Federal Requirements

Planning for a Broad Impact

Federal regulations recognize that the impacts of transportation planning extend far beyond “just” transportation. The FAST Act specifies that “metropolitan planning shall consider projects and strategies that will:

1. support economic vitality, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency;

2. increase the safety of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users;

3. increase the security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users;

4. increase the accessibility and mobility of people and freight;

5. protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and state and local planned growth and economic development patterns;

6. enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight;

7. promote efficient system management and operation;

8. emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system;

9. improve the resiliency and reliability of the transportation system and reduce or mitigate stormwater impacts of surface transportation; and

10. enhance travel and tourism.” (23 CFR§450.324)

What Else is Required?

Federal regulations also have other specific requirements for long-range transportation plans, including:

• Fiscal constraint — the planned transportation system can only include transportation projects that have funding identified to pay for them.

• Coordination and consistency — the development of regional intelligent transportation system (ITS) architecture and the coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan should be coordinated and consistent with the long-range transportation plan.

• Performance-based planning — the plan must include performance targets coordinated with state and public transportation providers to track progress toward attainment of critical outcomes for the region.