US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

COR-3: Approve Goals for the Corridor

Corridor Planning

Description:

At this Key Decision a broad range of transportation, community, and environmental goals are considered which are specific to the corridor. The Key Decision is informed by the goals approved during long range transportation planning and informs the purpose and need for projects in environmental review. In order to facilitate collaboration, the goals from other plans are rationalized with transportation goals in the corridor.

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 adopt the comprehensive set of goals for the corridor.

Outcome

A comprehensive set of goals for the corridor that will guide the selection of a set of solutions that address the corridor's opportunities and deficiencies.

Partner Role Type Description
MPO Decision Maker (urban), No Role (rural) Ensures goals for the corridor study address all needs and consider the goals of the region.
FHWA/FTA Observer Observes the approval of goals that are consistent with accepted plans as well as community goals.
State DOT Advisor (urban), Decision Maker (rural) Provides an understanding of state goals with respect to the corridor.
Resource Agency Advisor Advise that environmental goals are considered in the development of the goals for the corridor. Provide input on the most important environmental needs in the planning area and where partners may be able to work together to make a difference across multiple resources of concern.
Public Transportation Operator(s) Advisor Provides an understanding of transit goals with respect to the corridor.

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 vision and goals from the LRTP?
Programming
  • No specific questions
Corridor Planning
  • Are the goals consistent with other plans and programs?
  • Do the goals enable development of measurable objectives and performance metrics?
  • Are the goals appropriate and broad enough to allow consideration of all the problems and opportunities?
  • Are the goals broad enough to incorporate all partner interests? If not, what interests are not included in these goals and why?
Environmental Review
  • Are the goals documented to inform the environmental review and permitting process for projects in the solution set?
Bicycles and Pedestrians
  • Do the goals account for accessibility and the connectivity and safety needs of all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, and persons with disabilities?
Capital Improvement
  • Are there existing capital improvement goals for the corridor that would be relevant for the corridor plan?
  • Have the proposed transportation goals considered local goals for capital improvement?
  • Have capital improvement stakeholders provided any input on the transportation goals for the corridor?
Economic Development
  • Are the goals consistent with other local and regional economic development and community development plans, priorities, and goals?
Freight
  • Do the goals reflect the needs and interests of freight stakeholders?
  • Are the goals compatible with existing freight plans that cover the corridor?
  • How do freight stakeholders prioritize their goals for the corridor?
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • How will GHG considerations be reflected in the corridor study goal statements?
  • How specific should GHG goal statements for the corridor be?

    For example, should they be integrated into a broader environmental goal or emphasized as corridor-specific goals?
  • Do corridor-specific GHG-reduction goals support regional GHG and other goals?
Health in Transportation
  • Are there relevant priorities and goals included in any existing health plans or policies affecting the corridor?
  • Has this agency and identified health partners adequately engaged the community in the identification of health priorities, goals, and objectives, including goals relating to health equity and the social determinants of health?
  • How can the corridor plan help address health issues and achieve the corridor’s goals and priorities for health?
  • Can health partners provide any technical assistance in developing measurable objectives?
  • Do community and health stakeholders support the transportation goals and objectives identified?
Human Environment and Communities
  • Do the goals consider potentially disadvantaged populations and equity issues?
  • Do the goals support specific community needs and interests?
  • Is there information needed to provide back to the community on the approved goals for the corridor planning study?
  • Has a strong basis for community stakeholders to remain engaged and participate been provided?
Land Use
  • Are the goals consistent with other local land use and development plans?
Linking Planning and Operations
  • To what extent are smart growth principles and goals included?
  • What are the short- and long-term TSMO goals for the corridor?
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical
  • Have common goals between transportation and conservation been identified?
  • Have the goals and priorities identified in ecological planning been considered?
Performance Measures
  • How do the approved goals support performance measurement and reporting?
Planning and Environment Linkages
  • Are the goals documented adequately to inform the purpose and need and the selection of evaluation criteria, methods, and measures during environmental review?
Public Private Partnerships
  • Are the goals broad enough to allow consideration of innovative sources of financing, revenues, and procurement through P3?
  • Have any fiscal analyses or economic studies been completed that indicate that the corridor goals would be more effectively accomplished through the use of a P3?
  • What advantages or disadvantages do stakeholders see if private developers were involved in developing the corridor?
Public Transportation
  • Do the public transportation agencies and stakeholders have any goals for the corridor?
Safety
  • Are there specific safety goals for this corridor?
  • Do safety plans address these goals within the plan horizon?
  • Have safety goals been incorporated into the approved goals for the corridor? If not, what is the explanation for this action to share with partners and the public?
Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Are the goals and desired outcomes of stakeholders represented?
  • Are there differences or conflicts among the stakeholder interests?
  • What are the risks of not establishing universally accepted goals?
  • What is the justification for each approved goal? How will this information be communicated to stakeholders?
Transportation Conformity
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation
  • What is the corridor relationship to the goals developed during visioning?
  • Do the corridor planning goals reflect the community’s values and transportation system support for them?

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
  • Vision, goals, and strategies from the LRTP where applicable
  • Fiscal analysis done within the long range plan scenario analysis
Programming
  • No specific data
Corridor Planning
  • Goals from other plans, programs, and partners
Environmental Review
  • Documentation of goal setting and approved goals
Bicycles and Pedestrians
  • Bicycle and pedestrian goals and data
  • Americans with Disabilities Act transition plans
Capital Improvement
  • Goals for capital improvement
  • Partner input on transportation goals
Economic Development
  • Goals and priorities from local and regional economic development plans
  • Data from previously conducted economic studies
Freight
  • Freight stakeholder input
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • Analysis about the potential benefits of and stakeholder interest in GHG reduction-strategies
Health in Transportation
  • Input from community and health stakeholders on the priorities, goals, and objectives and their relationship to health in the corridor
  • Data, tools, and information to help define the health priorities and potential benefits from transportation decisions
  • Information on potential interactions and impacts transportation decisions may have on community health priorities and goals
Human Environment and Communities
  • Community input on goals and vision for the corridor
  • Documented basis for the goals
Land Use
  • Land use and development goals, visions, and strategies for the corridor
  • Analysis demonstrating that the goals are consistent with smart growth policies and principles, when applicable
Linking Planning and Operations
  • System operations and performance data
  • Specific goals and objectives related to the operation of the corridor
  • Performance targets related to system reliability and other TSMO goals
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical
  • Data on ecological goals and priorities for conservation and restoration
Performance Measures
  • Performance measures, targets, and reporting commitments
  • Data to support performance measures identified
Planning and Environment Linkages
  • Documented basis for goals to carry forward into environmental review
Public Private Partnerships
  • Advantages and risks of using P3
  • P3 support for achieving corridor goals
  • Stakeholder input on P3
Public Transportation
  • Relevant public transportation goals and plans
Safety
  • Goals from relevant safety plans, including the National and state goals
Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Stakeholder input on goal setting
  • Basis for decisions to inform stakeholders
Transportation Conformity
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation
  • Relevant information from visioning, including baseline information, guiding principles, goals, values, and consensus vision for the future

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:
US 64 Asheboro Bypass - Merged NEPA and Section 404 Permitting Processes cor-3

Other Examples:
Fletcher Avenue Complete Streets (Hillsborough County, Florida) http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/publications/network_report/page05.cfm