US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

COR-2: Approve Problem Statements and Opportunities

Corridor Planning

Description:

The full range of deficiencies and opportunities within a corridor are defined at this Key Decision. Deficiencies and opportunities extend beyond transportation, for this reason, the Key Decision is integrated with other planning processes such as land use planning and natural environment planning. Input from stakeholders also informs the Key Decision. The problem statements and opportunities resulting from this Key Decision are informed by the transportation deficiencies identified in long range planning and inform the purpose and need during environmental review.

There is information developed in prior Key Decisions that informs this step.

Basics:

The first table describes the purpose and anticipated outcome of a Key Decision. If the decision is federally mandated, the purpose and outcome will relate to the legal intent.

The second table describes roles for key partners with legal decision making authority in the transportation process. The roles indicate the influence a partner can have on a decision, and show each partner where their input is most needed. For a full understanding of roles see the Partner Portal.

Purpose

To develop a common understanding of deficiencies as well as opportunities that exist within the corridor, including transportation, community, and environment.

Outcome

Agreement on the deficiencies and potential opportunities that will be considered during the corridor planning process.

Partner	Role Type	Description
MPO	Decision Maker (urban), No Role (rural)	Ensures problem statements and opportunities consider the full range of corridor needs/goals and the adopted LRTP.
FHWA/FTA	Observer	Observes the development of problem statements and opportunities based on sound principles and process.
State DOT	Advisor (urban), Decision Maker (rural)	Ensures problems and opportunities are comprehensive and documented.
Resource Agency	Advisor	Advise that problem statements and opportunities are sufficiently broad to incorporate environmental considerations, opportunities and priorities.
Public Transportation Operator(s)	Advisor	Ensures problems and opportunities are comprehensive and documented.

Links to Decisions

This table identifies the connection to other Key Decisions. The linkages highlight the importance of collaboration across transportation phases. Practitioners are encouraged to document the basis of the decision and consider information from previous Key Decisions.

Transportation Phases	Key Decision	What is Linked?	Purpose of Linkage
From Long Range Transportation Planning	LRP-4 - Approve Transportation Deficiencies	Transportation deficiencies	To provide the foundation and understanding of transportation problems identified in the corridor during long range planning. This provides the regional context for the development of corridor deficiencies.
To Environmental Review/NEPA Merged with Permitting	ENV-3 - Approve Purpose and Need/Reach Consensus on Project Purpose	Corridor deficiencies and opportunities	To provide the foundation and understanding of transportation problems identified in corridor planning. This provides the corridor context for the development of project level deficiencies.

Questions to Consider

Questions are a way to gather input from partners and stakeholders that can be used to inform the decision. Decision makers can discuss the questions provided to ensure a broad array of interests are considered to support a collaborative process. Questions also allow staff to collect stakeholder interests, ensure these are included in the decision, and provide a response based on the decision outcome. Although Public Transportation is not represented by a PlanWorks Application, the information provided may be useful in a collaborative transportation process.

