Transportation for Communities - Advancing Projects Through Partnerships
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Transportation Phases
- Long Range Transportation Planning
- Integrated Programming and Fiscal Constraint
- Corridor Planning
- Environmental Review Merged with Permitting
Decision Guide
Check out the Understanding the Decision Guide page
ENV-5
Approve Evaluation Criteria, Methods and Measures
Description: Evaluation criteria, methods and measures are used to compare how alternatives meet the purpose and need. The criteria used in long range planning and corridor planning may influence those used in environmental review. In some resource agency guidance, establishing performance measures is done prior to purpose and need. In this respect there is a strong connection between purpose and need, study area, and evaluation criteria/performance measures. Land use and capital improvement planning data are also analyzed so that the criteria and measures incorporated will ensure the alternatives are consistent with these plans.
There is information developed in prior key decisions that informs this step.
Purpose
To compare the ability of each alternative to address the purpose and need as well as supporting goals of the project.
Outcome
Specific criteria, methods and measures of performance for evaluating and comparing alternatives.
Partner Roles | ||
|---|---|---|
FHWA |
Decision Maker |
Approves the evaluation criteria, methods and measures that will govern the comparison of alternatives |
MPO |
Advisor |
Provides support as needed for consideration of evaluation methods to compare project alternatives |
Resource Agency |
Advisor |
Support the identification and use of evaluation criteria, methods and measures that reflect resource agencies' vision, goals and priorities and are informed by ecological planning. |
State DOT |
Decision Maker |
Ensures the approved evaluation criteria allows full consideration of all reasonable alternatives |
Process |
Integration Type |
Integration Description |
|---|---|---|
| Land Use and Smart Growth | Data | Data from land use and land planning to evaluate land use criteria. | If smart growth principles will be integrated, include measures/consideration of: • Induced development and/or induced travel • Modal balance, accessibility, and demand • Congestion • System performance and safety • Economic development impacts • Social equity impacts • Environmental sustainability • Federal and State funding criteria such as "livability" | Analysis | Evaluation of the adequacy of available data to implement the methodology |
| Air Quality Conformity | None. | None. |
| Natural Environment and the IEF | Data Between IEF Step 4 - Assess Effects on Conservation Objectives and ENV-5 | At IEF Sub-step 4a, the relative importance of resource types are weighed. Information should be shared between ENV-5 and Sub-step 4a to inform the evaluation criteria in transportation decision making or the weighting criteria in ecological planning. | Data and Analysis Between IEF Step 6 - Develop Crediting Strategy and ENV-5 | The purpose of IEF Step 6 (Develop Crediting Strategy) is to develop a consistent strategy and metrics to measure ecological impacts, restoration benefits, and long term performance - with the goal of having the analyses throughout the life of the project be in the same language. Evaluation criteria, methods and measures used in environmental review should inform/be informed by the crediting strategy in ecological planning. Analysis may be required to determine how the two approaches are related and to ensure consistency. This connection to the IEF was also made at LRP-3 and COR-5 and should be consistent with the evaluation criteria, methods and measures used in planning. | Analysis From IEF Step 8 - Implement Agreements, Adaptive Management & Deliver Projects | Determine what evaluation criteria, methods and measures from the ecological plan are relevant to the project. |
| Capital Improvement | Data | Information surrounding any capital improvement plans that can be used to develop criteria to ensure alternatives are consistent with the plans. | Analysis | Evaluation of the adequacy of available data to implement the methods. |
| Safety and Security | Data | Information surrounding any safety and security plans that can be used to develop criteria to ensure alternatives are consistent with the plans. | Analysis | Evaluation of the adequacy of available data to implement the methods. |
| Human Environment | Data | Data from human environment to evaluate human environment criteria | Analysis | Evaluation of the adequacy of available data to implement the methods |
| Economic Development | Data | • Performance measures or metrics currently used by local government and/or economic development related private organization to track economic vitality or competitiveness. • Analytical methods to measure and evaluate economic vitality or competiveness to support NEPA level analysis. |
| Greenhouse Gas | Data | GHG measures of effectiveness, objectives and targets, as well as the level of data and tools to support analysis. |
Linkages to other Phases of Transportation Decision Making | ||
|---|---|---|
Key Decision |
What is Linked? |
Purpose of Linkage |
From Long Range Transportation Planning |
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LRP-3 - Approve Evaluation Criteria, Methods and Measures |
The evaluation criteria, methods and measures used in long range planning |
To inform the environmental review process in order to ensure that decision making is consistent across phases. |
From Corridor Planning Studies |
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COR-5 - Approve Evaluation Criteria, Methods and Measures |
The evaluation criteria, methods and measures used in corridor planning |
To inform the environmental review process in order to ensure that decision making is consistent across phases. |
Policy Questions |
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|---|---|
Questions about purpose and roles |
Do the partners agree on the criteria and methodology? |
Questions about stakeholders |
No specific questions. |
Questions about the transportation process supporting the decision |
Are evaluation criteria related to financing, revenue generation, and project delivery included for evaluation of the effectiveness of P3 projects in meeting purpose and need? |
Are the evaluation criteria and performance measures broad enough to differentiate between alternatives? | |
Are there data, tools, and analysis capability to use these criteria, methodologies, and measures? | |
Do the criteria and methodology capture all aspects of the purpose and need? | |
