What is a Link?
Planning and Environmental Linkages for 2014 and Beyond
Carmen M. Stemen, MUPPlanning & Environment Specialist
FHWA Ohio Division
[email protected](614) 280-6848
Planning and Environment Goals
We recommend that, in laying out new towns and villages, and in extending those already laid out, ample provision be made for a supply, in purity and abundance, of light, air, and water; for drainage and sewerage, for paving, and for cleanliness.
Report of the Sanitary Commission of Massachusetts, 1850
PEL Planning and Environment Linkages
An approach to transportation decision-making that considers:
Environmental Community
Economic
Benefits of Planning & Environment Linkages
Relationship-building benefits: Become an effective player in the decision-making process Build interagency relationships early in Planning Improve inter-agency relationships to resolve differences on key issues
Improved project delivery timeframes and efficiency by: Minimize duplication of planning and NEPA processes Create a cohesive flow of information Move from planning to design/implementation with less effort
On-the-ground outcome benefits: Design programs and projects to effectively serve the community's
transportation needs Provides tools to design better projects while avoiding/minimizing
impacts on natural resources
TOOLS to Strengthen PEL
Category 1: Institutional Changes
Champions and Exchanges
Training and Exchanges
Documenting new procedures/analysis
Organizational structuring
Executive-level commitment
Performance measures
Example for Category 1
NOACA (Cleveland) SHRP2, Organizing for Reliability (TSMO - Transportation Systems Management and Operations) Project
TOOLS to Strengthen PEL
Category 2: Planning and Environmental Process Enhancements
Develop long-range transportation plans in consultation with resource and regulatory agencies
Consider mitigation opportunities Corridor planning, sub area
planning, and tiering Carry planning decisions into and
through project development Consider Context Sensitive
Solutions (CSS)
Examples for Category 21) LACRPC (Lima-Allen County Regional Planning
Commission), Transportation Infrastructure Risk Assessment for Flooding
The extent of the Great Black Swamp prior to the 19th Century – Wikipedia.org
2) ODOT’s revision of its Project Development Process (PDP)
TOOLS to Strengthen PEL
Category 3: Coordination and Communication
Communicate with stakeholders Establish standing inter- and
intra-agency coordination groups
Develop Memoranda of Understanding/ Agreement
Fund staff positions at partner agencies
Planning and Environmental Process Enhancements
Example for Category 3
National Gateway Clearance Initiative (FRA, FHWA, ODOT, Penn DOT, WV DOT, Maryland DOT
TOOLS to Strengthen PEL
Example of Category 4FHWA – Solicitation of DOT/MPO Greenhouse Gas (GHG) or Energy Analysis of Transportation-related Emission or Energy-use Sources in the Planning Process
Category 4: Data and Analysis Tools
Document existing geographic data
Develop protocols and tools for sharing data and analysis among and within agencies
Improve access to and use of geographic resource data by transportation staff
Collect and maintain data regularly
Summary - Goals of PEL
Goals:- create a seamless decision-making process- minimize duplication of effort- promote environmental stewardship- reduce delay from planning to project implementation
Lays the foundation for broad consensus on goals and priorities in transportation
Resources
FHWA’s website on Planning and Environment Linkageshttp://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/index.asp
SHRP2 Solutions – tools for the Road Ahead websitehttp://www.fhwa.dot.gov/goshrp2/
NOACA’s (Cleveland) website ODOT’s PDPhttp://www.noaca.org/ http://www.dot.state.oh.us/projects/pdp/Pages/default.aspx
LACRPC ‘s (Lima) website The President’s Plan to Fight Climate Changehttp://lacrpc.com/ http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/climate-action-plan
FHWA websitehttp://dotnet.dot.gov/