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 provide 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 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 was piloted in early 2009.
On February 3, 2009, the first listening roundtable session was held at the U.S. DOT Headquarters to discuss the link between transportation and agriculture and to understand common concerns and goals of the two sectors. The U.S. agriculture sector is the largest user of freight transportation services in this country. By summing the movements of raw agriculture commodities (fruits, vegetables, livestock, and agricultural inputs (fertilizer, pesticides, and farm machinery), agriculture accounts for nearly one-third of all freight transportation services provided in this country.
A second listening session was conducted in May 2009 and focused 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.
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.
Interstate Policy and Revenue Option Study. This Team is working on a study to identify and evaluate revenue generating and non-revenue generating options to encourage States to improve the interstate system and/or participate in multistate interstate improvement projects.
Congestion Reduction Programs. The Team is 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 working with a variety of stakeholders to examine the use of performance management systems to encourage accountability, efficiency, and enhanced operation of highways. Many State and Metropolitan Planning Organizations are utilizing performance measures and programs as part of their processes for the management of assets, infrastructure, and investments.