US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

PRO-1: Approve Revenue Sources

Programming

Description:

This Key Decision establishes the revenue basis for both the fiscal constraint of the long range plan as well as the funding sources for the TIP. Using the same revenue projections for the long range plan and the TIP ensures financial consistency between the plan and program. Funding may require legislative approvals: for example, bonding or tolling authority.

There is information developed in Long Range Planning Key Decisions that informs this step. In order to effectively execute this Key Decision there is essential information created at LRP-1 related to potential funding partners and resources that can inform this decision.

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 reasonably foreseeable revenue resources to support project programming.
To identify specific funding restrictions and requirements and establish MOU/MOA between funding partners were appropriate.

Outcome

A document that summarizes available revenue that can be used to fund individual projects. This document can be made available to the public, stakeholders, and partners.

Partner Role Type Description
MPO Decision Maker Approves revenue sources that are reasonable and equitable.
FHWA/FTA Advisor Ensures revenue sources identified are reasonable and appropriate.
State DOT Advisor Provides support for appropriate inclusion of state and federal revenue sources.
Resource Agency Observer Observe the identification of revenue sources.
Public Transportation Operator(s) Advisor Provides support for appropriate inclusion of transit revenue sources.

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
  • Were potential revenue sources identified during scoping and development of the long-range plan?
Programming
  • Are formal agreements (for example MOA/MOU, contracts, loan agreements, etc.) necessary to ensure funding availability?
  • Does any agreement specify the funding conditions for all partners?
  • Do any of the funding resources require action outside of the transportation decision making process?
  • Have all reasonably foreseeable funding sources and associated requirements and restrictions been identified?
  • How might potential revenues be affected by other conditions? For example, caps on tolls charged by the private sector, unexpected changes in traffic volumes, or availability of future government funding.
  • Is the funding available from non-transportation sources committed and available for the first four years of the program? What would be the estimated revenue from these sources after the first four years?
Corridor Planning
  • Did any corridor planning studies identify any potential funding partnerships or revenue sources?
Environmental Review
  • No specific questions
Bicycles and Pedestrians
  • Are there public or private sources to support bicycle and pedestrian network improvements?
Capital Improvement
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development
  • Have all potential funding sources for non-transportation infrastructure and economic investment been identified?
Freight
  • Have freight stakeholders identified any potential funding sources?
  • Do any existing freight plans identify available freight funding that can be considered in the TIP/STIP?
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • Are there additional revenue sources available to support projects that reduce GHG emissions?
  • Are any of the projects that reduce GHG emissions expected to generate new sources of revenue (e.g., congestion pricing or parking pricing projects)?
Health in Transportation
  • What are the potential partnerships or potential revenue sources available for investments supporting public health? Were any identified during long range planning?
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 any operational projects expected to generate new revenue (for example, sponsorship, advertising, and/or HOV-lane revenues)?
  • Do existing revenue sources or those being considered address long-term management and operations?
  • Have funding sources and funding needs been identified for TSMO improvements?
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical
  • Have potential funding sources, especially for advance mitigation, been identified as part of 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
  • Is there a state or regional agency/department that assists with P3 projects to assist in developing revenue projections?
  • Does the consideration of specific funding resources require additional shared decision making (e.g., with a private partner)?
  • Is there a project in the current program for which private sector funding is considered?
  • Has a Pre-Development Agreement (PDA) or Master Development Agreement (MDA) been established with any private sector partners?
  • Are P3 projects expected to generate new sources of revenue or financing (e.g., toll roads and high occupancy toll lanes)?
  • What would be the estimated financing or revenue available from P3 projects during the TIP period? How will the revenue be allocated?
  • What are the risks of entering into P3 arrangements for these projects, and how do we protect the public interest?
  • What lessons have we learned from prior experiences with P3 in the region or in other regions?
Public Transportation
  • Are there applicable public transportation funding sources to consider?
Safety
  • Are safety funding sources appropriate for any identified projects?
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
  • Are transportation system improvements identified within the adopted vision?
  • What revenue projections are included in support of the vision? Is there any relationship to transportation funding sources?
  • Is there a potential for immediate funding partnerships from the adopted future?

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
  • Potential funding partners and resources identified in long-range planning
Programming
  • Funding available within the current TIP/STIP
  • Analysis associated with potential revenue from outside sources including taxes and partnerships
  • Information about cost and revenue sharing agreements between project partners
  • Local, state, and federal funding available for consideration
  • Potential public or private revenue sources to consider
  • Restrictions or requirements related to each funding source
Corridor Planning
  • Potential funding partners or resources identified during corridor planning
Environmental Review
  • No specific data
Bicycles and Pedestrians
  • Bicycle and pedestrian funding sources
Capital Improvement
  • This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development
  • Non-traditional infrastructure funding sources that are expected in the TIP period
Freight
  • Potential freight funding source information
  • Freight plans
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • Budget and revenue information within jurisdictions (local, county, state) which support reducing GHG
Health in Transportation
  • Potential partners and/or revenue sources for funding investments that support health
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
  • Information on existing or potential revenue sources that may support TSMO improvements
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical
  • Funding options identified through ecological planning for advance mitigation and long-term management of conservation/restoration/mitigation projects
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
  • Advice on P3 revenue potential
  • P3 options with implications for risk and revenue generation
  • Existing agreements relating to P3s
  • Lessons learned from other P3 experiences
Public Transportation
  • Public transportation funding programs
Safety
  • Safety funding programs
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
  • Revenue information from the visioning process
  • Potential funding partners from visioning

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.