US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

ENV-10: Approve Preferred Alternative / LEDPA

Environmental Review/NEPA Merged with Permitting

Description:

Decision makers approve a preferred project alternative using input from stakeholders, planning partners, and detailed information about potential impacts. A check-point is included to ensure that the preferred alternative is consistent with the LRTP and TIP/STIP.

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 evaluate and select the preferred alternative/Least Environmental Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA ).

Outcome

A Preferred Alternative/LEDPA for inclusion in final NEPA document.

Partner	Role Type	Description
MPO	Advisor	Observes final EIS approval for consideration of impact to the LRTP, fiscal constraint and air quality conformity.
FHWA/FTA	Decision Maker	Approves the preferred alternative as meeting the purpose and need.
State DOT	Decision Maker	Ensures the approved preferred alternative/LEDPA is well documented and supported by all partners.
Resource Agency	Decision Maker	USACE approves a preferred alternative that is also the LEDPA, meeting preferences regarding avoidance, minimization, potential conservation and restoration investments and mitigation needs.
Public Transportation Operator(s)	Advisor	Observes final EIS approval for transit considerations.

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	Approved preferred alternative	To validate consistency with the adopted LRPT, fiscal constraint, and air quality conformity.
To Programming	PRO-3 - Approve Project List from Adopted Plan	Approved preferred alternative	To ensure consistency between the preferred alternative and the project concept in the project list
To Programming	PRO-6 - Adopt TIP by MPO	Approved preferred alternative	To ensure consistency with the project concept, funding, and schedule in the adopted TIP

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	Is the preferred alternative consistent with the adopted LRTP, fiscal constraint, and air quality conformity?
Programming	Is the preferred alternative consistent with the project concept, funding, and schedule in the TIP/project list?
Corridor Planning	No specific questions.
Environmental Review	What changes have been made from the Draft EIS and why? What commitments and agreements were made to partners to address remaining issues? Are there remaining issues or problems that have been identified with the preferred alternative? How did the stakeholders rank the alternatives and why? How were public comments considered in the selection of the preferred alternative? Will the preferred alternative require a long range or corridor plan or program update? Will the preferred alternative require a long range or corridor plan or program update? What is the basis for selection of the preferred alternative?
Bicycles and Pedestrians	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Capital Improvement	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Freight	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Health in Transportation	How do the different alternatives compare on the health? How will this reasoning be communicated to health and community stakeholders?
Human Environment and Communities	How will the basis of selection be communicated to community stakeholders? How will potential impacts and benefits of this alternative be communicated?
Land Use	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Linking Planning and Operations	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Performance Measures	How does the preferred alternative rank with respect to the selected performance measures? What options are available for monitoring performance to inform future long- range plan updates and performance reporting? How has this information been documented to inform future project alternatives?
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	Has the preferred alternative been communicated to all private sector stakeholders? Is the preferred alternative consistent with any P3 assumptions identified by private sector stakeholders? Are there public concerns with implementation of the project as a P3 and how are these being addressed?
Public Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	What comments were received from stakeholders? What were the remaining issues that the stakeholders identified for each alternative? Does the preferred alternative address issues raised by stakeholders? If not, what solutions can be identified for remaining issues? Has the preferred alternative and basis for selection been communicated to all stakeholders?
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	How is the preferred alternative supportive of the consensus future and the vision outcome? How will this relationship be communicated with stakeholders?

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 long range transportation plan
Programming	Adopted TIP
Corridor Planning	No specific data
Environmental Review	Purpose and need Analysis of comments received on each alternative
Bicycles and Pedestrians	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Capital Improvement	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Freight	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Health in Transportation	Analysis of alternatives performance on health Input from health and community stakeholders
Human Environment and Communities	Documentation for selection of the LEDPA Communications approach to various audiences
Land Use	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Linking Planning and Operations	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Performance Measures	Performance measures selected for evaluation Individual alternative performance Public comments relevant to system performance
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	P3 assumptions
Public Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	Stakeholder input on the Draft EIS Summary of how stakeholder input informed the decision
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	Adopted future/consensus vision Approach to communicate the outcome with stakeholders and the public

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	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Capital Improvement	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Freight	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Health in Transportation	See Stakeholder Collaboration for help discussing the health implications of the decision, which might be similar to discussions occurring under the Human Environment and Communities Application.
Human Environment and Communities	The LEDPA is the outcome of this decision across all topic considerations. There is no specific support from any one Application.
Land Use	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Linking Planning and Operations	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Performance Measures	Use performance measures to inform selection of preferred alternative and establish monitoring approaches. All Applications related to the purpose and need should be considered at this Key Decision.
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	Consider Stakeholder Collaboration and Human Environment and Communities Applications for specific P3 communication and public involvement.
Public Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	Consider stakeholder comments on each alternative prior to selecting the preferred alternative. Carefully examine the benefits and consequences of each alternative as perceived by the stakeholders. Provide feedback or documentation of how this input was used in decision making. Any Application may be relevant depending on the specific stakeholders engaged.
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	The LEDPA is the outcome of this decision across all topic considerations. The Stakeholder Collaboration Application and public involvement support within Human Environment and Communities may be useful in communicating the outcome of the decision.

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.