View PDF Version of this Newsletter
PDF files can be viewed with the Acrobat® Reader®
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Federal Transit Administration
Resource Center
Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program
Coming to a Webinar Near You
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has rolled out a second wave of innovations for its Every Day Counts (EDC) initiative, an effort focused on shortening the time needed to complete highway projects through the use of new technologies and innovative processes. FHWA will promote 13 innovations to state, local, and regional transportation agencies, as well as to the design and construction industries. One of these initiatives will be on Geospatial Data Collaboration. Webinar briefings will be held for the States and MPOs in April.
PERFORMANCE BASED
Performance Based Planning Website
A new website, www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/pbp/, has been developed to define the characteristics of performance based planning and programming, and present the information that FHWA, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and their partners have developed to date. This information should help to assess the effectiveness of plans and programs in meeting state and regional performance goals. Contact: Egan Smith at egan.smith@dot.gov or 202-366-6072.
New Resources Coming Soon
“The Performance Based Planning and Programming (PBPP) Guidebook”: will be designed as a practical resource to help State DOTs, MPOs, and transit agencies understand the key elements of a PBPP process, how these elements fit within existing planning and programming, and examples of notable practices to help support implementation. We are always interested in promoting notable examples, and particulary any notable practices which maximize planning or collaboration efforts of the key players in one state. The anticipated availability will be November, 2013. Contact: Egan Smith at: egan.smith@dot.gov or 202-366-6072.
“Model Performance Based Long Range Transportation Plans’ Guidebook”: will provide a framework(s) to strengthen use of performance based approaches in LRTP; identify techniques for using/reporting performance information; highlighting examples of good practice at states and MPOs; and support coordination between States, MPOs, transit agencies, RPOs, and other planning partners. Anticipated availability: June 2014. Contact: Jody McCullough at: jody.mccullough@dot.gov or 202-366-5001.
Performance Based Planning and Programming Newsletter
The first issue of the Performance Based Planning and Programming Newsletter has been posted. The Performance Based Planning and Programming Newsletter is a newsletter that will connect the transportation planning community with timely information on training, technical assistance, and technical support for Federal, State, local, regional, and Tribal governments; transit operators; and community leaders. Periodic newsletters will be published to provide links and discussions to keep the transportation planning community informed of current activities, training, and materials. You can find the issue at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/performance_based_planning/newsletter/january_2013/index.cfm.
TRANSIT
Final Rule for ‘‘New Starts’’ and ‘‘Small Starts’’ programs
January 9, 2013 the FTA published the final rule on the evaluation and rating of major transit capital investments seeking funding under the discretionary ‘‘New Starts’’ and ‘‘Small Starts’’ programs. This rule will become effective on April 9, 2013. The final rule can be found at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-01-09/pdf/2012-31540.pdf
FTA also sought public comment on the revised proposed policy guidance referenced in the Notice of Availability published at the same time. It can be found at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-01-09/pdf/2012-31539.pdf. The proposed policy guidance describes the particular measures FTA intends to apply in evaluating projects seeking New Starts and Small Starts funding and the way these measures would be used in project ratings, if adopted. The final rule establishes the framework for the New Starts and Small Starts evaluation and rating process; this proposed policy guidance complements the final rule by providing a deeper level of detail about the methods for calculating the project justification and local financial commitment criteria required for New Starts and Small Starts projects.
FTA Reorganization
The FTA Office of System Planning has been reorganized. They now have specific HQ staff to support each FTA region, subject matter resource persons, and points of contact for regions, MPOs, and transit agencies on planning issues:
Regional Contacts:
1 Jeff Price
2 Tonya Holland
3 Candace Noonan
4 John Sprowls
5 Victor Austin
6 Faith Hall
7 Avital Barnea
8 Dwayne Weeks
9 Faith Hall
10 Nick Garcia
Subject Matter Contacts:
Environmental Justice Faith Hall
Memorandum of Agreements Victor Austin
Title VI Tonya Holland
MPO Certification Reviews John Sprowls
Financial Constraint Nick Garcia
Performance Based Planning Victor Austin
Long Range Planning Victor Austin
Transportation Improvement Programs Victor Austin
Public Involvement Candace Noonan
Unified Planning Work Programs Avital Barnea
Corridor Analysis and Project Planning Avital Barnea
Communication Outreach Faith Hall
Statewide / Non-Metro Planning John Sprowls
Safety Tonya Holland
National Dialogue on Transit Provider Representation
FTA is hosting a National Online Dialogue on Transit Provider Representation in Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The new Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) law sets forth new requirements for representation of providers of public transportation in Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). This Dialogue will provide public transportation stakeholders with an opportunity to provide comments to FTA in advance of FTA issuing policy guidance on the topic. Comments will also be taken when the policy guidance is published in the Federal Register. This Dialogue is free, open to the general public, and will be accessible 24/7 so that you can easily log on from work or home.
