Evolving Role of Metropolitan Planning Organizations in Transportation Planning for Megaregions

2012 ◽  
Vol 2307 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haley Peckett ◽  
William M. Lyons
Keyword(s):  
Transportation Planning ◽  
Metropolitan Planning Organizations ◽  
Metropolitan Planning ◽  
Planning Organizations

Innovations in Long-Range Transportation Planning: Observations and Suggestions

2003 ◽  
Vol 1858 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Kramer ◽  
Edward A. Mierzejewski
Keyword(s):  
Long Range ◽  
Transportation Planning ◽  
Urban Transportation ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
Technical Approach ◽  
Metropolitan Planning Organizations ◽  
Metropolitan Planning ◽  
Planning Organizations ◽  
Transportation Research ◽  
Innovation And Change

In 1997, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issues and concerns facing metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in Florida, the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) thoroughly reviewed the long-range transportation plans of each of the state’s 25 MPOs. The study made some substantial recommendations about technical approach and structure for improvements to MPO long-range plans. In 2002, CUTR again reviewed the state’s 25 MPO long-range transportation plans, following completion of the subsequent update cycle. The recent updates of Florida’s 25 MPO long-range plans are compared with the versions completed 3 to 5 years earlier. There has been much innovation and change in long-range transportation-planning practice across the state. These findings will be of interest to MPOs nationwide.

Major Investment Studies and Environmental Documentation: Clearing Up the Confusion

1998 ◽  
Vol 1618 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-38
Author(s):  
Donald Emerson ◽  
Greg Benz
Keyword(s):  
Impact Analysis ◽  
High Impact ◽  
Level Of Detail ◽  
National Environmental Policy Act ◽  
Environmental Impact Analysis ◽  
Metropolitan Planning Organizations ◽  
Metropolitan Planning ◽  
Planning Organizations ◽  
National Environmental

Federal planning regulations issued in 1993 require major investment studies (MISs) to help metropolitan planning organizations reach decisions on high-cost, high-impact highway and transit facilities. The regulations offer two options for the development of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for major investments. In Option 1, draft and final NEPA documents are prepared during the project development/ preliminary engineering phase for any projects that emerge from an MIS and have been incorporated into the region’s long-range plan. In Option 2, a draft NEPA document is prepared as part of the MIS. Although there is general appreciation and understanding of the planning principles underlying the MIS process, the role of environmental impact analysis and documentation has been a source of confusion, misunderstanding, and skepticism. An attempt is made to clear up this confusion by explaining Option 1, Option 2, and the more recently conceived Option 1½ and by presenting situations and circumstances in which each option might be most advantageous. Also presented is the federal “vision” that led to the development of the MIS process, the nature of MIS alternatives is highlighted, suggestions for establishing the appropriate level of detail are offered, and a distinction is made between NEPA principles and documentation requirements.

scholarly journals An Item Response Theory Model of Inter-Regional Collaboration for Transportation Planning in the United States

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 947
Author(s):  
Soyoung Kim ◽  
Woo-Je Kim ◽  
Richard Clark Feiock
Keyword(s):  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Transportation Planning ◽  
Regional Organizations ◽  
Metropolitan Planning Organizations ◽  
Regional Collaboration ◽  
Metropolitan Planning ◽  
Planning Organizations ◽  
Regional Problems

Regional governments and regional intergovernmental organizations play an increasingly important role in land use and transportation planning in many countries. In the U.S., regional organizations such as metropolitan planning organizations provide regional forums and institutions to coordinate actions of local government necessary to overcome collective action problems that result from the fragmentation of local authority. Their regional scope allows them to directly address collaboration problems or broker collaborative arrangements among local governments within their boundaries. Nevertheless, the scale of regional problems often extends beyond the boundaries of these regional entities. Thus, collaboration across regional governance organizations is necessary to address problems that have multi-regional impacts, such as large transportation projects. Extant research generally measures regional collaboration based on counts of collaboration actions undertaken, but this does not account for the fact that some are symbolic, while others require resources and commitment. Drawing insights from the institutional collective action framework, we advance an explanation for how regional organizations overcome collaboration risks to participate in collaborative solutions to regional and multi-regional problems. The analysis employs a unique national survey of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and adds a novel application of item response theory (IRT) to capture differences in risk or difficulty among collaborative actions. The IRT results offer support for our ICA-based explanation of collaboration commitments. The implications of the findings for theory development and empirical study of RIGOs are discussed in conclusion.

Toward the Development of a Unified Process and Methodology Guide for Environmental Justice Analysis in Planning and Programming

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812110288
Author(s):  
Eliot Benman ◽  
David Aimen
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Justice ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Transportation Planning ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Metropolitan Planning Organizations ◽  
South Central ◽  
Planning Organizations ◽  
Analytical Approaches

Federal Environmental Justice directives require transportation agencies responsible for planning and programming federal funds, including state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), to identify and address disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental impacts on minority and low-income populations. Despite issuance of federal and state guidance and training programs, many MPOs nationwide continue to seek clarity on effective environmental justice (EJ) approaches and procedural considerations. The South Central Pennsylvania Unified EJ Process and Methodology study was a year-long effort undertaken by a consortium of MPOs in Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 8 to identify a unified and replicable approach to implementing EJ in transportation planning. PennDOT, Federal Highway Administration PA Division, and Federal Transit Administration Region III provided technical assistance and support to the effort. The consortium engaged a technical assistance consultant to facilitate a collaborative process to identify a process framework, a set of analytical methodologies, and effective strategies for advancing EJ in the regional transportation planning process. The study demonstrated a model for convening regional, state, and federal partners to reach consensus around an effective EJ process and methodology. This paper provides an overview of the study process, findings related to the concerns of the participating MPOs, and a brief description of the recommended analytical approaches. The paper discusses lessons learned during the course of the study and considers additional work required to further enhance the EJ process.

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