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San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)
California
SANDAG's award-winning plan, San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan (Regional Plan), serves as a 21st century blueprint for how the San Diego region will grow, and how investments in transportation infrastructure will provide more transportation choices, strengthen the economy, promote a healthy environment, and support thriving communities. SANDAG's Regional Plan, which the agency adopted in October 2015, seeks to integrate public policies, strategies, and anticipated investments of over $200 billion over the next three and a half decades. These investments will help maintain, manage, and improve the transportation system so that it meets the diverse needs of the San Diego region. The Regional Plan also addresses the State's requirement for a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS). Under Senate Bill 375, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) must include a SCS that demonstrates how combining analysis of development patterns and transportation networks along with strategic policies and programs can achieve emission reduction targets for cars and light trucks.
As the region's planning agency and MPO, SANDAG is uniquely positioned to bring together decision makers, including elected officials from all 18 cities and the County of San Diego. SANDAG collaborates with a variety of partners, from Caltrans, transit operators, the Port of San Diego, to regional economic development corporations, chambers of commerce, and environmental groups, as well as community-based organizations, tribal nations, and other organizations and stakeholders.
The Regional Plan unites two major SANDAG planning efforts: the Regional Comprehensive Plan (adopted in 2004) and the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (adopted in 2011), giving the region a single, accessible plan for the future. The Regional Plan also builds upon local planning efforts to better coordinate land use and transportation planning to help reduce regional emissions in support of regional reduction targets.
Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)
Florida
In December 2014, under the leadership of a new Chief Executive Officer, the JTA took a major step forward in developing a world-class transit system by implementing the Route Optimization Initiative (ROI). It was an ambitious undertaking for a transit authority of any scope or size in North America and quickly led to multiple benefits for the North Florida Region.
The ROI's ultimate goals were to improve service to existing customers and to attract new ones. To achieve this, the ROI completely overhauled the region's transit system. It restructured transit routes to make them more frequent and direct; improved spacing between bus stops to reduce travel time; realigned hours of operation to meet the demands of the changing workforce; installed new signage; developed a new route-naming protocol; and increased route supervision.
The ROI marked the first time the JTA's transit system was comprehensively redesigned in 30 years. As such, the ROI required a comprehensive evaluation and revamp of the JTA's Fixed Route and Community Shuttle system operations and infrastructure. The ROI enhancements were a prerequisite for the JTA to implement its First Coast Flyer premium bus service, a 57-mile Bus Rapid Transit System, which was launched in December 2015.
The JTA designed the ROI to help meet customer needs, improve transit system performance, and increase transit ridership. Following the ROI, service is delivered with more a strategic use of resources, which also helps the JTA meet its goal of delivering effective multimodal transportation services in an efficient manner. As ridership increases, annual recurring revenues are expected to increase, allowing the JTA to reinvest into additional service enhancements. Most notably, the entire ROI was implemented without an increase in the JTA's annual operating costs.
Since ROI implementation, total transit ridership increased by 5.2 percent (from December 2014 to June 2016), which means approximately 700,000 more people are using the service. Additionally, on-time performance has increased substantially, from 65.8 percent in 2013 to 80.5 percent in May of 2016. Finally, the JTA has also experienced a 10 percent reduction in collisions, an accomplishment that earned the agency a 2015 Gold Award from the American Public Transportation Association and the Florida Public Transportation Association.
Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA)
Oklahoma
The goal of the Northwest Multimodal Transportation Corridor (NWMTC) Concept Plan is to improve mobility and community health along a nine-mile corridor originating in downtown Oklahoma City at the Santa Fe Station transit hub. The corridor is a combination of two six-lane streets, Classen Boulevard and Northwest Expressway.
