US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

COR-9: Adopt Priorities for Implementation

Corridor Planning

Description:

Individual projects within the adopted preferred solution set are ranked in order to identify the appropriate sequencing for implementation. Prioritization supports both programming and environmental review by ensuring that identified projects are ready for implementation when funding is provided. This also allows other implementation actions, such as land use changes, to be made in support of the priorities.

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-7 related to the preferred solution set and COR-8 for the evaluation criteria, methods and measures for prioritization.

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 make recommendations on phasing and priorities of implementing the solutions for the corridor. As a follow-up action to this step other related plans and programs should be updated to reflect these priorities.

Outcome

Agreement on the phasing and prioritization of the corridor's solution set. This prioritized list should be considered when prioritizing projects during the Programming process.

Partner	Role Type	Description
MPO	Decision Maker (urban), No Role (rural)	Adopts priorities for implementation that are fiscally sound and realistic.
FHWA/FTA	Observer	Observes prioritization of solutions for consideration in the TIP development process.
State DOT	Advisor (urban), Decision Maker (rural)	Ensures the adopted priorities are compatible with state plans and programs.
Resource Agency	Advisor	Approve an MOU, agreement or programmatic permit and performance monitoring strategy for mitigation sites. Provide information about prioritized opportunities from the ecological plan and methods for prioritizing.
Public Transportation Operator(s)	Advisor	Ensures the adopted priorities are compatible with transit plans and programs.

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
To Long Range Transportation Planning	LRP-10 - Adopt LRTP by MPO	Adopted priorities for implementation in the corridor plan	To ensure that the adopted priorities for implementation in the corridor plan are consistent with the LRTP, including air quality and fiscal constraint.
From and To Programming	PRO-3 - Approve Project List from Adopted Plan	The project priority list developed in the corridor plan	To ensure the TIP reflects the desired prioritization of the corridor plan
From and To Programming	PRO-4 - Approve Project Prioritization	Prioritized list of projects for implementation from programming/fiscal constraint	To provide input into or validation of overall project prioritization.
To Environmental Review/NEPA Merged with Permitting	ENV-8 - Approve Draft EIS with Conceptual Mitigation	Advance mitigation strategy and agreements from the Corridor Plan	To inform conceptual mitigation incorporated in the Draft EIS
To Environmental Review/NEPA Merged with Permitting	ENV-12 - Reach Consensus on Avoidance and Minimization for the LEDPA	Advance mitigation strategy and agreements from the Corridor Plan	To inform avoidance and minimization for the LEDPA

