Workshop on Non-Metropolitan Local Consultation Workshop Overview

I. Introduction

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), with support from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), sponsored a workshop to discuss experiences and suggestions on implementing a Final Rule on Non-Metropolitan Local Consultation. Specifically, the workshop provided a forum for representatives from states, the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), the National Association of Counties (NACO) and other key stakeholders to foster mutual learning by sharing their experiences in implementing consultation processes with non-metropolitan local officials and to offer suggestions of how to enhance effective collaboration.

The Non-Metropolitan Local Official Consultation Workshop took place in St. Louis, MO January 26-27, 2004. Gary Gorshing of NADO, Janet Oakley of AASHTO, and Gloria Shepherd of the FHWA Office of Planning addressed participants of the workshop. In addition to representatives from NACO and NADO, approximately 30 state Department of Transportation (DOT) representatives from across the country participated, including Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming, and Washington (See Appendix I). Dr. Mike Meyer, professor at Georgia Tech University, facilitated the workshop.

The purpose of this document is to provide a preliminary overview of the workshop proceedings. A background paper on Non-Metropolitan Local Official Consultation and the final report of the workshop proceedings will be forthcoming.

II. Background

The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) states that "with respect to each non-metropolitan area, the long-range transportation plan and the program shall be developed in consultation with affected local officials with responsibility for transportation," in order to improve the statewide transportation planning and decision making process. FHWA created a Final Rule on January 23, 2003, with an amendment on February 14, 2003, that requires states to develop and document a non-metropolitan local official consultation process by February 24, 2004 that is "separate and discrete" from other public involvement techniques.

III. Preliminary Workshop Findings

The workshop participants separated into their AASHTO regional groups (NASTO, SASHTO, Mississippi Valley and WASHTO) to address their experiences with the non-metropolitan local official consultation process when developing the statewide transportation plan (e.g., Long Range Plan) and program and project development (e.g., Statewide Transportation Improvement Program). The breakout groups addressed the following questions:

• What approaches have states used to create or enhance existing consultation processes with non-metropolitan local officials?
• What groups (other than DOT) have participated in the process?
• What methods and strategies have been used to consult with non-metropolitan local officials?
• What have been the greatest challenges, and how have the challenges been addressed?
• What factors are crucial to the development and implementation of a successful consultation process?
• What specific recommendations (e.g., types of information or other technical assistance) would help states enhance the consultation process? What group or organization should provide this support?

Workshop participants discussed what consultation practices were most useful to them including:

• State consultation tours
• State processes to compile transportation needs
• State hearings
• State processes for interactive exchanges of views with local officials
• Roles of rural planning agencies (e.g., regional planning organizations)
• Roles of metropolitan planning Organizations outside metropolitan planning boundaries
• Sub-allocation of transportation funds and responsibilities
• State policy-making and advisory boards

Workshop participants agreed that no singular model exists of how to consult non-metropolitan local officials. It was found that some states have an existing non-metropolitan local official consultation process and are working to document the process, whereas other states are developing the process. Despite the regional differences in implementation methods, the common features identified as important to the non-metropolitan local official consultation process were summarized as:

• Adaptability over time and over different audiences
• Buy-in from local officials and DOT staff by using tools/strategies targeted to a specific audience or a specific process
• Credibility, created by opportunities for meaningful input
• Descriptive consultation process that is well documented
• Educate local officials and DOT staff to create motivation and capacity for participation by local officials
• Feedback to enhance the consultation process

IV. Appendix I: Attendance List for Jan. 26-27, 2004 Local Consultation Workshop