Transportation for Communities - Advancing Projects Through Partnerships
- User Portals
- Applications
Transportation Phases
- Long Range Transportation Planning
- Integrated Programming and Fiscal Constraint
- Corridor Planning
- Environmental Review Merged with Permitting
Applications - Integrated Planning - Human Environment
Human Environment encompasses the issues of community characteristics, values, and vision. Integration of human environment data and information helps ensure local support for plans and projects.
The primary benefit of integrating human environment analyses with transportation decision making is the sharing of information between these processes. This sharing of information occurs at multiple key decisions in long range planning, corridor planning, and environmental review. The Decision Guide provides detailed information on the individual key decisions at which these processes are integrated, under the tab labeled "Integration."
To get a snapshot of each Key Decision, roll over the Decision Guide graphic below. Click on any individual Key Decision to access detailed information including: purpose and anticipated outcomes; partner roles; integration with external planning processes; linkages across phases; questions to assist decision makers; and data, tools, technologies that support the decision.
Key Decisions that are grayed-out have no specific relevance to the individual Practical Application or topic area but are still accessible from this graphic.
LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
Invitation of human environment partners to participate in long-range planning. Information provided about known human environment features.
Information provided about the goals for the human environment and the goals of individual groups of people in the region.
Incorporation of human environment evaluation criteria into long-range planning, and rationalization and prioritization of criteria from human environment perspective.
The approved list of specific corridors, roads and areas which are deficient identified at this key decision serves as a basis for problems and opportunities addressed in both the corridor planning and environmental review processes.
At this key decision information from the Programming / Fiscal Constraint Phase is introduced into the LRTP decision making process.
Information provided about community/human environment goals, strategies, and objectives, where available.
Evaluation of potential scenarios to determine which are preferred or prioritized from a human environment perspective.
At this key decision, a preferred plan scenario is adopted for inclusion in the Draft LRTP.
Air Quality conformity analysis is done within the air quality process in order to validate that the preferred scenario meets current conformity requirements.
This is a legally required decision consisting of the federal approval of conformity of the LRTP.
PROGRAMMING
This key decision establishes the revenue basis for both the fiscal constraint of the long range plan as well as the funding sources for the TIP.
This key decision establishes a consistent methodology for estimating project costs for both the long range transportation plan and the TIP.
This key decision establishes the list of projects drawn from the long range plan or corridor planning process that will be considered for funding in the TIP.
At this key decision, the approved project list is prioritized using the methodology previously developed.
At this key decision project priorities are compared to available funding within program restrictions to select those projects to be included in the TIP.
At this key decision, the MPO adopts the TIP. Before the MPO can do this, comments on the draft TIP must be addressed and a final TIP must be produced.
The Governor or designee should ensure that the TIP meets other state and federal requirements so that the TIP can be incorporated into the STIP and be in agreement with the state document.
At this key decision the draft STIP is developed to release for public comment.
In order to meet federal requirements, the STIP must meet conformity and fiscal constraint, where required.
CORRIDOR PLANNING
Invitation of human environment partners to participate in corridor planning. Relevant human environment information provided, including data and goals.
Information provided about human environment to provide context for corridor planning.
Information provided on goals for human environment that could inform the corridor planning process, where available.
Information provided on data available/needed to implement the agreed-to scope of environmental review.
Data provided from human environment sources to support the development of evaluation criteria, methodology, and performance measures.
Information provided on community characteristics, including GIS and field survey data, to inform approval of solution sets.
At this key decision, a preferred solution set is adopted for inclusion in the Corridor Plan.
At this key decision priorities for implementation of the individual solutions are established.
Individual projects within the adopted preferred solution set are ranked in order to identify the appropriate sequencing for implementation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW/NEPA MERGED WITH PERMITTING
Relevant data and partnership information from the human environment are incorporated into the environmental review process.
This key decision is required to satisfy the legal requirement of publishing a Notice of Intent (NOI) to inform partners and the public of the commencement of the environmental review phase.
Information provided about human environment to provide context for project development.
Information provided about community context and protected community resources within the proposed study area.
Data provided from human environment sources for use in evaluation criteria. Adequacy of available human environment data evaluated in terms of the proposed environmental review methodology.
A full range of possible project alternatives to meet the purpose and need is identified. Information about both selected and eliminated scenarios and solution sets from long range transportation planning and corridor planning inform the range of alternatives approved at this step.
This shared step between the NEPA and permitting processes involves the approval of the alternatives that are suggested to be carried forward. There is essential information created in long range planning and corridor planning that informs this decision.
This is a formal approval point at which the Draft EIS with conceptual mitigation is approved and circulated for public review. Land use partners indicate their support of any land use policy changes that would be required to implement the recommendations in the Draft EIS.
This key decision is required to satisfy the regulatory requirement for Section 404 permitting that the public receive notice of a permit application.
Decision makers approve a preferred project alternative/LEDPA using input from stakeholders, planning partners, and detailed information about potential impacts, and validate that the preferred alternative is consistent with the LRTP and TIP/STIP.
LEDPA
This decision is a required procedural step in the Section 404 permitting process. At this step, a final determination of jurisdictional waters of the United States in the project area is made.
Following selection of the preferred alternative/LEDPA, partners reach consensus on additional avoidance and minimization measures not included in the preliminary design.
A final EIS is approved that meets all legal requirements and addresses comments received on the Draft EIS.
At this step in the environmental review phase, the Record of Decision is issued.
At this final step in the environmental review phase, the final permit decision is rendered.