Category	Questions to Consider
Long Range Planning	Are these problems and opportunities consistent with what has been identified in the LRTP?
Programming	No specific questions
Corridor Planning	Does the problem and opportunities statement reflect the full range of objectives, outcomes, deficiencies, problems, issues, opportunities, and desired performance characteristics in the corridor? Have analyses been completed by any potential partners? If so, is this consistent with the latest public sector baseline and future assumptions and estimates? Are there potential solutions beyond traditional transportation investment and policies, such as land use or demand management? Are these problems and opportunities consistent with what has been identified in other local adopted plans? Is the long-term vision for the corridor included in the long range transportation plan?
Environmental Review	Have the problems and opportunities been documented sufficiently to inform the NEPA process? Has the development of the problems and opportunities for the corridor considered the procedural requirements of NEPA for the purpose and need? If so, are there any inconsistencies to note?
Bicycles and Pedestrians	Do the problems and opportunities include those specific to bicycle and pedestrian networks, driver behavior, accessibility, and safety (including the needs of the elderly and the young)? Has a pedestrian and bicycle safety assessment been conducted to fully understand problems and opportunities along the corridor? Are any bicycle and pedestrian network gaps along and across the corridor identified and considered reasonable? Is the long-term vision for the corridor included in any bicycle, pedestrian, or accessibility plans?
Capital Improvement	Have capital improvement partners identified any transportation problems or opportunities in the corridor? What relevant information on problems or opportunities can be found in existing capital improvement plans? Is the long-term vision for the corridor included in any capital improvement or infrastructure plans?
Economic Development	Is the long-term vision for the corridor included in any community or economic development plans or policies? What are the challenges and priorities related to economic development arising from the corridor improvement? Are other opportunities that could have a local economic impact included?
Freight	Are there identified freight impacts or interests in the corridor? Are there potential opportunities or challenges with respect to current freight activities in the corridor? Are there any existing freight plans covering the corridor? How do identified freight challenges and opportunities relate to other interests in the corridor?
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	How is transportation performance in the corridor currently impacting GHG emission levels? Are any problems in the corridor causing an increase in GHGs? What are the potential opportunities for reducing GHG emissions?
Health in Transportation	How is transportation affecting health in the corridor? How can the corridor planning study lead to improvements in health outcomes? What input from health and community stakeholders on transportation-related health issues in the corridor is available? What supporting data, tools, studies, or assessments can health stakeholders and partners provide? Have health and community stakeholders identified any existing or potential transportation-related health risks or issues in the corridor, including assessing the prevalence of obesity, asthma, vehicular crashes, pollution-related illness, or other health issues that might be influenced by transportation solutions? Are there opportunities to improve health in the corridor with transportation investments? What funding sources are available for incorporating health into the corridor planning study? Are public health partners willing or able to provide additional resources such as in-kind services, grants, or funding?
Human Environment and Communities	What are the problems and opportunities that transportation decisions may influence? What are the priorities for community stakeholders in the corridor? Are there equity or environmental justice considerations? How was the community engaged to collect this information? Are there individual populations that did not provide input? If so, how can they be reached?
Land Use	Is the long-term vision for the corridor reflected in any land use plans? Does the applicable land use plan identify any corridor opportunities that are dependent on a transportation decision? Do the problems and opportunities consider the land use context, forecasts, and growth patterns? Are other amenities included as part of the project that could have a local land use impact? Do the problems and opportunities account for any effect of implementing smart growth policies or strategies on travel demand and congestion?
Linking Planning and Operations	What are the performance characteristics, problems, and opportunities relating to TSMO in the corridor?
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Are the problems and opportunities consistent with what has been identified in a regional ecosystem framework? What priority opportunities to enhance the natural environment could be relevant in the corridor?
Performance Measures	What are the relevant performance measures, targets, and data sources for each identified problem? Do these measures and targets reflect regional or statewide commitments?
Planning and Environment Linkages	How will the approved problems and opportunities be used to inform environmental review?
Public Private Partnerships	Has the private developer provided any information on deficiencies and opportunities? What are the potential opportunities or challenges with respect to other plans/programs in progress? Have P3 options been considered in the community's plans for development and economic investment? What equity and accessibility issues might arise if a corridor project is developed through a P3 (particularly in case of toll roads)? Have these been considered in determining potential impacts of the corridor plan? How would stakeholders react to the use of P3 in the corridor?
Public Transportation	Do the problems and opportunities include those applicable to public transportation users and the public transportation system? Is the long-term vision for the corridor included in any multimodal plans?
Safety	Has a pedestrian and bicycle safety assessment been conducted to fully understand problems and opportunities along the corridor? Does the problem and opportunities statement reflect safety objectives, deficiencies, problems, issues, opportunities, and desired performance characteristics in the corridor?
Stakeholder Collaboration	What is the mechanism for obtaining input or recommendations from stakeholders? How will input or recommendations from stakeholders be used? What input do stakeholders have on the problems and opportunities identified for the corridor? How do stakeholders travel in the corridor; where do they go; what problems do they report? Are the stakeholders' perceptions of the problems and opportunities consistent with the technical data? If not, how can that be addressed? What is the justification for each of the stakeholder-identified problems and/or opportunities that were not acknowledged or included in the decision outcome? What is the feedback mechanism for responding to stakeholder input?
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	Is there a problem statement, scenario evaluation, or a list of desired outcomes from the visioning process? What are the transportation problems and opportunities that relate to the vision and/or adopted future? How might this corridor support the larger vision or adopted future?

