Just Released!
The PEL Implementation Resource Guide is now available to help practitioners from multiple disciplines understand how to implement PEL.
New case studies! Learn about tools and techniques used to implement the PEL approach in four State DOTs.
What is a Planning and
Environment Linkage?
Planning and Environment Linkages represent an approach to transportation decision-making that considers environmental, community, and economic goals early in the planning stage and carries them through project development, design, and construction. This can lead to a seamless decision-making process that minimizes duplication of effort, promotes environmental stewardship, and reduces delays in project implementation.
Who is Involved?
This approach encourages internal and external communication and coordination throughout the decision-making process — between transportation staff responsible for planning and project development, between transportation agencies and resource agencies, and between agencies and the public. It also enables agencies to take a broader, ecosystem-scale perspective instead of one that looks only at individual projects.
Overview
Welcome to the FHWA's website on Planning and Environment Linkages.
This website offers a wealth of information developed and compiled by the FHWA and its partners to assist in strengthening planning and environment linkages, including:
Benefits of Planning and Environment Linkages
State and local agencies can achieve significant benefits by incorporating environmental and community values into transportation decisions early in planning and carrying these considerations through project development and delivery. Benefits include:
- Relationship-building benefits: By enhancing inter-agency participation and coordination efforts and procedures, transportation planning agencies can establish more positive working relationships with resource agencies and the public.
- Process efficiency benefits: Improvements to inter-agency relationships may help to resolve differences on key issues as transportation programs and projects move from planning to design and implementation. Conducting some analysis at the planning stage can reduce duplication of work, leading to reductions in costs and time requirements, thus moving through the project development process faster and with fewer issues.
- On-the-ground outcome benefits: When transportation agencies conduct planning activities equipped with information about resource considerations and in coordination with resource agencies and the public, they are better able to conceive transportation programs and projects that serve the community's transportation needs more effectively. This leads to smaller negative impacts, and incorporates more effective environmental stewardship.
For questions or feedback on this subject matter content, please contact Mike Culp or Diane Turchetta. For general questions or web problems, please send feedback to the web administrator.
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Overview