Do the data, tools, and technical capability exist to conduct a NEPA level analysis of the above impacts? | |
Do the evaluation criteria and measures reflect a balance of transportation, environmental, economic development, and community outcomes? | |
Does the methodology limit the review of alternatives? | |
Have all potential risk factors and affected parties been considered in defining the evaluation criteria and performance measures for P3 projects? | |
What other evaluation criteria related to project operations, travel, accessibility, equity, environmental justice, and other concerns must be considered that are relevant to some types of P3 projects? | |
Questions about other phases |
Has the development of the criteria considered that from the LRTP and corridor plan? |
Questions about non-transportation sectors/processes |
Are evaluation criteria and measures included that will demonstrate how transportation choices impact the quality of life in the planning area? |
Are there evaluation criteria, metrics or measures from ecological planning that should inform those used in environmental review? | |
Are there evaluation criteria, metrics or measures related to economic development from existing plans (land use, corridor, capital improvement, ecological and long range plans) that should inform those used in environmental review? | |
Are there evaluation criteria, metrics or measures that capture visions and goals from ecological planning? | |
Are there methods available to analyze the full impact on GHG emissions from different emission sources, in different time periods, and in different parts of the study area? | |
Have all potential risk factors and affected parties been considered in defining the economic development criteria and performance measures? | |
How were stakeholder interests used to create the evaluation criteria and measures? | |
How will we know if have addressed or solved the transportation problems that have been identified? | |
What criteria, methods, and performance measures are available and appropriate for determining potential GHG impacts? | |
What criteria, methods, and performance, metrics have been used to analyze GHG emissions from similar projects in other regions? What advantages and disadvantages do these methods and metrics present? | |
Questions to Gather Stakeholder Interests |
|---|
| How does transportation impact your quality of life? How can this be improved? |
| How will we know if have addressed or solved the transportation problems that have been identified? |
| What are the characteristics or qualities of the project that will demonstrate that it is consistent with community values and protects environmental quality? |
| What characteristics or qualities do you expect from a project developed by the private sector that is different from your usual expectations? |
Questions to Incorporate Stakeholder Interests |
|---|
| How was private sector input sought to create the evaluation criteria and measures? |
| How were stakeholder interests used to create the evaluation criteria and measures? |
| What are the characteristics or qualities of the project that demonstrate it advances regional and local economic development goals? |
| What are the characteristics or qualities of the project that will demonstrate that it is consistent with community values and protects environmental quality? |
| What do the public stakeholders consider important for a P3 project? |
Case Study Example(s): |
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Supporting Data for the Key Decision |
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|
|---|---|---|
From other phases of transportation decision making |
Long Range Planning |
Evaluation criteria, methods and measures from long range transportation planning | Programming |
No Specific Data |
Corridor Planning |
Evaluation criteria, methods and measures from corridor planning. |
Environmental Review |
ENV-3: Purpose and need |
From other sectors and processes |
Land Use and Smart Growth |
Data from land use and land planning to evaluate land use criteria. | Quality of life or "livability" information |
Air Quality Conformity |
No Specific Data |
Natural Environment and the IEF |
Specific evaluation criteria, methods and measures that have been identified for the natural environment |
Capital Improvement |
Information surrounding any capital improvement plans that can be used to develop criteria to ensure alternatives are consistent with the plans. |
Safety and Security |
Information surrounding any safety and security plans that can be used to develop criteria to ensure alternatives are consistent with the plans. |
Human Environment |
Data from human environment to evaluate human environment criteria |
Specific evaluation criteria related to travel patterns, accessibility, equity, and environmental justice impacts |
Economic Development |
Data from existing goals, plans and policies to inform criteria and methods |
Greenhouse Gas |
Travel activity data for different emissions sources |
From the transportation technical process supporting this key decision |
Comparison of the data required to implement the potential criteria and methodologies to the data currently available. | |
Data on tools and technology available to support the method. | ||
Analysis that tests the adequacy of the evaluation criteria and measures with the stated purpose and need. | ||
Traffic information | ||
Indicators of the potential for induced change in development: changes in distance and travel time between the project area and major trip attractors; and suitability of the project area for development | ||
Long-range transportation plans | ||
Local land use/comprehensive development plans | ||
Financial evaluation criteria for projects being developed through a P3 | ||
From stakeholder collaboration |
No Specific Data | |
From public private partnership |
No Specific Data | |
The following is a list of data needed to support the key decision. Practitioners collect this information for decision makers to consider. You may add to this list using the comment box at the bottom of the page. Supporting Tools and Technology | |
|---|---|
None. | |
Key Decision Relationship to Other Topics | |||
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| Topic | Description | ||
| Performance Measures |
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| Streamlining a Bottleneck Project |
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| Visioning and Transportation |
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| Public-Private Partnerships |
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