FTA Specifically Seeks Your Input On:
The relationships or interactions between transit providers and the MPO in your region (board level representation, advisory committee participation, etc.). How is this effective in advancing transit priorities in MPO planning and investment decisions? How could it be improved?
How are transit providers represented in the MPO organizational structure(s) in your region and how does this structure support the advancement of transit investments?
What should FTA take into account when defining the range of transit providers that should be represented at the MPO, particularly in regions with multiple providers of public transportation?
Under MAP-21, providers of public transportation are expected to be represented on MPO boards as voting members. How does this impact your current MPO organization and structure? Please describe any opportunities or challenges this may impose on your policies, practices, and decision making processes.
The dialogue will run from March 4- March 25, 2013. To join the conversation, go to http://transitmpo.ideascale.com/. You may register using the button on the top right.
FTA Updates Environmental Review Process
FTA announced important revisions – the first in more than 25 years – to expedite the environmental review process that all proposed transit projects seeking federal funds must undergo as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The changes are the result of the most comprehensive review of FTA’s environmental procedures since 1987 and are in line with the provisions in the MAP-21 designed to expedite project delivery. The changes will also boost transparency of the NEPA process by encouraging environmental impact statements and other environmental review documents to be posted online, keeping local residents and other interested groups informed.
These changes are published in the Federal Register at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-02-07/pdf/2013-02345.pdf.
Transportation Planning for Health
Metropolitan Area Transportation Planning for Healthy Communities – This report provides a holistic approach to including health in MPO planning process. The report includes four case studies (Nashville MPO, Sacramento MPO, San Diego MPO and Puget Sound MPO) on the topic. Contact: Fred Bowers at fred.bowers@dot.gov or 202-366-2374. The report can be found at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/health_in_transportation/resources/.
OPERATIONS
Priced Managed Lane Guide
FHWA posted the new Priced Managed Lane Guide. It is intended to be a comprehensive source of collective experience gained from priced managed lanes implemented in the United States through 2012. The Guide presents a wide range of information on priced managed lanes. The purpose of this guide is to assist transportation professionals as they consider, plan, and implement priced managed lanes projects. The Guide also updates the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) 2003 Guide for HOT Lane Development. The Guide can be found at: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop13007/index.htm.
Talking Traffic Webinars
All Talking Traffic webinars are open to States, MPO’s, contractors, vendors, academia, and consultants. They are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 2 p.m. eastern time.
Future Talking Traffic webinar schedule:
Apr. 9, 2013 Pedestrian and Bicycle Counting
May 14, 2013 Pooled Funds (existing and new)
Jun. 11, 2013 Factoring for more than volume
Aug. 13, 2013 Weigh-in-Motion
For this and future Talking Traffic webinars, we will be using the same web address, phone number, and pass code. Register for the Talking Traffic Webinars at:
http://fhwa.adobeconnect.com/fhwatalkingtraffic/.
Audio Portion Please Dial:
877-848-7030 Pass code: 6217068
For more information, contact Steven Jessberger at: steven.jessberger@dot.gov or 202-366-5052.
Integrating Transportation Demand Management (TDM) into the Planning Process: A Desk Reference
FHWA has posted a copy of “Integrating Demand Management into the Transportation Planning Process: A Desk Reference” to serve as a reference on integrating demand management into the transportation planning process. It provides the reader with a better understanding of where, how, and when to integrate TDM into the evolving performance-based transportation planning process. It complements and supports several FHWA guidance documents on the transportation planning process. It discusses how TDM relates to several key policy objectives that are often included in transportation plans, such as congestion and air quality. It also discusses how TDM might be integrated into four levels of transportation planning from the state down to the local level and includes information on tools available for evaluating TDM measures and on the known effectiveness of these measures. You can find the Desk Reference at: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12035/index.htm.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Public Involvement Reference Tool
FHWA has developed a reference tool which consists of a Web-based matrix that contains links to all 52 State Transportation Agencies public involvement-related (Statewide PIP, NEPA PIP, EJ, etc…) web sites, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. You can find it at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/public_involvement/reference_tool/aboutpirt.cfm.
