US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

PRO-6: Adopt TIP by MPO

Programming

Description:

At this Key Decision, the MPO adopts the TIP and makes a conformity determination in nonattainment and maintenance areas for transportation-related pollutants. Before the MPO can do this, comments on the draft TIP must be addressed and a final TIP must be produced. By adopting the final TIP, the MPO and the partner agencies agree that the projects are prioritized appropriately according to the available revenue sources, funding restrictions and/or agreements, the schedule, and project readiness.

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 review comments received on the Draft TIP in order to determine appropriate action as well as necessary feedback to the public and stakeholders. To re-affirm commitments and intents of partners and stakeholders.

In nonattainment and maintenance areas for the transportation-related pollutants, to make a conformity determination demonstrating satisfaction of conformity requirements.

Outcome

An adopted MTIP (Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program) that meets all state and federal requirements; has support of the partners and DOT; is understandable and accessible to the public and stakeholders; and supports the LRTP.

Conformity determination in nonattainment and maintenance areas for the transportation-related pollutants.

Partner	Role Type	Description
MPO	Decision Maker (urban), No Role (rural)	Adopts a TIP that is consistent with the LRTP and is implementable.
FHWA/FTA	Advisor	Ensures the adopted TIP meets all federal requirements. Participates in interagency consultation process and ensures that MPO conformity analysis will support subsequent FHWA/FTA conformity determination.
State DOT	Advisor (urban), Decision Maker (rural)	Provides state perspective and information as needed to inform adoption.
Resource Agency	Observer	US EPA has a consultation role in the conformity process, along with the State air agency.
Public Transportation Operator(s)	Advisor	Provides transit perspective and information as needed to inform adoption.

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-10 - Adopt LRTP by MPO	List of fiscally constrained projects	To ensure consistency with the adopted LRTP, for air quality conformity and fiscal constraint
To Environmental Review/NEPA Merged with Permitting	ENV-1 - Reach Consensus on Scope of Environmental Review	Information about available funding and schedule	To provide input to the Environmental Review phase scoping process input on information of available funding and support for the project

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 TIP consistent with the adopted long range plan fiscal constraint? Is the TIP conformity consistent with the long range plan conformity?
Programming	Does the supporting analysis meet all federal requirements?
Corridor Planning	No specific questions
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	Has freight stakeholders’ feedback during the process and response to that feedback been adequately documented? How will the process and outcome be communicated 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	What information was gathered from stakeholders representing the community and disadvantaged populations? Has the rationale for any decisions related to the community interests been explained? This is essential for any decisions that were not supported by stakeholder input.
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	Is the adopted TIP consistent with any regional ecosystem framework and/or plan? If not, has the ecosystem plan been updated to reflect these projects?
Performance Measures	Does the adopted TIP reflect the goals, performance measures, and targets for the LRTP?
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	What input was received from stakeholders? What was done in response to stakeholder feedback? Does the Draft TIP address metropolitan transportation needs identified by stakeholders? Have the outcomes been communicated to the public and all interested stakeholders?
Transportation Conformity	Does this analysis meet the air quality goals as well as the emissions budget? Have operations data and analysis been included in the transportation conformity determination? Is additional data/analysis needed to ensure project-level conformity? Has interagency consultation addressed transportation control measure implementation?
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	Conformity analysis LRTP fiscal constraint information
Programming	Prioritized projects with associated costs and funding sources Project description and logical termini
Corridor Planning	No specific data
Environmental Review	Relevant data to inform environmental review
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	Documentation of input and response
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	Human environment and community-related stakeholder input
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	Comparison with any ecological plan or framework
Performance Measures	Approved performance measures and targets for the region
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
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 TIP Basis of decisions communicated to the public and stakeholders
Transportation Conformity	Emissions analysis results State Implementation Plan (SIP) budget Transportation control measures
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	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	Practitioner response to freight stakeholder input on the TIP should provide explanations for decisions made on projects of specific interest to this stakeholder. The documentation of comment and response is part of the public involvement process for the TIP as required by federal regulations.
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 will relate to all Application topics of interest in the region. Specific engagement of stakeholders will depend on individual projects.
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	When the TIP is adopted by the MPO, it should be compared with any existing eco-logical framework or conservation planning. It is important to communicate with natural environment partners and stakeholders on funding, priorities, and schedule. Specific relationship to the Human Environment and Communities Application should be considered.
Performance Measures	There is no specific linkage to other Application topics at this Key Decision
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	Prior to the adoption of the TIP, regulations require decision makers to consider stakeholder input. Stakeholder comments may not result in specific changes, but should be addressed in documentation or other feedback mechanisms.
Transportation Conformity	Ensure that the TIP meets transportation conformity requirements, and also considers input from partners and stakeholders. Notify partners and stakeholders of TIP outcome, which may inform updates to concurrent plans. Review the relationship to Stakeholder Collaboration 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.