US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

COR-6: Approve Range of Solution Sets

Corridor Planning

Description:

A range of approved solution sets for the corridor results from this Key Decision. The range of solution sets is influenced by the preferred plan scenario in the LRTP and helps to define the full range of alternatives to be evaluated during environmental review.

There is information developed in prior Key Decisions that informs this step. In order to effectively execute this Key Decision there is essential information created at COR-2 related to problems and opportunities and COR-3, goals for the corridor.

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 determine a range of solutions for the identified problems and opportunities that can include transportation, community, and environment goals.

Outcome

A set of solutions for the corridor that can address the identified problems and opportunities.

Partner	Role Type	Description
MPO	Decision Maker (urban), No Role (rural)	Approves a range of solution sets that meet the needs and opportunities within the corridor including non-transportation options.
FHWA/FTA	Advisor	Ensures the range of solutions considered is inclusive and consistent with accepted plans.
State DOT	Advisor (urban), Decision Maker (rural)	Ensures the process is broadly inclusive with options that may be implemented.
Resource Agency	Advisor	Support the use of a combined map of conservation priorities, land uses and solutions sets, if available. Support solution sets that avoid conservation, restoration and enhancement priority areas.
Public Transportation Operator(s)	Advisor	Ensures the process is broadly inclusive with options that may be implemented.

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-7 - Approve Plan Scenarios	Information used in long range planning to eliminate scenarios or specific project concepts within the corridor	To support consideration of a full range of solutions while precluding those solutions that are inconsistent with region-wide multi-modal improvements
From Long Range Transportation Planning	LRP-10 - Adopt LRTP by MPO	Information related to the corridor from the preferred plan scenario and the conformity analysis	To influence the range of solutions that should be considered during the corridor planning process
To Environmental Review/NEPA Merged with Permitting	ENV-6 - Approve Full Range of Alternatives	Information on the range of solutions identified for the corridor planning process	To help define the range of alternatives for consideration during environmental review/ permitting.

