US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

LRP-4: Approve Transportation Deficiencies

Long Range Transportation Planning

Description:

The approved list of specific corridors, roads and areas which are deficient identified at this Key Decision serves as a basis for problems and opportunities addressed in both the corridor planning and environmental review processes.

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 identify transportation deficiencies within the planning area that should be addressed in the LRTP. Transportation deficiencies are where the current or future system is expected to experience congestion, safety issues, lack of interconnectivity, or other operational problems as well as inadequate roadway capacity.

Outcome

A list of specific corridors, roads, and areas that are deficient or need improvement.

Partner Role Type Description
MPO Decision Maker Ensures transportation deficiencies are technically sound and represent the true needs of the region
FHWA/FTA Observer Observes that the LRTP is developed from established needs
State DOT Advisor Ensures identified deficiencies are clearly defined and include state needs
Resource Agency No Role The deficiencies approved only represent transportation needs.
Public Transportation Operator(s) Advisor Ensures identified deficiencies are clearly defined and include transit needs.

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
  • How were deficiencies determined? Are they well supported by data and/or analysis?
  • What is the justification for each of the deficiencies that were not approved?
Programming
  • Has an active project been identified to address any of these deficiencies?
  • Do identified deficiencies provide support for project ranking or prioritization?
Corridor Planning
  • Are deficiencies in corridor planning studies being addressed in the planning process?
Environmental Review
  • Have deficiencies been identified through individual planning efforts?
Bicycles and Pedestrians
  • Are there existing or potential barriers that limit the ability to use pedestrian or bicycle transportation?
  • Do the deficiencies include those specific to bicycle and pedestrian networks and specific population needs?
  • Are there significant gaps in the walking and bicycling network that present safety concerns?
Capital Improvement
  • Have Capital Improvement partners identified transportation deficiencies that are related to planned Capital Improvement projects?
  • Is there an opportunity to address a Capital Improvement need concurrent with addressing the transportation deficiency?
Economic Development
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Freight
  • Do the deficiencies include those identified and/or validated by freight stakeholders or existing freight plans?
  • How are deficiencies identified by freight stakeholders viewed by other stakeholders?
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Health in Transportation
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Human Environment and Communities
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Land Use
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Linking Planning and Operations
  • Are there any identified operational deficiencies?
  • Have operational partners been asked for input on problems and deficiencies, as well as opportunities for improvement?
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Performance Measures
  • What performance measures were used previously that are still relevant?
  • What performance measure data exists to help measure and/or validate deficiencies?
  • What new transportation deficiencies have been identified? Are the data and tools to address these available?
Planning and Environment Linkages
  • Have the deficiencies identified, and methods used to identify deficiencies, been documented for use in subsequent corridor planning processes and/or in environmental review?
Public Private Partnerships
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Transportation
  • Are there existing or potential barriers that limit access to public transportation?
Safety
  • What are the safety issues in the current transportation system and potential future safety needs?
Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Are the stakeholders’ perceptions of the deficiencies consistent with the technical data/list of deficiencies? If not, how can that be addressed?
  • What transportation improvements do stakeholders want? Do stakeholders have solutions to recommend?
  • What transportation problems are stakeholders facing?
  • Can the approved deficiencies be expressed clearly to stakeholders?
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
  • Data and/or analysis from individual planning efforts such as the previous regional plan or other studies
Programming
  • Project data and schedules for completion
Corridor Planning
  • Data and/or analysis from individual planning efforts such as the corridor and sub-area plans
Environmental Review
  • Data and/or analysis from project development
Bicycles and Pedestrians
Capital Improvement
  • Capital Improvement projects
Economic Development
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Freight
  • Freight traffic data
  • Freight-related safety issues
  • Information on deficiencies important to freight stakeholders
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Health in Transportation
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Human Environment and Communities
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Land Use
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Linking Planning and Operations
  • Operations and maintenance plans or identified improvements
  • Operational partner input
  • Data and specific examples to support operational issues and needs
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Performance Measures
  • System performance data across all modes
  • Performance data from recently completed projects
Planning and Environment Linkages
  • Transportation deficiencies and supporting analyses
Public Private Partnerships
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Transportation
  • Operations data for public transportation (headways, fares, route changes, etc.)
  • Public transportation service needs and limitations
Safety
  • Crash history, planned safety improvements, locations of high safety interest
Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Gathering input from a broad range of stakeholders on transportation problems and issues provides a more comprehensive understanding of the current multimodal transportation system and services. Identifying deficiencies, both targeted and system-wide, will help to uncover solutions that address multiple deficiencies.
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:
None.

Other Examples:
None.