, Caltrans, FHWA and FTA

42. Revenues: Notable Practices (Documentation) • Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)

43. PennDOT Resource

44. Characteristics of Successful LRPs • Create Local/Regional Ownership • Emphasize Planning, not Programming • Collaborate with Other Stakeholders • Support Other Relevant Plans • Articulate Clear Goals and Objectives • Address Quality of Life Issues • Maintain an Open and Transparent Process • Capitalize on the Experience of Others Developing Regional Long Range Plans, PennDOT

45. Characteristics of Successful LRPs • Consider Multiple Futures (Scenario Planning) • Develop an Evaluation Framework • Employ Strong Technical Analyses • Link Solution Prioritization to Goals, Objectives, and Policies • Support a Multi-modal and Intermodal Future • Integrate Land Use and Transportation • Distribute Investments Equitably (Environmental Justice) • Organize Solutions in a Relevant Format Developing Regional Long Range Plans, PennDOT

46. Characteristics of Successful LRPs • Structure the Plan to be Relevant to Local Issues • Include an Implementation Plan • Be Creative Developing Regional Long Range Plans, PennDOT

47. Freight

48. Operations

49. Environment Environmental Mitigation in Transportation Planning Case Studies in Meeting SAFETEA-LU Section 6001 Requirements Guidance on Using Corridor and Subarea Planning to Inform NEPAFederal Highway AdministrationApril 5, 2011 A Guide to Measuring Progress in Linking Transportation Planning and Environmental Analysis December 2009

50. Safety