Data

The following list of data may be needed to support the Key Decision. Practitioners collect this information for decision makers to consider. Although Public Transportation is not represented by a PlanWorks Application, the information provided may be useful in a collaborative transportation process.

Category	Data to Consider
Long Range Planning	Related public input for the corridor from long range plan public involvement Transportation deficiencies
Programming	No specific data
Corridor Planning	Access points along the corridor Base and future year traffic data Bridge and culvert data Corridor capacity, speed limits, signal locations, intersections Corridor or other transportation planning studies
Environmental Review	Information and procedures needed to comply with the NEPA process, including sufficient documentation of problems and opportunities
Bicycles and Pedestrians	Existing and proposed pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and networks Detailed data on bicycle and pedestrian activity and desire paths along and across the corridor For more information, please visit: North Central Texas Council of Governments Peer Exchange on Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Programs Guidebook on Pedestrian and Bicycle Volume Data Collection Data related to problems and opportunities Detailed data on bicycle and pedestrian safety and accessibility For more information, please visit: Pedestrian Safety Audits Bicycle Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Prompt Lists
Capital Improvement	Input from capital improvement partners Capital improvement plan and/or related projects
Economic Development	Economic development context Planned development opportunities (future business expansion plans)
Freight	Physical and operational issues Trade issues or logistics patterns Truck volumes, geometry, and access requirements Existing freight plans Input from freight stakeholders about key areas of concern or interest
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Applicable results from previous corridor analysis Method for allocating GHG emissions and attributing reductions to the corridor Potential GHG emissions reduction solutions
Health in Transportation	Local plans, policies, and studies relating to public health or the social determinants of health in the corridor and affected communities Existing or potential transportation-related health risks or issues in the corridor, such as crash-risk, asthma incidence, obesity rate, and availability of infrastructure supporting active modes of transportation Information on financial and other support available from health stakeholders and partners Community and health stakeholder input on problems and opportunities
Human Environment and Communities	Human environment context, needs, and interests Community characteristics inventory Potential for indirect or cumulative impacts Stakeholder input
Land Use	Land use context and plans, including development trends and growth patterns Special covenants, zoning, easements or restrictions Evaluation of the consistency between the LRTP and adopted land use plans in the MPO area Analysis of land use patterns and the potential impacts of implementing specific smart growth policies and strategies
Linking Planning and Operations	System performance and operations data Data from TSMO partners and stakeholders
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Identified priority opportunities to enhance the natural environment Natural environment context to be included in the corridor planning process
Performance Measures	Factors selected in long-range planning Factors related to problems identified Adopted performance measures and targets
Planning and Environment Linkages	Identified Problems and opportunities
Public Private Partnerships	Private sector information on problems and opportunities in the corridor Stakeholder support or opposition to P3 projects P3 compatibility with existing plans in the corridor Potential equity or environmental justice concerns
Public Transportation	Existing and proposed public transportation routes and infrastructure Data on public transportation safety, ridership, and frequency Information about known public transportation problems and opportunities
Safety	Safety context for the corridor
Stakeholder Collaboration	Problems identified by stakeholders Corridor transportation deficiencies Opportunities for improving the corridor identified by stakeholders
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	Problem statement, scenarios, or desired outcomes from visioning process Human environment context, needs, and interests Stakeholder input

Links to Applications

The interaction between transportation decision making and other planning processes will ensure that important values and goals outside the transportation process are recognized and considered. Although Public Transportation is not represented by a PlanWorks Application, the information provided may be useful in a collaborative transportation process.

