Policy Analysis and Development Team

The Policy Analysis and Development Team was formed in late 2007 to analyze current FHWA policies and programs, while examining future anticipated surface transportation needs.

The Policy Analysis and Development Team provides analysis on emerging issues in the transportation community. Emerging issues include climate change, cap-and-trade legislation, public-private partnerships, highway revenues, including taxes and user fees, performance measurement, reauthorization, and a host of other issues.

Perspectives on Tomorrow’s Transportation

The Policy Analysis and Development Team was also charged with reaching out to non-traditional stakeholders to find out their views and concerns with the upcoming transportation reauthorization and beyond. The Team has created the "Perspectives on Tomorrow's Transportation" listening series that invites non-traditional stakeholders to discuss their transportation visions, goals and concerns for the future. The Series will be piloted in early 2009.

On February 3, 2009, the first listening roundtable session was held at the USDOT Headquarters to discuss the link between transportation and agriculture and to understand common concerns and goals of the two sectors. The U.S. agricultural sector is the largest user of freight transportation services in this country. By summing the movements of raw agriculture commodities (fruits, vegetables, livestock, grains, timber) together with the movements of processed products (feedstuffs, canned foods, lumber) and agricultural inputs (fertilizer, pesticides, farm machinery), agriculture accounts for nearly one-third of all freight transportation services provided in this country.

A second listening session is planned for May 2009 and will focus primarily on the aging population and transportation issues. Older Americans today are substantially more mobile than their counterparts of just 10 years ago. Yet much of their mobility is linked to the car - so when they stop driving there is a greater risk of suffering significant decline in their quality of life. More than two-thirds of older people live in suburban and rural areas, where transportation alternatives are not readily available. The older population – persons 65 years or older – accounted for 12.3% of the U.S. population in 2003 (approximately 35.9 million). About 90% of all trips made in 2003 by individuals between the ages of 65 and 84 were in private vehicles, either as a passenger or driver. Only 3% of trips made by older people use public transportation. No single transportation solution will be able to address all of the needs of the aging population. Rather, a family of transportation alternatives will be necessary – rail, fixed route bus, paratransit, taxi, and volunteers.

Please contact us for further information on upcoming series topics and descriptions.

Current Research

Highway Trust Fund Issues. The Office is working on updating the Highway Revenue Forecasting Model, which is used to estimate future highway user revenues for a variety of transportation policy studies. This model is used in part to analyze user fee options to improve the equity of the highway user fee structure. The Office is also working on how greenhouse gas emissions would be affected by any funding, distribution, and financing changes the Trust Fund. There has been much debate about a new authorizing piece of legislation that will change facets of the Highway Trust Fund. This in turn will have immediate impacts to the ongoing projects to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. The goal of the project is to identify conflicts, issues, and solutions to meeting these conflicting demands.

Administering Funding. The Office is also assessing the potential issues and needs of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) and local governments with regard to administering federal grants.

Project Delivery. The Office is also looking at the emerging issue of multi-state projects. While most projects are planned and constructed within a state's border, there are others that require the cooperation of two or more bordering states. The research will include such issues as planning, decision making and funding when completed for a multi-state project. The Office is also working on the acceleration of project delivery. Many transportation projects are accelerated for a variety of reasons. Examining and detailing ways that the project delivery process could be streamlined could have enormous cost savings.

Energy and Transportation. The Office is also looking at the emerging issue of energy security and transportation sector energy reliance on petroleum. While research shows that transportation uses will expand petroleum, liquid fuels consumption, there is increased momentum in non-petroleum fuels from coal, biomass, and natural gas fuels and other alternatives that will grow in use.

Potential Impacts of Climate Change Legislation. The Office is also looking at the legislative proposals for addressing climate change that may have an impact on transportation and the Highway Trust Fund. While these proposals were not enacted, they will provide the basis for action in the future.

Congestion Reduction Programs. The Office is also looking at the on-going issue of congestion reduction. It is widely accepted that congestion can be addressed by implementing solutions from the following categories: 1) adding system capacity, (2) managing demand, and (3) improving operating efficiencies. However, approaches used to deploy transportation agency resources do not fully embrace all of the available options.

Performance Measurement. The Office is also working with a variety of stakeholders to examine the use of performance management systems to encourage accountability, efficiency, and enhanced operation of highways. Many States and Metropolitan Planning Organizations are utilizing performance measures and programs as part of their processes for the management of assets, infrastructure, and investments.

About Us

Mrs. Cynthia Essenmacher is a Program Analyst on the Policy Analysis and Development Team in FHWA's Office of Policy and Governmental Affairs. She previously worked for the FHWA's Office of Operations and the FHWA's Office of Policy. She has worked on a variety of legislative and regulatory issues for the Maryland Transportation Authority and the Michigan State Legislature. Mrs. Essenmacher received her master's degree in public administration from the University of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD and her bachelor of arts from Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.

Mr. Benjamin Hawkinson is a Program Analyst on the Policy Analysis and Development Team in FHWA's Office of Policy and Governmental Affairs. He has worked on transportation issues as a Senate aide and private contractor. Mr. Hawkinson earned his master's degree in transportation policy, operations and logistics from George Mason University, Fairfax, VA and his bachelor of arts in history from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

Mr. Jeff Price is a Program Analyst on the Policy Analysis and Development Team in FHWA's Office of Policy and Governmental Affairs. He has practiced transportation engineering in the Washington, DC area and helped develop the practice of local transportation demand management planning. He also implemented innovative public-private transportation solutions, such as the Arlington Carshare Program, while working for Arlington County, VA. He received his master's degree in urban and environmental planning from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA and holds a civil engineering degree from the University of New Brunswick, New Brunswick, Canada.