Transportation for Communities - Advancing Projects Through Partnerships
- User Portals
- Applications
Transportation Phases
- Long Range Transportation Planning
- Integrated Programming and Fiscal Constraint
- Corridor Planning
- Environmental Review Merged with Permitting
Applications - Integrated Planning - Capital Improvement
Capital improvement planning identifies and prioritizes investments for local infrastructure such as utilities, sidewalks and bike ways, schools, transit capital, and locally funded roads. Collaboration with this local planning effort has many benefits. It ensures that long range and corridor planning and funding decisions are coordinated with local funded investments. In addition, it can help stretch limited funding through partnering to meet common needs and goals.
The primary benefit of integrating capital improvement plans with transportation decision-making is the sharing of information between these processes. This sharing of information occurs at multiple key decisions in long-range planning, corridor planning, and environmental review. The Decision Guide provides detailed information on the individual key decisions at which these processes are integrated, under the tab labeled "Integration."
To get a snapshot of each Key Decision, roll over the Decision Guide graphic below. Click on any individual Key Decision to access detailed information including: purpose and anticipated outcomes; partner roles; integration with external planning processes; linkages across phases; questions to assist decision makers; and data, tools, technologies that support the decision.
Key Decisions that are grayed-out have no specific relevance to the individual Practical Application or topic area but are still accessible from this graphic.
LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
Invitation of capital improvement planners to participate in long-range planning. Information provided about planned capital improvement projects.
At this key decision, the community's values, whether stated as a vision and goals or simply agreed upon by the stakeholders for the planning area, are used to guide the transportation-specific vision and goals.
Incorporation of infrastructure evaluation criteria from capital improvement plan, and prioritization of criteria from infrastructure perspective.
The approved list of specific corridors, roads and areas which are deficient identified at this key decision serves as a basis for problems and opportunities addressed in both the corridor planning and environmental review processes.
Information provided about infrastructure plans and financial resources, to ensure consistency between assumptions in the capital improvement and long-range transportation plans.
Strategies are developed to address the deficiencies identified in LRP-4. A strategy is a specific tactic or policy employed or recommended by an organization.
Ensure consistency between capital improvement plans and the scenarios being considered for the long-range transportation plan.
Information about the adopted scenario provided to local jurisdictions in order to establish consistency with capital improvement plans.
Air Quality conformity analysis is done within the air quality process in order to validate that the preferred scenario meets current conformity requirements.
This is a legally required decision consisting of the federal approval of conformity of the LRTP.
PROGRAMMING
This key decision establishes the revenue basis for both the fiscal constraint of the long range plan as well as the funding sources for the TIP.
This key decision establishes a consistent methodology for estimating project costs for both the long range transportation plan and the TIP.
This key decision establishes the list of projects drawn from the long range plan or corridor planning process that will be considered for funding in the TIP.
At this key decision, the approved project list is prioritized using the methodology previously developed.
At this key decision project priorities are compared to available funding within program restrictions to select those projects to be included in the TIP.
At this key decision, the MPO adopts the TIP. Before the MPO can do this, comments on the draft TIP must be addressed and a final TIP must be produced.
The Governor or designee should ensure that the TIP meets other state and federal requirements so that the TIP can be incorporated into the STIP and be in agreement with the state document.
At this key decision the draft STIP is developed to release for public comment.
In order to meet federal requirements, the STIP must meet conformity and fiscal constraint, where required.
CORRIDOR PLANNING
Invitation of capital improvement planners to participate in corridor planning. Information provided about relevant projects in capital improvement plan.
Information provided about capital improvement plan to provide context for corridor planning.
Information provided on goals for capital improvements that could inform the corridor planning process.
In order to provide a clear linkage to the environmental review process, this key decision defines the acceptable level of detail for the corridor study analysis.
At this key decision, evaluation criteria, methodology and performance measures are approved that will allow decision-makers to compare solutions that address the corridor's opportunities and problems and are consistent with the approved corridor goals.
Information provided on the type, location, and prioritization of improvements included in approved capital improvement plans.
Ensure consistency by adjusting capital improvement plans in support of the adopted corridor plan solution set, as needed.
At this key decision priorities for implementation of the individual solutions are established.
Ensure consistency between adopted corridor plan priorities and capital improvement plans, and determine commitment to implement aspects of solution set that are related to capital improvement plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW/NEPA MERGED WITH PERMITTING
Relevant data and partnership information from the capital improvement planning process are incorporated into the environmental review process.
This key decision is required to satisfy the legal requirement of publishing a Notice of Intent (NOI) to inform partners and the public of the commencement of the environmental review phase.
Information provided about capital improvement plan to provide context for project development.
Information provided about approved capital improvements within the proposed study area.
Information provided about capital improvement plan to ensure that criteria developed to evaluate alternatives are consistent with the plan. Adequacy of available capital improvement data to implement methods for environmental review.
A full range of possible project alternatives to meet the purpose and need is identified. Information about both selected and eliminated scenarios and solution sets from long range transportation planning and corridor planning inform the range of alternatives approved at this step.
This shared step between the NEPA and permitting processes involves the approval of the alternatives that are suggested to be carried forward. There is essential information created in long range planning and corridor planning that informs this decision.
Endorse range of capital improvement changes in support of Draft EIS, as needed.
This key decision is required to satisfy the regulatory requirement for Section 404 permitting that the public receive notice of a permit application.
Decision makers approve a preferred project alternative/LEDPA using input from stakeholders, planning partners, and detailed information about potential impacts, and validate that the preferred alternative is consistent with the LRTP and TIP/STIP.
LEDPA
This decision is a required procedural step in the Section 404 permitting process. At this step, a final determination of jurisdictional waters of the United States in the project area is made.
Following selection of the preferred alternative/LEDPA, partners reach consensus on additional avoidance and minimization measures not included in the preliminary design.
A final EIS is approved that meets all legal requirements and addresses comments received on the Draft EIS.
At this step in the environmental review phase, the Record of Decision is issued.
At this final step in the environmental review phase, the final permit decision is rendered.