FINANCE
Public Private Partnership Contracts
FHWA is tasked by MAP–21 to develop ‘‘standard
public-private partnership transaction model contracts for the most popular types of public-private partnerships for the development, financing, construction and operation of transportation facilities.’’ FHWA has a notice in the Federal Register January 9, 2013 to invite the public to provide ideas and comments on what should be included or excluded from such model public-private partnership (P3) contracts. You can find the federal Register notice at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-01-09/pdf/2013-00219.pdf . Comments were received on or before May 31, 2013.
IPD Academy Webinars
The FHWA Office of Innovative Program Delivery (IPD) has announced their webinars scheduled through August 7, 2013. There is no cost to participate in these webinars and they are open to everyone who is interested. Each webinar will be at 1:30 - 3:30 pm EST. Through the use of web conferencing technology, participants can view the speakers’ presentations on their computer and hear the audio portion of the presentations either via the computer or telephone, depending on preference.
Here is the schedule of the upcoming webinars. You can register for each webinar at the following links:
Mar. 27, 2013 GARVEE/SIB Reporting Templates
Apr. 11, 2013 Public-Private Partnerships (P3) 101
May 2, 2013 P3 Evaluation: Overview
May 9, 2013 TIFIA Federal Credit Portfolio Monitoring
May 15, 2013 SIB De-federalizing Process
May 29, 2013 State Infrastructure Banks (SIB) 101
Jun. 6, 2013 P3 Evaluation: Project Risk Assessment 201 (Prerequisite: P3 101)
Jun. 27, 2013 TIFIA Application Process
July 11, 2013 P3 Evaluation: Public Sector Comparator and P3 Shadow Bid 201 (Prerequisite: P3 101)
July 17, 2013 TIFIA Office Hours (Q&A)
Aug. 7, 2013 P3 Evaluation: Financial Assessment 201 (Prerequisites: Project Risk Assessment 201 and Public Sector Comparator/ Shadow Bid 201)
For questions, contact Thay Bishop at thay.bishop@dot.gov or (404) 562-3695.
DATA
Motor Vehicle Registration Webinars
FHWA has been systematically collecting state motor vehicle registration data through its 500-series data reporting since the early 1940s to facilitate the Federal-aid Highway Program. Periodically, the FHWA conducts data reassessment activities with the goal of increasing data reliability and reducing data reporting burden while maintaining historical continuity and meeting new program and initiative needs. Currently, the FHWA is examining the state motor vehicle data form (Form FHWA-561).
FHWA is scheduled to have four webinars to present the preliminary proposal, obtain feedback, and discuss potential issues. The participation of state highway agencies, state motor vehicle registration agencies, and all other interested parties is encouraged.
All webinars will be at: https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/_a55098539/fhwatalkingtraffic/ and the Phone: 1- 877-848-7030 Passcode: 6217068
For more information contact Brad Gudzinas at brad.gudzinas@dot.gov or 202-366-5024
TRIBAL
New Tribal Planning Resources Focus on Partnering
Tribal consultation is an important part of transportation planning and programming, especially for States and MPOs that have tribes located within their planning areas. Tribal consultation often results in new partnerships between agencies and the tribes. Five new Tribal Planning Modules outline key elements of partnering and planning processes to support tribal planning capacity building, along with two new case studies describing successful partnering ventures. These new resources are described below along with links to each document.
Tribal Transportation Planning Modules:
• Asset Management : Provides information about asset management and the role it plays in the transportation planning process.
• Project Prioritization : Provides information about the five basic steps of project prioritization.
• Financial Planning: Provides information, steps and tools for financial planning.
• Partnering & Leveraging: Provides information about how to spread limited resources and “do more with less” by partnering and leveraging scarce resources.
• Consultation: Identifies the principles and basis of tribal consultation.
Case Studies:
• Cherokee Nation: Partnerships for Active Transportation Case Study: The Cherokee Nation has developed a partnership with the City of Collinsville, Oklahoma to fund transportation projects that promote physical activity by engaging new and unique programs not normally accessed by either agency.
• Lummi Nation: Haxton Way Pedestrian Pathway Project Case Study: The Lummi Nation partnered with local agencies to improve safety, provide access to numerous destinations, and promote healthy and active lifestyles within the Nation.
For additional information about these and other tribal planning resources, contact either Michelle Noch at michelle.noch@dot.gov or Theresa Hutchins at theresa.hutchins@dot.gov.