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	Were any of these solution sets considered for the long range plan? If so, why were they selected or eliminated? Are these solution sets compatible with the preferred scenario adopted in the LRTP? What is the potential impact on the adopted LRTP including fiscal constraint for each of the solution sets?
Programming	No specific questions
Corridor Planning	Were modal and operational partners involved in the development of the solution sets? Is there support and/or a potential implementing partner for the individual solutions? Is the range of solution sets broad enough to address corridor goals? What are the individual solutions that should be included to achieve the goals? Are there interactive effects that should be considered, that is, strategies that work better in combination, or alternatively, work against each other? How cost-feasible are these strategies when combined or when treated separately? Does the feasibility of the solution set consider the number of proposed public or private sector partnership projects and their influence on delivery schedules? Are there potential strategies that extend beyond transportation decision making? If so, do they require more analysis or study? What is the justification for eliminating any individual solution set?
Environmental Review	Is the range of solution sets sufficient to meet the requirements of the environmental review process? Is there documented justification for why some solution sets have been eliminated?
Bicycles and Pedestrians	Are the proposed solution sets compatible with existing bicycle, pedestrian, and ADA plans? Do the proposed solution sets support bicycle and pedestrian network connectivity, accessibility, and safety outcomes? How beneficial are the outcomes? What are the positive and negative impacts? Do any of the proposed solution sets present a barrier to bicycles and pedestrians or inhibit accessibility for persons with disabilities? Do the solution sets address mobility and accessibility needs beyond the identified deficiencies?
Capital Improvement	Do the individual proposed solutions consider the type, location, and prioritization of improvements included in capital improvement plans? Are the solution sets compatible with capital improvement plans?
Economic Development	Have economic development strategies been incorporated into the solutions sets? Are the solution sets compatible with the existing economic development goals and plans? How will individual solutions impact the ability to meet economic development goals? Are any solution sets fatally flawed from an economic development perspective?
Freight	How well do the solution sets address freight considerations and input from freight stakeholders? Are the solution sets compatible with existing freight plans? What solution sets have been identified that both address freight considerations well and address the other interests and needs of the corridor?
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	What are the potential GHG-reduction impacts of each proposed solution and solution set? How do these solution sets contribute to the ability to meet GHG goals for the corridor? How should strategies showing impacts over varying time scales (in the short, medium, and long term) be combined to produce the desired impact on GHG emissions? What corridor investment strategies or other actions contributing to GHG emissions reduction should be included as part of the solution sets? What is the authority or ability of involved agencies to implement specific GHG-reduction solutions in the corridor?
Health in Transportation	Are there any solution sets that are not compatible with existing health plans and policies for the corridor? How do the potential solutions compare based on health interests? How do the potential solutions address health disparities among populations or improve the social determinants of health such as access to education and jobs? What potential health impacts and tradeoffs of different solutions have been identified by health and community stakeholders? What solution sets do they support and/or oppose? Are any solution sets fatally flawed from a health perspective?
Human Environment and Communities	What individual solutions or solution sets have been proposed by community stakeholders? Have community stakeholders expressed support or opposition for any proposed solution sets? Do the proposed solution sets support equity? How beneficial is the support? What are the potential positive and negative impacts of individual solutions? Are any fatally flawed from a community perspective?
Land Use	Are the solution sets compatible with land use goals and plans? Based on preliminary land use screening, are any of the solution sets fatally flawed? How were the land use scenarios derived? What are the underlying assumptions? Are these assumptions supported by land use partners? Have smart growth impacts been considered?
Linking Planning and Operations	Do the solution sets include TSMO strategies? Do the solution sets address mobility, performance, and reliability beyond the identified deficiencies?
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Have the solution sets been compared to a combined map overlaying transportation priorities with priorities for environmental conservation, restoration, and enhancement? Has the impact of each solution and its ability to meet conservation goals been identified? Based on preliminary environmental screening, are any of the solution sets fatally flawed?
Performance Measures	Do any of the solution sets support statewide or regional performance measures and targets? What is the current performance in the corridor against these targets? Are there any solution sets that could negatively impact performance measures and targets? Which solution sets have the best potential to meet targets?
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	How will the inclusion of P3 projects affect the consideration and cost of solution sets? How will the use of P3 influence the number of projects or timing of project delivery? Are P3 projects consistent with regional/local land use and economic development vision?
Public Transportation	How well do the solution sets balance mode choices and support public transportation accessibility? Do any of the proposed solution sets create barriers for public transportation users? Are the proposed solution sets compatible with existing public transportation plans?
Safety	How well do the solution sets address safety issues and needs? Are any solution sets fatally flawed from a safety perspective?
Stakeholder Collaboration	What feedback have stakeholders given on proposed solutions? Did stakeholders have strong opposition to any of the proposed solution sets or to individual solutions? Did the stakeholders identify missing solutions or solution sets? If so, how was that addressed?
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application
Visioning and Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application

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	Information from the preferred long range plan scenario Scenarios or specific project concepts considered during LRTP development Adopted long range plan documentation
Programming	No specific data
Corridor Planning	Analysis to support individual solutions Data to support any fatally flawed or unreasonable solutions Support from potential implementing partners Identified cost and delivery schedule for funded projects within the corridor
Environmental Review	Documentation of all screening of eliminated solutions in order to inform the environmental review process Requirements for the environmental review process Documentation of all screening of eliminated solutions in order to inform the environmental review process Requirements for the environmental review process
Bicycles and Pedestrians	Multimodal level of service analysis Data on pedestrian, bicycle, and ADA needs Strategies supported by pedestrian, bicycle, and ADA stakeholders and included in existing pedestrian, bicycle, and ADA plans
Capital Improvement	Capital improvement plans and projects Assessment of compatibility
Economic Development	Economic development implications or constraints of various strategies
Freight	Freight stakeholder input Analysis of freight impacts for individual solution sets
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Information on GHG-reduction strategies as potential solutions, including comparison of benefits, emissions reduction levels, cost-effectiveness, and planning-level cost for each strategy or combination of strategies Relative importance of GHG-reduction benefits compared to benefits of other potential corridor solutions
Health in Transportation	Baseline data on corridor health conditions, such as health equity or health disparities related to obesity, asthma, quality of life, or other social determinants of health Data and analysis from health stakeholders on how the baseline health conditions may change and tradeoffs among health priorities Analysis of the health outcomes associated with potential solutions
Human Environment and Communities	Community recommended or opposed solutions Information to support evaluation of individual solutions
Land Use	Land use scenarios, solutions, and policies supported by land use partners Land use and/or smart growth implications and impacts for each solution
Linking Planning and Operations	System performance and reliability in the corridor
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Map or list of priorities for environmental conservation, restoration, and enhancement
Performance Measures	Current transportation system performance in the corridor Applicable performance measures and targets
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	Feasibility of private sector funding and/or implementation for specific projects and potential impacts P3 consistency with other plans for the corridor
Public Transportation	Multimodal level of service analysis Data on public transportation needs Strategies supported by public transportation stakeholders and included in existing public transportation plans
Safety	GIS layers or field survey data; crash history; hospital admissions; cost-benefit analyses of safety strategies on corridor interests
Stakeholder Collaboration	Solutions suggested by stakeholders Stakeholder feedback on solutions proposed by partners
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.