When COTPA and its partners began developing the Concept Plan in 2015, they realized the importance of addressing safety concerns of people who walk, bike, ride transit, or drive in a comprehensive, multimodal effort. The Concept Plan identifies and incorporates environmental, community, and economic factors to improve transportation and community health. The Plan includes multimodal strategies that expand transportation choices - including options for disadvantaged populations - promote affordable housing, enhance corridor economics, improve quality of life, and increase safety. The Concept Plan also helps implement many components of the COTPA 2030 Fixed Guideway Plan adopted in 2005. That plan was the impetus for the Northwest Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route along the project corridor, intended to encourage transit-oriented development and serve a new, downtown intermodal center. A downtown streetcar circulator is currently being built entirely with local funding and will also connect with the intermodal center.
Since developing the Concept Plan in 2015, COTPA has been busy implementing its recommendations. The proposed project includes several traffic and pedestrian safety signal upgrades, two grade-separated crossings for nonmotorized travelers, and nearly one mile of exclusive BRT guideway. In 2016, COTPA received a Smart Growth America Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Workshop Grant to support strategies for leveraging transportation investments in the corridor to stimulate economic development.
Since early 2017, in conjunction with the citywide comprehensive plan known as planOKC, COTPA has been collaborating with OKC Planning on a zoning and subdivision update that will include the addition of TOD zoning classifications to support development along the corridor.
To fund the proposed improvements, the City hopes to use a combination of future bond funding that includes designated transit support, as well as a renewed sales tax measure for active transportation improvements.
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)
Georgia
MARTA's Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) represents an innovative planning effort to rethink transit service provision in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Beginning in 2014, the COA began assessing all modes of transit as well as the ability of a changing population to utilize mobility options. MARTA staff considered the growth of future transportation markets and how service should be updated to appeal to these markets.
A traditional operations analysis focuses almost exclusively on operations efficiency with little attention given to the broader context within which transit operations occur. In contrast, the COA included many new and innovative approaches to transit planning including addressing the community's desires of enhancing quality of life and sustainability. The primary objective of the COA was to identify ways to improve passenger access and connectivity. MARTA will accomplish this objective by introducing new tiers of transit services, such as arterial rapid transit, community circulators, express bus service, and increased bus frequency. Notably, the plan recommended a first- and last-mile investment program to expand transit rider mobility.
Because of the nature of transit decisionmaking in the region, many different agencies contributed to the study, including other transit providers, the Atlanta Regional Commission, city and county governments, human service agencies, and civic associations, including neighborhood groups. MARTA conducted extensive public engagement to include a range of stakeholders in planning the future of transit in Atlanta.
The MARTA Board adopted the COA as the vision and strategy for service provision over the next 10 years. As a result of the COA, MARTA has already implemented service changes and service expansion, strategies that were the foundation of the City of Atlanta's recently approved $2.5 billion transit sales tax referendum. Because of MARTA's public engagement efforts, community leaders recognize the COA as an important foundation for future transit service. Overall, the COA has provided a strong model for achieving long-term transit benefits throughout the Atlanta region.
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
California
Plan Bay Area is the long-range transportation and land use plan for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. The One Bay Area Grant Program channels the region's federal transportation funding to make the vision of Plan Bay Area and its successors a reality.
Jointly developed by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and originally adopted in 2013, Plan Bay Area was the first plan to incorporate a Sustainable Communities Strategy, integrating land use and transportation in a single document. The plan demonstrated how the Bay Area can meet state-mandated reductions in per-capita emissions from passenger vehicles while providing sufficient housing for a growing population. The original Plan Bay Area directed more than $292 billion in transportation spending and contained several distinctive elements including a strong performance-based project prioritization process, a "Fix It First" investment strategy, and a land use element focused on locally designated Priority Development Areas, or PDAs. Plan Bay Area was the result of a robust public outreach process, with MTC and ABAG holding scores of public meetings and dozens of workshops across all nine counties.
One of the core implementation elements of the plan was the One Bay Area Grant Program (OBAG). Adopted by MTC in 2012, OBAG links transportation and land use by tying $800 million in flexible transportation funding from the federal government to investments supportive of the plan's performance objectives over a five-year period. With OBAG, MTC became the first metropolitan planning organization in the country to link funding from the Federal Surface Transportation Program and the Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program with housing production to incentivize "focused growth" in PDAs - a core strategy in the plan. The OBAG program further allows local governments the flexibility to determine the type of transportation investment needed to support development in an area - whether it be planning, repaving, streetscape improvements, or transit enhancements.
