US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

ENV-4: Reach Consensus on Study Area

Environmental Review/NEPA Merged with Permitting

Description:

Consensus on an initial geographic area of study (the area within which any alternatives will fall) is reached at this Key Decision. The initial study area may be modified as the environmental review process continues and new information is acquired. The determination of the study area is informed by the environmental review and analysis conducted during any corridor studies as well as by land use and capital improvement planning activities. The study area is closely linked to ENV-3 (Approve Purpose and Need/Reach Consensus on Project Purpose).

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 define a geographic area for the environmental study

Outcome

A defined study area for the project.

Partner Role Type Description
MPO Advisor Informs consideration of study area from regional/ corridor planning.
FHWA/FTA Decision Maker Ensures consideration of an appropriate study area for the beginning of the environmental review process.
State DOT Decision Maker Ensures a comprehensive study area for initiating the consideration of alternatives.
Resource Agency Decision Maker Reach consensus on an initial study area that is sufficiently broad to include all transportation options and consideration of indirect and cumulative impacts. Support the consideration of the ecological planning region(s) - in the development of the study area.
Public Transportation Operator(s) Advisor Informs consideration of study area from regional/ corridor planning.

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
  • Have we considered the scenarios included and eliminated in long range planning?
  • Is the study area broad enough to consider alternatives that are in consistent with regional multimodal improvements?
Programming
  • No specific questions
Corridor Planning
  • Have we considered the information on the study area used in the corridor planning process?
Environmental Review
  • Does the current study area reflect comments received during scoping and the Notice of Intent?
  • Is the geographic area identified sufficiently broad to address a full range of issues including cumulative impacts?
  • What criteria are we using to determine the study area?
Bicycles and Pedestrians
  • Is the study area sufficient to evaluate bicycle and pedestrian network connectivity and accessibility?
Capital Improvement
  • Are there any approved or proposed capital projects in the study area that need to be considered?
Economic Development
  • Is the geographic area sufficiently broad to address all potential economic impacts on the relevant communities?
  • How does any economic development plan or strategy relate to the proposed project study area?
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
  • Has the geographic area been defined broadly enough to capture all the community and public health impacts related to the project?
  • Are there any particularly vulnerable communities nearby that should be added to the geographic area?
  • Is there any evidence for how community and health stakeholders would define the relevant geographic area, such as in prior studies or public engagement processes?
  • Did a long-range plan, corridor plan, health impact assessment, or other study identify a geographic area in which this project might affect health outcomes? How is that influencing the definition of the geographic area?
Human Environment and Communities
  • Are there any community resources in the study area that need to be taken into consideration?
  • Have all community and historic resources that might be negatively impacted by this project, especially those of importance to disadvantaged populations, been identified?
Land Use
  • How do land use plans relate to the study area, and have they been considered?
  • How were land use patterns and growth forecasts considered in the development of the study area?
Linking Planning and Operations
  • Does the study area take into account needs of operational partners, such as first responders?
  • Is the geographic area sufficiently broad to address potential alternatives with operations components?
  • Has any relevant information about traffic movement or restrictions been considered?
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical
  • How does the regional ecosystem framework relate to the project study area?
  • Is there a study area from ecological planning?
    If so, how was it considered in the development of the proposed project study area?
Performance Measures
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Planning and Environment Linkages
  • Have PEL studies from long range and/or corridor planning been used to support the determination of the initial study area?
  • Is the selected study area sufficiently broad to encompass the PEL study considerations?
Public Private Partnerships
  • Has private sector input on the potential area of impact of the P3 project been considered?
  • Is the study area sufficiently broad to address all potential impacts that may result from P3 projects? These may include operational, equity, environmental justice, and other impacts from tolling or user fees.
  • Do any proposed P3 projects relate to existing financial or economic planning in the region? If so, how does this inform the selection of the study area?
Public Transportation
  • Is the study area adequate to consider the public transportation network, connectivity, accessibility, equity, and safety?
Safety
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Have all of the resources that are valued by stakeholders been considered in outlining the study area?
  • Do the stakeholders generally agree with the study area identified?
  • Is the information received from stakeholders consistent with the information?
    If not, can those inconsistences be addressed?
  • How was information from the stakeholders used?
  • Has adequate communication been sent to stakeholders explaining how their input was used?
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
  • Scenarios from long range planning, including fatally flawed scenarios, to inform the extent of the study area
Programming
  • No specific data
Corridor Planning
  • Study area used in corridor planning
  • The scope of the environmental review and analysis process agreed to during corridor planning
Environmental Review
  • Active projects in the proposed study area
  • Purpose and need
Bicycles and Pedestrians
  • Surrounding population characteristics (e.g., how many people live within walking and biking distance of the corridor that may need to access destinations along the corridor) and facilities that may attract pedestrians and bicyclists
  • Bicycle and pedestrian networks, activity, and any sensitivities
Capital Improvement
  • Approved or proposed capital improvements within the study area
Economic Development
  • Major development or redevelopment sites within or near defined study area
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
  • Geographic area for public health influence, including for vulnerable populations
  • Community and health stakeholder input
  • Long-range plan, corridor plan, health impact assessment, or other studies that have defined a geographic area for health impacts relevant to this project
Human Environment and Communities
  • Information about community, historic, resources in the study area
  • List of resources important to disadvantaged populations in the area
Land Use
  • Detailed land use data in the study area such as zoning maps, growth forecasts, land use patterns, and parcel data
  • Analysis/validation of land use implementation decisions (i.e., zoning and building permits) compared to land use plan assumptions for adopted land use/corridor plans
  • Access management guidelines, driveway permitting regulations, and land use policies that identify access controls or restrictions
  • Municipal boundaries
Linking Planning and Operations
  • Emergency response routes and other operational data
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical
  • Conservation, restoration, and enhancement priorities identified in other plans
Performance Measures
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Planning and Environment Linkages
  • Study area boundaries from any PEL study or process
Public Private Partnerships
  • Private sector input regarding potential P3 projects
  • Data specific to potential P3 impacts
  • Financial and economic plans in the region
Public Transportation
  • Surrounding population characteristics related to public transportation use (e.g., mode share, car ownership) in the study area
  • Public transportation network data
Safety
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Comments received from stakeholders
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:
Regional TIP Policy Framework and Vision 2040 for Puget Sound Regional Council env-4

Other Examples:
None.