AIR QUALITY
Air Quality and Transportation Conformity Highlights
The Winter Edition of the Air Quality and Transportation Conformity Highlights Newsletter has been released. It provides the latest news and information on transportation related air quality activities, including information on transportation conformity, the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program, Mobile Source Air Toxics, and other activities undertaken by the Air Quality and Transportation Conformity Team. We encourage the Division Offices to share the Highlights with State and local transportation and air quality partners, and all who may be interested in transportation related air quality issues. Past issues of the Highlights are available on FHWA’s website at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/conformity/highlights/.
STAQS 2013
The FHWA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host the 7th biannual Southern Transportation and Air Quality Summit (STAQS) 2013 this summer in Atlanta, GA. STAQS will bring together stakeholders from the fields of transportation and air quality to discuss the current and upcoming regulatory environment, new technologies, and current practices. The conference agenda is geared toward practitioners in the eastern and southern states involved with public agencies at all levels. A host of speakers on the national and regional levels will present on key topics, best practices, and latest information vital to transportation, planning, and air quality professionals.
STAQS will take place during the month of August. Planning for STAQS 2013 is ongoing and final details will be available soon. If you would like more information about STAQS or are interested in participating in STAQS, please contact Mike Roberts at michael.roberts@dot.gov or 404-562-3928. Don’t miss this opportunity to interact with other transportation and air quality professionals.
Update to FHWA MSAT Guidance
On December 6, 2012, FHWA released an update to the Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSAT) Interim Guidance. This interim guidance update reflects U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) changes in methodology for conducting emissions analysis and updates of research in the MSAT arena. EPA released the latest emissions model, the Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) in 2010, and started a two year grace period to phase in the requirement of using MOVES for transportation conformity purposes. EPA suggests following this grace period for other air quality analyses completed during the NEPA process, such as MSAT analysis. Therefore, after December 20, 2012, project sponsors should use MOVES when conducting emissions analysis for NEPA purposes. To prepare for this transition, FHWA updated the September 2009 Interim Guidance to incorporate the analysis conducted using MOVES. If you have any questions, please contact Victoria Martinez at victoria.martinez@dot.gov or 787-766-5600 X231.
MOVES/EMFAC Grace Period Ends
The MOVES/EMFAC grace period has ended for Hot-Spot Analyses. Any project level hot-spot analysis started after December 20, 2012, must use MOVES2010. Additionally, any project of air quality concern in Particulate Matter areas begun after December 20, 2012 must complete a quantitative analysis using MOVES2010. Project level conformity analyses started before the end of the grace period can still rely on MOBILE or a qualitative analysis in PM areas. To access the Federal Register notice, guidance documents, and fact sheets, go to: EPA’s Project Level Conformity website.
Conformity Training Available On-Line
FHWA is now offering the short course entitled “What is Conformity?” on-line. This course is intended for transportation and air quality practitioners who are new to transportation conformity, those looking for a refresher, or others who only need a brief overview of the rule. The session is approximately 27 minutes long. Handouts are available for download at the same site. This course can be accessed on FHWA’s website at: https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/whatisconformity/.
Clean Air Act Overview Web Course
A new course entitled Clean Air Act Overview is now available. This course is the first in a series of air quality planning courses specifically designed for transportation practitioners. The web-based course is free via the National Highway Institute and covers such topics as the purpose and history of the Act, specific provisions related to transportation, and an overview of the impacts of the Act. For more information, visit NHI’s website. Please contact Karen Perritt with any questions, at karen.perritt@dot.gov.
STATEWIDE PLANNING
Trends in Statewide Long-Range Transportation Plans
A synthesis and observations from a comprehensive assessment of 51 current SLRPs from all 50 States and the District of Columbia has been compiled into a database identifying examples of how individual States approach important transportation topics in their plans. It can be found at http://www.planning.dot.gov/stateplans/default.aspx. Contact Lorrie Lau at lorrie.lau@dot.gov or (415) 744-2628.
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
Leaner and Greener: Sustainability at Work in Transportation
The AASHTO Center for Environmental Excellence(CEE), in cooperation with FHWA and FTA, has produced the report entitled “Leaner and Greener: Sustainability at Work in Transportation”. This Report is the 3rd in a series that have highlighted State DOT environmental best practices, “Taking the High Road 2003” and “Above and Beyond 2009”. The Report focuses on program-wide commitments to sustainable outcomes, and documents cost and time savings. Examples are given to cover all functions of a DOT: planning, project development, construction, operation/maintenance, and leadership. FHWA Headquarters, Resource Center, and Divisions have partnered with States to support these examples through various program, research, and initiative efforts. This Report supports FHWA’s Strategic Goal of promoting more sustainable practices and demonstrating good stewardship of the federal-aid program, and complements our recent release of INVEST, FHWA’s sustainability evaluation tool.