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	What are the priorities for implementation in the long range plan? Are the adopted solution set priorities consistent with the long range plan, including air quality and fiscal constraint?
Programming	What is the appropriate scheduling for priority transportation projects? Is this priority order feasible? Are implementing agencies or funding partners willing to move forward according to the schedule indicated? Will this sequence be appropriate for the TIP/STIP?
Corridor Planning	Are there non-transportation project sponsors for corridor study solutions? Is there a clear linkage between the prioritization process and the goals identified for the corridor? What are the benefits of sequencing the projects in this order? Are there any risks? Is there agreement on strategies to avoid or minimize risks associated with individual solutions? What is the justification for this ranking? How were partners engaged in providing input and recommendations? How will partners be informed of the results?
Environmental Review	Are the implementation actions and related agreements sufficiently documented to inform the environmental review process?
Bicycles and Pedestrians	Is the implementation sequence supportive of bicycle and pedestrian plans and programs? Does the proposed sequencing of projects present any barriers or opportunities to bicycles and pedestrians? Is there a process to ensure that pedestrian and bicycle network linkages are made between projects sequenced at different times?
Capital Improvement	Does the implementation sequence support capital improvement plans? What is the commitment to implement aspects of the solution set that relate to capital improvements? How will the sequencing of projects influence capital improvement activities?
Economic Development	Does the implementation sequence support economic development plans and projects? Are there any economic development risks associated with individual project sequence or potential timeframes?
Freight	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	How will the sequence and potential timeframe influence GHG-reduction impacts of the various projects or strategies?
Health in Transportation	How will implementation priorities influence public and community health goals, plans, and specific populations? Can solutions that address urgent health needs be prioritized? How would health and community stakeholders prioritize the projects? What other support is available for implementing the solutions preferred by health and community stakeholders? How can implementation priorities help create strong and lasting support among health stakeholders for the corridor planning process and result?
Human Environment and Communities	Does the implementation sequence support other community goals and plans? What is necessary to ensure that environmental justice and equity concerns are considered and addressed as a sequencing priority?
Land Use	Does the implementation sequence support land use and smart growth related plans and timeframes? What actions are needed by land use agencies to support implementation and sequencing?
Linking Planning and Operations	How will operational strategies impact sequencing? How will system performance be included as part of implementation? How will the sequencing of projects influence corridor operations in the short-term and long-term? Can the project be phased to implement operational improvements prior to major capacity enhancements?
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Do conservation, restoration, and mitigation actions from the ecological plan impact the implementation sequence? Is there a mitigation strategy to meet retention goals for each impacted area or resource? What is required of transportation partners to support this strategy?
Performance Measures	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application
Planning and Environment Linkages	Was the corridor study conducted using PEL guidance? If so, how does this impact project readiness? Is the project prioritization impacted by PEL studies? If so, has this been documented for environmental review as well as potential updates of the long range plan and TIP
Public Private Partnerships	How does the inclusion of P3 projects influence sequencing? Anticipated timing and sequencing of solutions involving P3 projects
Public Transportation	Is the implementation sequence compatible with public transportation plans and programs? How will the sequencing of projects influence public transportation operations in the short and long-term?
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	Do stakeholders have any new information that might influence how the individual projects are sequenced? How does this input affect sequencing of individual solutions? What explanations are necessary to accompany this sequencing to inform stakeholders?
Transportation Conformity	Does the sequence impact air quality conformity analysis for horizon years?
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	Adopted priorities for implementation in the long range plan
Programming	Adopted TIP and STIP Fiscal constraint analysis
Corridor Planning	Evaluation of project sequence against selected criteria Individual project readiness Potential barriers to implementation
Environmental Review	Documentation of sequencing decisions
Bicycles and Pedestrians	Bicycle and pedestrians projects and commitments for implementation
Capital Improvement	Sequence of related capital improvement projects
Economic Development	Economic development recommendations on sequencing and implementation
Freight	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Time frame for potential GHG-reduction impacts and targets Agreements needed to support the implementation sequence
Health in Transportation	Community and health stakeholder input on priorities Options for implementation partnerships and support
Human Environment and Communities	Potential impacts based on the sequence of individual solutions Populations to engage during implementation
Land Use	Land use impacts of proposed implementation sequence Actions/commitments by land use agencies necessary to support implementation sequence
Linking Planning and Operations	Operational characteristics and metrics of the corridor Anticipated corridor operations in the short and long term
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Conservation/restoration/mitigation actions from the ecological plan Agreements, permits, or consultations required for transportation projects, including agreement on the performance monitoring strategy for mitigation sites
Performance Measures	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Planning and Environment Linkages	PEL study outcomes
Public Private Partnerships	The timing of Land Use changes or Economic Development impacts and mitigation of negative consequences to the Human Environment and Communities must be considered during prioritization.
Public Transportation	Impact on public transportation plans and programs Actions/commitments by public transportation providers to support implementation sequence
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	Stakeholder input that informs sequence
Transportation Conformity	LRTP conformity analysis
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	Validate the implementation sequence is compatible with bicycle and pedestrian plans and projects.
Capital Improvement	Coordination on implementation sequence for other community changes ensures supporting activities are completed. Consider Land Use changes as well as other community support that may be necessary before a transportation solution can be implemented.
Economic Development	Validate that the impacts of the sequence and timing of the project are supportive of economic development. Ensure that implementation partners and stakeholders understand how the prioritization will support economic development and regional competitiveness. Input gathered through Stakeholder Collaboration will help inform this decision.
Freight	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Identify the impacts of implementation sequence on GHG objectives and targets.
Health in Transportation	See Stakeholder Collaboration for help discussing the tradeoffs made between health and other interests, which might be similar to discussions occurring under the Bicycles and Pedestrians, Human Environment and Communities, and Safety Applications. See the Planning and Environment Linkages Application for guidance on documenting the rationale behind the decision for later use in the environmental review process. Inform your potential implementation partners such as those in the Capital Improvement and Land Use.
Human Environment and Communities	The preferred solution set will require actions by transportation agencies and potentially other partners, including Land Use, Capital Improvement, Economic Development, and/or Natural Environment and Implementing Eco-Logical to fully implement the solution.
Land Use	Land use is a foundation of the transportation system. As projects are prioritized for implementation, land use changes will be implemented that have an effect on how and when other actions are sequenced. Review the other Application topics to consider how commitments, relationships, and timeframes must be considered during prioritization.
Linking Planning and Operations	Project prioritization has an impact on corridor operations in the short and long term, regardless of whether TSMO strategies are part of the solution set. Ensure that agreements for TSMO partner participation and any Public-Private Partnerships that may be applicable reflect the adopted project sequencing.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Validate that the implementation sequence is consistent with the ecological plan
Performance Measures	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Planning and Environment Linkages	Use PEL corridor study outcomes to inform project sequencing. It is likely that PEL outcomes will relate to many of the Application topics such as Land Use, Economic Development, and Bicycles and Pedestrians
Public Private Partnerships	The timing of Land Use changes or Economic Development impacts as well as mitigation of negative consequences to the Human Environment and Communities must be considered during prioritization.
Public Transportation	Validate the implementation sequence is compatible with public transportation plans and projects. Evaluate the impact of project sequence on public transportation operations in the short and long term. Identify any supporting actions/commitments needed from public transportation agencies.
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	Stakeholders may be aware of new information relevant to the corridor that could inform more effective and efficient implementation of the corridor plan. There may be opportunities to combine improvements, potentially resulting in cost and time savings. In particular, decision makers for Land Use, Natural Environment, Capital Improvement, and Economic Development may need to approve corresponding actions to support implementation of transportation solutions according to the priority sequencing adopted.
Transportation Conformity	Validate that the impacts of the sequence and timing of the project prioritization does not change the air quality conformity determination. Ensure that implementation partners such as Land Use agencies and stakeholders (Stakeholder Collaboration Application) are aware of any constraints related to conformity.
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:
Blueprint Project - Regional Land Use Vision for the SACOG Region cor-9

Other Examples:
None.