Application	Description
Bicycles and Pedestrians	Identify bicycle and pedestrian performance characteristics for the corridor and any related problems and opportunities.
Capital Improvement	Capital improvement planning may offer an opportunity or identify a potential transportation conflict, particularly during project implementation. Consider other Applications where these relationships are possible including Bicycles and Pedestrians, Economic Development, and Land Use
Economic Development	Understand the current challenges and opportunities, and the vision for the economic future of the corridor. Stakeholder Collaboration can help identify the role that the corridor plays in economic development, how transportation is connected to Land Use plans along the corridor, and the broad range of strategies available, including those typically identified in planning for operations in the corridor (see Linking Planning and Operations).
Freight	Consider how freight-related challenges and opportunities in the corridor may interact with other interests, such as Bicycles and Pedestrians, Economic Development, Human Environment and Communities, Land Use, Economic Development, Capital Improvement, Linking Planning and Operations, and Natural Environment and Implementing Eco-Logical.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Identify problems in the corridor that relate to increased GHG emissions. Define the potential opportunities for reducing GHG emissions arising from the corridor improvement.
Health in Transportation	Health problems and opportunities might overlap or interact with those developed under the Bicycles and Pedestrians, Freight, Human Environment and Communities, and Land Use, and Safety Applications. For help reconciling all these interests and developing a collaborative approach that reflects the community’s needs, see the Stakeholder Collaboration and Visioning and Transportation Applications.
Human Environment and Communities	Corridor planning provides a finer level of detail than regional planning, so the problems and opportunities at this Key Decision will be more specific to potential projects. These interests may be very broad depending on the local participants. In particular, consider relationship to the Natural Environment and Implementing Eco-Logical, Health in Transportation, Land Use, and Planning and Environment Linkages Applications.
Land Use	The consideration of land use and smart growth problems and opportunities will have overlaps with other Applications or topics, including Bicycles and Pedestrians, Human Environment and Communities, Health in Transportation, Safety, and Public Transportation.
Linking Planning and Operations	Opportunities to integrate TSMO into the corridor planning study may also address other corridor problems related to Economic Development, Capital Improvement, Safety, and others.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Determine priority opportunities to enhance the natural environment.
Performance Measures	Identify relevant performance factors based on the problems and opportunities identified in the corridor. Decide how performance measurement in this corridor may enhance monitoring and reporting commitments. All Application topics that are relevant to the problems and opportunities should be considered.
Planning and Environment Linkages	Identify problems and opportunities to inform the purpose and need statement in environmental review.
Public Private Partnerships	As problems and opportunities are identified, the P3 relationship becomes more closely related to the interests of the Human Environment and Communities stakeholders. Interests may be supportive or competing with other topics such as Economic Development, Natural Environment and Implementing Eco-Logical, and Public Transportation.
Public Transportation	Validate consistency with public transportation plans and public transportation agencies’ perspective regarding the corridor’s problems and opportunities.
Safety	Safety is a primary consideration in any corridor. Safety issues and suggested improvements should be considered with all other corridor needs. Consider all Application topics for a potential relationship to safety.
Stakeholder Collaboration	Problems and opportunities identified by stakeholders may be relevant to other community planning processes such as Land Use, Economic Development, and Capital Improvement. This information allows transportation practitioners to gather additional input, if necessary, from other agencies and partners.
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	If scenario planning was used to develop the vision and supporting activities, data and analyses may be available. Look for relationships to Land Use, Economic Development, and other topics of interest for supporting information.

Examples

In - depth case studies of successful practices in collaborative decision making were used to develop the Decision Guide.Links in this table point to a specific paragraph or section of a case study that supports a Key Decision. It is not necessary to read through an entire case study to find the example; however, full versions are available in the Library.

PlanWorks Case Study Examples:
None.

Other Examples:
None.