The report is posted at: http://environment.transportation.org/, under the Homepage tab, in the “Announcements” section. Please check the Environmental Topics Tab, “Sustainability” section periodically as the CEE will post additional web content in the form of expanded case studies and additional examples. If you have any questions please contact Shari Schaftlein at shari.schaftlein@dot.gov, or Richard Taylor at richard.taylor@dot.gov.
FHWA Traffic Noise Model Ver. 3.0 Development
FHWA requires the use of the Traffic Noise Model (FHWA TNM 2.5) to determine and predict traffic noise levels from Federal highway projects. Recently, FHWA and its partners have been developing an updated version of TNM. The new version, TNM 3.0, is intended to incorporate suggested improvements from expert users of TNM 2.5. In 2008, the TNM 3.0 development team, consisting of FHWA and Volpe Center staff, selected the Manifold 8.0 Professional Runtime library to incorporate GIS functionality and 2D graphics in the TNM 3.0.
Due to changes in the Manifold software and concerns over requiring users to purchase a propriety software, the FHWA decided the best course of action would be to complete the acoustic code for TNM 3.0 and seek alternative approaches to incorporate the acoustics of TNM 3.0 inside another CAD or GIS framework. To achieve this, the development team will complete development of the acoustic functionality of TNM 3.0. The FHWA plans to pursue a variety of alternative approaches to complete TNM 3.0 development.
FHWA plans to issue a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) in the Federal Register in late winter 2013 to seek stakeholder input on alternative approaches to complete TNM 3.0. In the meantime, FHWA TNM 2.5 remains acceptable and available for use on all new and updated Federal highway noise analyses. FHWA TNM 2.5 and supporting documentation is available for download free of charge to users at the FHWA Traffic Noise Website http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/traffic_noise_model/. FHWA will also post updates on the TNM 3.0 development on the website. If you have any questions please contact FHWA Headquarters noise specialists Mark Ferroni at mark.ferroni@dot.gov or (202) 366-3233 or Adam Alexander at adam.alexander@dot.gov (202)366-1473.
CIVIL RIGHTS / EJ
Environmental Justice and NEPA in the Transportation Arena: Project Highlights
The FHWA has released a report that provides transportation practitioners with effective approaches in addressing environmental justice as part of the National Environmental Policy Act through examples from 10 recent transportation projects. The report can be found at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/environmental_justice/ej_and_nepa/highlights/ejandnepa.pdf .
COMMUNICATIONS
New External FHWA Webinar Series
The Transportation Planning Information Exchange webinar series is a comprehensive web-based forum that will connect the transportation planning community with timely information on training, technical assistance, and technical support for Federal, State, local, regional and Tribal governments; transit operators; and community leaders. Topics will reach beyond traditional transportation planning to address issues like scenario planning, land-use modeling, livability, environmental quality, operations, and maintenance.
The next webinars are:
• March 19, 2013 on Performance Based Planning & Programming
• April 25, 2013 on the 2012 Transportation Planning Excellence Award winners
• May, 2013 2012 Transportation Planning Excellence Award winners, Part II
• June 2013 2012 Transportation Planning Excellence Award winners, Part III
Contact: Rae Keasler at rae.keasler@dot.gov or (202)366-0329.
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
TransAction III - Planning North Dakota’s Transportation Future
North Dakota DOT developed its long-range plan, TransAction III, by holding several strategic meetings statewide, rather than individual meetings with businesses and citizens. The first meeting was held with NDDOT employees. The facilitators then held eight stakeholder input meetings, one in each NDDOT district, that included industry, legislators, local, state and tribal government officials, transportation disadvantaged individuals, MPOs and other transportation organizations. The meetings included a presentation on transportation issues of the past and present. The follow-up discussion centered on aligning ND with where the world will be in 2035. From there, meeting participants conducted a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of the system. More than 200 people participated in these TransAction III meetings statewide.