On July 26, 2017, MTC and ABAG adopted a limited and focused update to Plan Bay Area, which will help direct more than $303 billion in transportation spending over the next 24 years. The next five-year cycle of OBAG funding will begin on October 1, 2017.
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
California
Go Human is SCAG's community outreach and advertising campaign to reduce traffic collisions with people walking and biking in Southern California and encourage people to walk and bike more. The campaign aims to create safer and healthier cities through education, advocacy, information sharing, and events that help residents re-imagine their streets to promote safe walking and biking.
Go Human has three strategies to reduce collisions and encourage active transportation:
The Go Human campaign was initiated through a resolution by SCAG's Regional Council, an 86-member governing board, to seek partnerships to implement a regionwide active transportation safety and encouragement campaign. The $2.3 million project was funded through the 2014 California Active Transportation Program, which consolidates existing Federal and State transportation programs, including the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program, into a single funding program.
Go Human addresses SCAG's need to change travel behaviors to meet regional transportation planning goals. SCAG's service area is a region with an autocentric transportation system and rising traffic collision rates that disproportionately affect people who walk or bike. By combining the reach of an advertising campaign with the impact of tangible demonstration projects and empowerment toolkit trainings, Go Human is raising awareness and empowering champions to promote long-term change. It provides a model for supporting and scaling local activities for regional impact.
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)
North Carolina
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) developed best practices to perform Indirect and Cumulative Effects (ICE) screenings as part of an effort to better integrate long-range transportation planning with project development. Planning-level ICE assessments enable planners to: (1) identify potential challenges early, (2) promote collaboration, (3) inform decision-making, (4) provide screening-level information to ICE analysis occurring later in project development under NEPA, and (5) provide local jurisdictions with best management practices to minimize potential impacts. For transportation agencies, the goal is to evaluate the potential of project proposals to initiate changes in land use that could impact natural or cultural resources.
NCDOT's, best practices for conducting an ICE screening in long-range transportation planning include the development and use of four work products:
NCDOT collaborated extensively with various groups - including the Federal Highway Administration, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), rural planning organizations (RPOs), state and Federal environmental resource agencies - to develop the planning-level ICE best practices and a pilot study. NCDOT and the New Bern Area MPO collaborated to produce the pilot study following an interagency collaboration initiative to engage a variety of local, state, and Federal agencies.
The project was funded through State Planning and Research (SPR) Funds, with 80 percent Federal and 20 percent state split. The Indirect and Cumulative Effects analysis was incorporated into the New Bern Area MPO Metropolitan Transportation Plan, "Destination 2040," which was adopted by the MPO on March 24, 2016.
Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC)
Georgia
"Walk. Bike. Thrive!" is the Atlanta Regional Commission's (ARC) regional walking and bicycling transportation plan. The plan combines public input and technical analysis with regional and local policy frameworks to establish a vision for safe, comfortable, and convenient walking and bicycling options throughout metropolitan Atlanta.
With 20 counties, over 70 cities, and 5.5 million residents, the Atlanta region is diverse in both geography and transportation needs. ARC developed "Walk. Bike. Thrive!" to support effective regional decision making for safe walking and bicycling and to provide a toolkit for local communities seeking to become more walk- and bike-friendly. This regional/local framework acknowledges the role of various levels of government and allows for flexible implementation across the region.
The plan recognizes that positive outcomes are based on both a clear regional vision and strong local efforts. The plan's first chapter, "Recommendations," is organized in two parts. First, a regional framework for walking and bicycling guides ARC's decision making for project prioritization and the distribution of MPO/Federal funding. Second, a local toolkit describes how communities can build high quality, low-stress walking and biking networks with policy and program support. Cities, towns, and counties can reference the toolkit when requesting competitive MPO funds, developing projects with local funding, or adopting policies relevant to their local needs.
