2017 Transportation Planning Excellence Awards

The Transportation Planning Excellence Awards Program is a biennial awards program developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and co-sponsored by the American Planning Association. The program provides a unique opportunity to recognize and celebrate the outstanding transportation planning practices performed by planners and decision makers in communities across the country. Award winners will be recognized by receiving a commemorative plaque and participating in an awards ceremony.

Plans, projects, or planning processes can be included in one or more of the following categories:  Asset Management; Education and Training; Emergency Management and Transportation Security Planning; Environmental and Transportation Planning Linkages; Freight Planning; Land-Use and Transportation Linkages; Livability/Sustainability; Modeling and Technology Applications; Operations and Planning Linkages; Planning Leadership; Public Involvement and Outreach; Rural and Small Communities Planning; Safety Planning, and Tribal Transportation Planning. 

Who is Eligible?

• Anyone may nominate an individual or organization that used Federal FHWA/FTA funding to develop a plan, project, or planning process that demonstrates excellence in planning.
• You may nominate yourself or another individual or organization.
• The plan, project, or planning process must have been completed within the past three years, as evidenced by actions such as formal adoption by a government agency, completion of a built project, incorporation into a TIP, STIP, or City Plan, or other similar action.
• Plans, projects or planning processes can be in one or more of these categories.

How are submissions judged for the TPEA Program Awards?

The TPEA team of judges from a diverse set of planning backgrounds will judge the nominations on the following criteria:

1. Community, Public Involvement, and Partnerships: How did this project successfully engage the community in the planning process? Was this program created as a collaborative effort? Are public and private partners still at the table?
2. Context Sensitive Solutions: How does the effort demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of contexts (local, regional, etc.)? How does the project or process create effective transportation solutions, while preserving and enhancing community and natural environments?
3. Innovation and Effectiveness: What innovative approaches were used? What has been the result of these efforts? How are results being measured?
4. Equity: What initiatives have been undertaken to ensure that efforts of this project are implemented in an equitable manner and impacts to individual and underserved (minority and low income) communities are minimized?
5. Implementation and Implementation Strategy: Has any part of the planned transportation-related project, plan, idea, model, design, or policy been executed to its final stages?
6. Multimodalism: To what extent do these efforts efficiently address safe multimodal transportation options, including bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and automobile?
7. Potential for Long-Term Benefits: What provisions have been used to ensure the long-term viability of this effort?