The NDDOT planning team then consolidated the findings from these meetings for presentation at a second round of meetings for discussion and comment on the draft product statewide. A total of 21 meetings were scheduled to occur in two locations per district, plus one meeting at each tribal reservation, plus one employee meeting. Once those were incorporated, a draft plan was placed on NDDOT’s website for public comment. The NDDOT also used social media for meeting notices and the announcement of the availability of the final document. The final plan can be found on the web at: http://www.dot.nd.gov/business/transactioniii/transactioniii.htm .
Metropolitan Transportation Planning: The Evolving Legacy and an Abbreviated History of the First 50 Years
TRB has posted the latest version of the TR News. A featured article in the November-December 2012 issue of the TR News present the developments, influences, and workings that have shaped the practice of metropolitan transportation planning during the last 50 years. The urban planning provisions of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962 were considered pivotal in the transition of the highway program from a rural oriented, civil engineering–based activity to a new framework that had a major urban component and was multimodal, interdisciplinary, and involved local officials. You can find it at: http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/168402.aspx.
Adapting Freight Models Workshop
TRB is sponsoring the Adapting Freight Models and Traditional Freight Data Programs for Performance Measurement Workshop on April 30 - May 1, 2013, in Washington, D.C. The workshop will explore the adequacy of freight data and modeling for supporting performance measurement in public and private sector decision making by examining the use of information from the Freight Analysis Framework, other existing freight models, and traditional freight data programs as means to provide key measures for the national freight system.
You can find a revised preliminary program and register at: http://www.cvent.com/events/adapting-freight-models-and-traditional-freight-data-programs-for-performance-measurement-workshop/event-summary-f8cb1d365c4d414a9b35b6680a00f9fd.aspx.
Advance registration expires April 1, 2013.
FREIGHT
Talking Freight
The Talking Freight seminars are sponsored by the FHWA and are held via web conference. The seminars are held on the third Wednesday of each month, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Eastern time. The first hour of each seminar is dedicated to the presentations and the remaining 30 minutes are for audience question and answer. Future webinars are:
• Mar. 20, 2013 Promoting Public and Private Sector Freight Collaboration
• Apr. 17, 2013 TBD
• May 15, 2013 TBD
• Jun. 19, 2013 TBD
TMIP UPDATES
Activity Based Modeling Webinars
In 2013, the Travel Model Improvement Program (TMIP) is hosting two series of webinars. The first is on Activity Based (AB) Modeling. The target audience is transportation modelers with no prior experience in AB Modeling. The Program is now adding sessions on the MPO experience with implementing AB Models. The webinars will be:
• April 2, 2013 Ohio DOT & MORPC
• May 9, 2013 MTC
• October 2013 Oregon DOT
The second webinar series will be on Strategic Modeling.
• March/April 2013 What is Strategic Modeling?
• April/May 2013 GreenStep & EERPAT
• May/June 2013 SmartGAP
• June/July 2013 Long-Term Demographic NCHRP 20-83(6)
The presentation slides and session recordings are available on the Recorded Webinars section of the TMIP Online Community of Practice at: http://www.tmiponline.org.
FHWA PLANNING DISCIPLINE SPOTLIGHT
Planners’ Exchange
The Planners’ Exchange is an interactive page on the Planning Discipline SharePoint site. The Planners’ Exchange provides a venue for exchanging and maintaining technical knowledge by enabling site users to submit questions and view discussions on technical issues that take place through the FieldPlanners and AllPlanners email distribution lists. Whenever a question or discussion topic is e-mailed to the FieldPlanners@dot.gov or AllPlanners@dot.gov addresses it, along with any responses, are automatically recorded on the Planners’ Exchange web page. Users can continue to participate in any discussion thread listed on the Planner’s Exchange by simply selecting the discussion and then clicking the Reply button on the far right of the screen. Upcoming session:
• Mar 21, 2013 Performance Based Planning & Programming
For more questions about the Planners’ Exchange contact Jocelyn Jones at jocelyn.jones@dot.gov.
Coming Soon: Planning Mentoring Program
The Planning Leadership Council is excited to introduce the New Planning Mentoring Program. The objective is to partner a more experienced FHWA planner with a less experienced FHWA planner, for the specific purpose of speeding integration into agency business practice and improving overall job performance of the associate, and providing the associate insight into the FHWA culture. Program details will be available in the spring and the program will begin this summer. For additional information, please contact: Michelle Noch at michelle.noch@dot.gov or Jocelyn Jones at jocelyn.jones@dot.gov.
