How the Decisionmaking Starts
For many of us, transportation
projects seem to come from nowhere. Others may vaguely remember a project
"promised" years ago. Too often, too many people have negative
impressions of how transportation projects come about.
Instead, try comparing the
transportation decisionmaking process to the creative process for producing
a piece of pottery. The potter begins with a mass of clay and an idea
for the final creation but as the mass begins to take shape, there are
changes and adjustments that have to be made, with some clay added here
and there. You, the public, are involved in the shaping and adding to
make the creation as beautiful and useful as possible. We, at the FHWA
and FTA, want, and look forward to, your involvement from the beginning
to the end of each transportation project.
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This guide
only discusses federal requirements for the transportation decisionmaking
process. The federal role is to provide funds, standards, and planning
for state and local decisions. The states, MPOs, and transit operators
make project decisions. There are other state, regional, and local
rules and requirements affecting transportation decisions that are
not discussed in this guide.
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