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Transportation Conformity: A Basic Guide for State & Local Officials

Project-Level Conformity and Hot-Spot Analysis

Project-level conformity determinations are required for Federal highway and transit projects in nonattainment and maintenance areas.

Project-level conformity determinations are required for Federal highway and transit projects in nonattainment and maintenance areas. The project must come from a conforming metropolitan transportation plan and TIP. Additionally, as part of these project-level determinations, in carbon monoxide and particulate matter nonattainment and maintenance areas, localized analysis requirements apply for certain Federally-funded or approved projects. This analysis is called “hot-spot” analysis.

Exhibit 5 shows a simplified version of the transportation conformity process for metropolitan transportation plans/TIPs and projects.

EXHIBIT 5

Transportation Conformity Process for Metropolitan Transportation Plans/TIPs and Projects

Flowchart. Text description follows for text readers.

Transportation Conformity Process for Metropolitan Transportation Plans/TIPs

Plan/Tip conformity requiring a new regional emissions analysis

Goes to

Ensure timely implementation of SIP TCM's, fiscal constraint, etc.

Goes to

Conduct regional emissions analysis using latest planning assumptions and emissions model

Goes to

Are there adequate approved SIP budgets?

  • If YES go to "Use budget test"
  • If No go to "Use interim emissions test(s)"

Goes to

Is conformity test met?

  • If YES continue
  • If No go to "Revise plan/TIP (or SIP budgets if applicable)"

Goes to

Meets all other requirements (e.g., public involvement)

Goes to

Complete Plan/TIP conformity determination

Transportation Conformity Process for Projects

Is project a non-exempt Federal Project?

  • If YES continue
  • If No go to "Project-level conformity not required"

Goes to

Does the project come from a conforming plan and TIP? (Note: does not apply to donut or isolate rural areas)

  • If YES continue
  • If no go to "Revise plan/TIP (or Sip budgets if applicable)"

Is the project in a CO and/or PM area?

  • If YES continue
  • If no go to "Meet other project-level conformity requirements (e.g., compliance with control measures in PM areas)"

Goes to

Is hot-spot analysis required?

  • If YES continue
  • If No go to "Meet other project-level conformity requirements (e.g., compliance with control measures in PM areas)"

Goes to

Perform hot-spot analysis

Goes to

Are hot-spot requirements met?

  • If YES continue
  • If No go to "Add mitigation, etc."

Goes To

Meet other project-level conformity requirements (e.g., compliance with control measures in PM areas)

Goes to

Complete project-level conformity determination

Key interagency points are in bold.

Updated: 6/5/2017
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