Let’s Talk Planning
The FHWA and the FTA strive to provide the planning staff with current policy information, guidance, and an opportunity for dialogue on key programmatic issues. The “Let’s Talk Planning” (LTP) series of web meetings are information-sharing sessions for the FHWA and the FTA planners. These internal meetings are generally held the second Wednesday every three months via webinar at 1 p.m. Eastern time. Material from previous LTP sessions can be found on the FHWA Planning Discipline SharePoint site.
Mark your calendars! The scheduled date for the upcoming 2013 webinars is:
• Mar. 19, 2013 FHWA’s Highway Infrastructure Performance Analysis Tool and FTA’s Transit Asset Management Pilots and TERM-Lite
• Jun. 12, 2013 Regional Transportation Planning Organization: Purpose and Structure
• Sept. 11, 2013 FHWA and FTA Memorandums of Understanding
• Dec. 11, 2013 To Be Announced
If you have suggestions for LTP sessions, contact: Ed Christopher at ed.christopher@dot.gov or 708-283-3534 or Rae Keasler at rae.keasler@dot.gov or 202-366-0329, or Faith Hall at faith.hall@dot.gov or 202-366-9055.
”Planning On the Web” Training Seminar Series
To help support the FHWA and FTA staff and promote continuous professional development of agency planners, the FHWA Resource Center is offering a series of internal web-based training seminars through an initiative known as “Planning on the Web” (POW). The POW training sessions are for the FHWA staff and will generally last 90 minutes to two hours.
Mark your calendars. The dates of the 2013 POW sessions are:
• Apr. 16, 2013 Transportation & Health
• May 21, 2013 Advanced Construction
• July 16, 2013 TBD
• Aug. 20, 2013 TBD
If you cannot attend the POW session for a particular month, the presentations and other information resources are available on the Planning Discipline SharePoint Reference Library. An Outlook appointment for each session will be sent to the FHWA Field Planners e-mail group approximately three weeks before each session. We hope to “see” you at the next session and hear your feedback on the session, as well as future POW topics. If you have a topic that you think would be valuable to offer as a POW web-based training seminar, contact Lisa Randall, Ken Petty, or any member of the RC Planning Technical Service Team.
STAFF UPDATES
Staff Changes
There have been changes in staff recently.
FHWA Offices
Mack Frost To VA Division Planning
Sharleen Bakeman To WA Division Planning
Joy Liang To VA Division Planning
Andrea Dewey From Grand Rapids MPO To MI Division Planning
Justin Morgan To DelMar Division Planning
Justin Clarke To Office of Policy
Brandon Bruckner PDP pgm. To LA Division Planning
WORKSHOPS & TRAINING
FHWA Resource Center Training
For information, see contacts at www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/teams/planning/index.cfm. You can find the Planning Menu of Resource Center technical assistance, and training at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/teams/planning/courses.cfm.
04/18/2013 Performance Based Planning and Programming, Nashville, TN
04/30/2013 Performance Based Planning and Programming, Columbus, OH
04/16/2013 04/18/2013 PEL Workshop, Cheyenne, WY
05/09/2013 05/10/2013 PEL Workshop, Boise, ID
National Transit Institute Training
For registration instructions see: www.ntionline.com/CourseDates.asp For session dates, see below.
Start Date End Date Location
03/26/13 03/28/13 Miami, FL
Introduction to Transit Service Planning
04/19/2013 04/19/2013 Philadelphia, PA
Understanding ADA
04/22/13 04/21/13 St. Louis Park, MN
Public Involvement in Transportation Decisionmaking
05/28/13 05/30/13 Ft. Worth, TX
Introduction to Transit Service Planning
06/11/2013 06/12/2013 Salt Lake City, UT
Managing Community Mobility
06/12/13 06/14/13 West Covina, CA
Introduction to Transit Service Planning
National Highway Institute Courses
Try out the NHI Web site at: www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/home.aspx. Also, you can now check the schedule of web conferences at: www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/webconference/eventcalendar.aspx.
The FHWA has invested in web-based courses to make it easier for people to get the training they need.
Interested in taking an NHI web-based Training (WBT) Course? View this help guide on enrolling in an NHI WBT course.
