| From: | Shepherd, Gloria |
|---|---|
| Sent: | Monday, December 01, 2003 3:48 PM |
| To: | ##ALLHDA |
| Cc: | ##ALLDFS; Burbank, Cindy; HEPODs; Solury, Tony; HEPRCTeams; Anderson, Larry D.; Spear, Bruce; Humeston, John; Rosapep, Terry (FTA) |
| Subject: | INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE: Planning Oversight and Stewardship Activities Related to the 2000 Census |
TO THE ATTENTION OF: Divisions' Planners
The purpose of this note is to provide a reminder and additional information on key milestone dates and planning requirements associated with the designations of urbanized areas (UZAs) and urban clusters resulting from the 2000 Census.
Each UZA listed in the May 1, 2002 Federal Register must now be represented by a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in order to carry out the metropolitan transportation planning process reflected under 23 U.S.C. 134 and 49 U.S.C. 5303. Any UZA identified after May 1, 2002 must be represented by an MPO within 12 months of the Federal Register notice. While a newly-designated MPO does not need to develop a Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) within this 12-month period, an initial MPO work program (per 23 CFR 450.314) needs to include tasks and schedules for developing the LRTP and TIP.
In addition, FHWA/FTA designated new Transportation Management Areas (TMAs) in the July 8, 2002 Federal Register. Importantly, newly-designated TMAs need to implement a Congestion Management System within 18 months of this designation (i.e., January 8, 2004).
Moreover, both new and existing MPOs must submit updated metropolitan planning area boundary maps to FHWA Division Offices upon approval by the MPO and the Governor (per 23 CFR 450.308(d)). In addition, updated adjusted urbanized and small urban area boundary maps must be submitted for Division Office review and approval. Division Office planners should request that States and MPOs provide these maps in both paper and electronic (GIS) database formats, whenever feasible. Informational copies of these updated boundary maps should be forwarded to the Office of Planning (ATTN: Bruce Spear (HEPP-1)).
In conjunction with the respective FTA Regional Offices, FHWA Division Offices should utilize existing stewardship and oversight opportunities to track and monitor the progress of these (and other) Census-related transportation planning requirements. Additional information on these issues is contained in the "Frequently Asked Questions on Applying 2000 Census Data to Urbanized and Urban Areas," which can be accessed at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/census_issues/archives/metropolitan_planning/faqa2cdt.cfm.
If you have any questions, please contact John Humeston at (404) 562-3667 or Bruce Spear at (202) 366-8870.