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 solution sets supported by bicycle, pedestrian, and ADA stakeholders and which are compatible with existing bicycle, pedestrian, and ADA plans.
Capital Improvement	The range of solutions considered for transportation improvements are likely to have corresponding actions or impacts for other sectors. Specially consider Land Use and Economic Development plans and Human Environment and Communities and Natural Environment and Implementing Eco-Logical Applications.
Economic Development	Identify strategies that support economic development as well as other related goal areas, including Freight, Human Environment and Communities, and Linking Planning and Operations.
Freight	Identify solution sets that satisfactorily address freight considerations while also addressing other challenges in the corridor. Document the extent to which each solution set supports freight stakeholder interests
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Compare the potential GHG-reduction impacts of each proposed solution and solution set.
Health in Transportation	Other Applications might also produce strategies that have health implications, including Bicycles and Pedestrians, Freight, Human Environment and Communities, Land Use, Safety, and Stakeholder Collaboration Applications.
Human Environment and Communities	The full range of solution sets will represent some that are priorities for the community and others that are less desirable. Support may come from other topics such as Health in Transportation, Bicycles and Pedestrians, Safety, Land Use, Capital Improvement, and Economic Development As applicable, consider other Application topics that are of interest in the specific community.
Land Use	Identify solution sets supported by land use partners and stakeholders. Consider how the potential solution sets address direct land use concerns and concerns addressed under all Application topics of interest.
Linking Planning and Operations	As individual solution sets are identified, TSMO strategies may be supportive of other interests such as Safety, Capital Improvement, and Economic Development. Stakeholder Collaboration may support TSMO strategies to avoid capacity expanding solutions.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Compare solution sets to priorities for environmental conservation, restoration, and enhancement.
Performance Measures	This Key Decision is an opportunity to look at the full range of solutions from a performance measurement perspective. As solution sets are screened for viability and potential benefit, performance reporting should be considered. Applications such as Safety, Linking Planning and Operations, Natural Environment and Implementing Eco-Logical, Human Environment and Communities, and Freight will be strongly relevant. However, other Application topics may also be important in the corridor/sub-area.
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	P3 projects may influence land use and economic development patterns surrounding the corridor. Individual population groups may be impacted. Consider Land Use, Economic Development, and Human Environment and Communities Applications.
Public Transportation	Identify solution sets supported by public transportation partners and stakeholders and which are compatible with existing public transportation plans.
Safety	Safety implications of individual solution sets are an essential consideration for selecting a preferred solution set. Corridor planning participants should consider a wide-range of safety strategies and countermeasures to address any specific issues in the corridor. This may also identify mutual benefits for Bicycles and Pedestrians, Land Use Changes, Human Environment, and Natural Environment implications, among others.
Stakeholder Collaboration	Solutions that are supported by stakeholders and compatible with other planning, such as Land Use, Economic Development, and Capital Improvement, efforts have a strong potential for successful outcomes. Stakeholder opposition to proposed solutions may uncover potential problems or inform where additional study is needed.
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.

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:
US 64 Asheboro Bypass - Merged NEPA and Section 404 Permitting Processes cor-6

Other Examples:
None.