The chapter documents the current state of walking and bicycling across metro Atlanta, recent trends and areas of need, and a regional snapshot of safety, health, transit access, equity, and regional trail connections. The chapter also serves as a fact book of relevant information for local elected officials and residents interested in creating walk- and bike-friendly communities. The third chapter, "Public Participation and Priority Topics," details a wide range of public input from across the region that guided development of the entire plan.
The plan supports data-driven decision making, improves MPO project selection, and helps make the region safer, more competitive, and more equitable. ARC's board of directors adopted the plan in May 2016, and it now serves as the active transportation component of ARC's long- range transportation plan for the Atlanta metro region. This means that "Walk. Bike. Thrive!" will guide the region's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) allocations for years to come.
City of Dunwoody
Georgia
The City of Dunwoody carried out a large road diet and streetscape project on Dunwoody Village Parkway, in the historical heart of the city. The project corridor was a four-lane, suburban style parkway that was divided by a median and primarily catered to automobiles. The project converted the Parkway into a two-lane, urban style street with bike lanes, wide sidewalks, street trees, lighting, and street furniture.
In 2011, the City adopted a Master Plan for Dunwoody Village and a Transportation Master Plan, both of which prioritized transforming the Dunwoody Village Parkway into a place for people rather than just for vehicles, with street level access to restaurants and businesses. The project was meant to recall the concept of a traditional Main Street which serves people who walk, bike, drive, or take public transportation.
The Main Street project addresses the need for pedestrian improvements on Dunwoody Village Parkway, while fostering a sense of community, encouraging growth of small businesses, and enhancing quality of life. The project originated as a result of an extensive master plan process for the area, known locally as Dunwoody Village. The planning partners included local citizens, business owners, and the Development Review Advisory Committee. The City partnered with the Georgia Department of Transportation to execute the project, which was funded through local sales tax and Federal Transportation Enhancement Funds.
Construction for the project was completed in the spring of 2015, and the community has already started to see private investment in redevelopment projects adjacent to the parkway. The new developments are consistent with the community vision developed through the Dunwoody Village Master Plan process. The area has also seen a marked increase in pedestrian volumes and has become the primary location for community events, such as the Dunwoody Arts Festival and Independence Day Parade Festival. Throughout the project, the City worked closely with the businesses in Dunwoody Village and continues to work with the development community to implement the goals of the Dunwoody Village Master Plan. The new Main Street will substantially improve quality of life and active transportation options for the Dunwoody community.
Memphis Urban Area MPO
Tennessee
The Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (CPT-HSTP) for the Greater Memphis Region established a process to address the transportation needs of disadvantaged populations. The project involved a cooperative and comprehensive partnership between three State agencies, two MPOs, an RPO, and multiple agencies involved in addressing the needs of the elderly, people with disabilities, and people with low incomes. The plan was adopted by the Memphis Urban Area MPO's Transportation Policy Board (TPB) on May 5, 2016 after a year-long development process.
CPT-HSTP's goal is to create a better transit system for transportation-disadvantaged populations: people who are unable to provide their own transportation or have difficulty accessing public transportation. Developing the CPT-HSTP entailed evaluating existing paratransit, demand response transportation, human service agencies, and non-profit and private providers of transportation. The plan assesses current service gaps and challenges faced by transportation-disadvantaged populations. Using the information gathered, the Memphis MPO developed a catalog of strategies to address the unique gaps and challenges for each state. The plan prioritizes strategies and activities for funding and implementation in both the short-term and long-term. An example of a documented need across all three states revolved around the lack of awareness of the services available to residents, as well as the difficulty in accessing new services. With the securement of a 5310 grant, the development of a "one-click, one-call" information center is a step closer to providing effective and customer friendly service information that will promote confidence in the system and increase resident independence.
