US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

COR-8: Approve Implementation Criteria for Prioritizing Projects

Corridor Planning

Description:

At this Key Decision priorities for implementation of the individual solutions are established. A second set of evaluation criteria, methods and measures is used for this purpose.

There is information developed in prior Key Decisions that informs this step. In order to effectively execute this Key Decision there is essential information created at COR-7 related to the preferred solution set.

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 the evaluation criteria, methods and measures for prioritizing the implementation of the solution set for the corridor.

Outcome

Specific methods, criteria, and measures for prioritizing the individual solutions included in the adopted preferred solution set.

Partner	Role Type	Description
MPO	Decision Maker (urban), No Role (rural)	Approves evaluation criteria and methodology and allows prioritization of the individual solutions.
FHWA/FTA	Observer	Observes establishment of prioritization criteria.
State DOT	Advisor (urban), Decision Maker (rural)	Ensures prioritization process is inclusive and equitable.
Resource Agency	Advisor	Provide information to support prioritization of solutions as needed, including sharing evaluation criteria, methods and performance measures from environmental planning, documentation of prioritization process.
Public Transportation Operator(s)	Advisor	Ensures prioritization process is inclusive and equitable.

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 and To Programming	PRO-2 - Approve Project Cost and Revenue Allocation Approach	The evaluation criteria and methodology for prioritizing solutions within the preferred solution set for the corridor	To consider the relationship between the evaluation criteria and methods for the prioritization in the programming process and that used in the corridor planning process: should they be consistent or supportive?
To Environmental Review/NEPA Merged with Permitting	ENV-1 - Reach Consensus on Scope of Environmental Review	Priorities for implementation of the individual solutions contained in the preferred solution set	To inform identification of logical termini, study area boundaries and potential sequencing of related projects.

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	No specific questions
Programming	Are these criteria compatible with programming requirements? How will the costs of mitigation actions influence sequencing?
Corridor Planning	What factors will play a role in project sequencing? How will factors be weighted or considered in the implementation plan? Who developed the criteria? What data supports it? How will the technical analysis impact the criteria in comparison to cost, public support, or project feasibility? Do the criteria consider the risks to the effectiveness of the transportation improvement if non-transportation strategies are not implemented?
Environmental Review	How will these criteria inform the environmental review of individual projects?
Bicycles and Pedestrians	Are criteria for assessing bicycle and pedestrian network connectivity and accessibility included?
Capital Improvement	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development	Do the criteria assess the impact of sequencing on economic development?
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	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Human Environment and Communities	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Land Use	Do the implementation criteria assess the need for land use changes on project sequencing?
Linking Planning and Operations	Do the criteria consider improved system performance and reliability factors? Do the criteria include mobility and operations metrics?
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Do the criteria consider the impact of any mitigation activities identified in ecological planning on sequencing?
Performance Measures	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	Do the sequencing criteria include consideration of the financial or operational viability and timing of using P3 funding? What are the project risks, costs, financing, revenue potential, and other information needed to prioritize solutions?
Public Transportation	Do the criteria consider the impact of sequencing on public transportation operations in the corridor? Do the criteria consider the risks and opportunities on public transportation plans or project implementation?
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
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	No specific data
Programming	Evaluation criteria and methods for prioritization in the programming process
Corridor Planning	Individual solutions from the preferred solution set
Environmental Review	Projects currently in project development associated with this corridor
Bicycles and Pedestrians	Information and data reflecting bicycle and pedestrian networks and use Measures of bicycle and pedestrian network connectivity and accessibility
Capital Improvement	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development	Qualitative factors and performance indicators related to economic impacts and competitiveness Potential economic outcomes
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	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Human Environment and Communities	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Land Use	Anticipated land use in the corridor
Linking Planning and Operations	TSMO metric
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Mitigation activities for the corridor from ecological planning
Performance Measures	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	Input from private sector stakeholders Influence of P3 on number of proposed projects, timing of delivery, and feasibility of solution sets
Public Transportation	Potential measures of public transportation accessibility and operation
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
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	Consider how the bicycle and pedestrian approach to setting priorities influences the criteria. Identify and include bicycle and pedestrian criteria
Capital Improvement	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development	Identify project priorities that will optimize the economic development benefits and minimize disruption to populations and businesses along the corridor. Consider similar interests with Capital Improvement, Human Environment and Communities, Natural Environment and Implementing Eco-Logical, Health and Transportation, and Safety.
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	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Human Environment and Communities	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Land Use	Criteria for sequencing individual transportation projects within the solution set must include the impact of land use on transportation and other community interests such as the Natural and Implementing Eco-Logical, Human Environment and Communities, Economic Development, Capital Improvement, Bicycles and Pedestrians, Safety, Public Transportation, and Linking Planning and Operations.
Linking Planning and Operations	Ensure that the evaluation criteria, methods, and measures reflect the short- and long-term impacts of the TSMO strategies in the adopted solution set These may relate to Safety criteria and other Performance Measures.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Consider activities from ecological planning in the corridor.
Performance Measures	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	Land Use and Human Environment and Communities criteria may be relevant for P3 evaluation.
Public Transportation	Identify appropriate public transportation criteria.
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
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.