Please click here for a complete list of NHI web-based courses. Look for these web based courses on NHI’s web site:
ITS Deployment Analysis System
Integrating Freight in the Transportation Planning Process - Standard Version
Integrating Freight in the Transportation Planning Process - Accessible 508 Version
Introduction to NEPA and Transportation Decisionmaking
Administrative Record
Traffic Monitoring and Pavement Design Programs
Highway Performance Monitoring System: An Introduction
Highway Traffic Noise: Basic Acoustics
Introducing Highway Federal-Aid - Standard Version
Introducing Highway Federal-Aid - Accessible 508 Version
New - Principles of Evacuation Planning Tutorial
Scheduled Courses in the Next Quarter:
Start Date End Date Location
03/26/2013 03/28/2013 Lee’s Summit, MO
Highway Traffic Noise
04/8/2013 04/10/2013 Honolulu, HI
Beyond Compliance: Historic Preservation in Transportation Project Development
04/10/2013 04/11/2013 Denver, CO
Highway Program Financing
04/24/2013 04/25/2013 Garfield Heights, OH
Highway Program Financing
04/22/2013 04/24/2013 Newington, CT
NEPA and Transportation Decisionmaking
05/20/2013 05/24/2013 Boise, ID
Introduction to Urban Travel Demand Forecasting
05/22/2013 05/23/2013 Warwick, RI
Highway Program Financing
06/10/2013 06/11/2013 Newington, CT
Transportation Safety Planning
09/3/2013 09/5/2013 Newington, CT
Public Involvement in the Transportation Decisionmaking Process
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2013 Calendar
Apr. 14 - 17, 2013 National Trails Symposium, Mesa, AZ
Apr. 17-19, 2013 2013 State Trail Administrators Training Meeting, Mesa, AZ
May 5-9, 2013 TRB’s National Transportation Planning Applications Conference, Columbus, OH
May 19 - 23, 2013 The 2013 National Outdoor Recreation Conference and IUFRO Conference on Forests for People, Traverse City, MI
Jun. 6 - 8, 2013 International Snowmobile Congress, Green Bay, WI
July 18 - 20, 2013 National Equestrian Trails Conference, Rock Hill, SC
Aug.13 - 15, 2013 4th Safe Routes to School National Conference, Sacramento, CA
Aug. 2013 Southern Transportation Air Quality Symposium, Atlanta, GA
Oct. 22-25, 2013 AMPO Annual Conference, Portland, OR
Oct. 23-25, 2013, TRB 7th International Visualization in Transportation Symposium: Visualization for Big Data, Irvine, CA
May / June 2014 TRB 13th National Conference on Transportation Planning in Small and Medium Sized Communities, Burlington, VT
FHWA Planning, Environment and Realty:
www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/calendar.htm
FHWA Resource Center:
www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/
calendar.htm
Transportation Research Board:
http://www.trb.org/calendar/
New Flipbook Newsletter Option
Our Newsletter is distributed directly to FHWA Division Offices and FTA Region Offices by email. It is also posted to the FHWA Resource Center web site, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/teams/planning/publications.cfm, and a list of partner organizations such as AMPO, NARC, APTA, AASHTO’s Standing Committee on Planning, and the Resource Center Planning list serve are notified they can find it there. On the web site, we have posted Adobe PDF versions and a 508 compliant Word version. Over the years, we have been asked to create an easier to read on the web version. Starting with this version we will also be posting a flipbook, ebook, version. It is directly viewable on the web. You can click on the page edges to change pages or select a topic from the index. Try it out!
Photo Credits:
Page 1 left - Envision Utah from Public Roads Sept/Oct. 2005
Page 1 left center - Forest highway, Photo courtesy of istockphotos
Page 1 right center - Portland light rail, Photo courtesy of istockphotos
Page 1 right - Church St. Marketplace, Burlington, VT. Retrieved from Wiki Travel http://wikitravel.org/en/Burlington_%28Vermont%29
Page 8 - Corridor Study report cover from South Western Connecticut Regional Planning Agency website
Clipart courtesy of Microsoft
NOTICE: The information and articles in this newsletter are for your information and do not necessarily
constitute policy positions of the Federal Highway Administration or Federal Transit Administration.
The mention of commercial products, their source or their use in connection with material reported herein
is not to be construed as either an actual or implied endorsement of such products.
EDITORIAL STAFF:
Ben Williams, Co-Editor
Metropolitan Planning Specialist,
FHWA Resource Center
(404) 562-3671
ben.williams@dot.gov
Rae Keasler, Co-Editor
Transportation Specialist
FHWA Office of Planning
(202) 366-0329
rae.keasler@dot.gov
John Sprowls, Contributing Editor
Community Planner
FTA Office of Systems Planning
(202) 366-5332
john.sprowls@dot.gov