This project entailed extensive engagement with the community and stakeholders. Outreach methods included developing an advisory committee with a diverse range of practitioners and general residents; holding public meetings across the tristate area of Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas; and conducting an online survey and workshop. Additionally, alternative approaches to meetings included holding some events at transit terminals and in tag-along format with the meetings of independent organizations, such as the Aging Commission of the Mid-South, in order to expand the project's direct reach.
Through the development process for the CPT-HSTP, the Memphis MPO successfully conducted far-reaching regional coordination across 20 counties in three States. This coordination will result in a continuous, collaborative effort over the years ahead to monitor the plan's progress. Future revisions to the plan will require a formal amendment process, including a 30-day public review period and adoption by the TPB.
Missoula County
Montana
Missoula County, in partnership with the City of Missoula, the Missoula Redevelopment Agency (MRA), and the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), led the planning, funding, design, and construction of an 8-mile, multi-use path called the Missoula to Lolo Trail. This project represents the final link in a continuous, 50-mile paved path from Missoula to Hamilton in western Montana. This path serves commuters, recreationalists, and long-distance cyclists.
In 2011, Missoula County, the City of Missoula, and the MDT collaborated to submit a successful application to the Federal Highway Administration's Public Lands Highways Discretionary Program to fund a planning study to identify the Missoula to Lolo Trail alignment. The County served as managing agency for the study. This planning study identified a preferred alternative that served as the basis for a successful Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) funding application in 2013. MRA became involved once the path project was funded and provided the leadership and funding needed to complete a grade-separated crossing of Highway 93, the most heavily travelled corridor within the city. In 2014, consultants completed a planning study to determine the preferred alternative for this crossing. The path was officially opened in July 2016, and the bicycle-pedestrian bridge over Highway 93 was completed in April 2017. This project would not have been possible without the support of FHWA throughout the planning, design, and construction phases of the project.
The multi-use path closes the 8-mile gap between Missoula and Lolo and has been a tremendous success. This path links two communities that were previously only connected by US Highway 93, a highway characterized by speeds of 65 mph, extensive sections of narrow shoulders abutting guard rails and average daily traffic (ADT) of over 25,000. As a result of careful and persistent planning, the Missoula to Lolo trail provides an improved multimodal connection, with commuter, recreation and health benefits.
Florida Department of Transportation
Florida
The Florida Transportation Plan (FTP), the State's long-range transportation plan, includes a 50-year Vision Element and a 25 to 30-year Policy Element. The two-year effort to develop the FTP involved extensive public outreach and visionary planning for the future of Florida's transportation system.
To engage partners, a 35-member steering committee provided overall guidance for the process to develop the FTP. The committee members represented local, state, and Federal levels of government, as well as multiple modes of transportation, business and economic development organizations, and community and environmental interests. Four advisory groups involving committee members and 22 additional partners identified issues and potential strategies on assigned topics. To further engage partners and the public, a statewide summit, a statewide open house, a statewide webinar, 13 regional workshops, over 350 briefings at regularly scheduled meetings of transportation partners, and an interactive website helped collect feedback from more than 15,000 participants. Creative and interactive outreach broke down barriers and enhanced the level of feedback, ideas, and interest that was generated in planning for the future of transportation in Florida.
The FTP team has won multiple awards for its efforts, including FDOT team and individual awards for innovation. FDOT has distributed over 5,000 copies of this easy-to-read document to partners and the public.
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC)
Nevada
The Mobility Training Center (MTC), a project of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC), opened in January 2016. The project is a testament to innovative thinking and leadership in support of transportation access, and it serves a growing constituency of people with disabilities in a community of more than two million residents. The 14,700 square-foot facility is located on the grounds of a major RTC operations and maintenance facility and cost $6.7 million to construct, 80 percent of which was federally funded. The MTC is the only such facility in the West that offers mobility training, paratransit assessment and certification, and blindness skills training under one roof.
The MTC provides hands-on learning in a controlled and realistic environment with actual transit buses on simulated streetscapes - everything people encounter in a real-world setting. It is an innovative blend of mobility training, para-transit certification, and blindness skills training designed to help residents become independent and confident with their transportation choices. In a public-private partnership with Blindconnect, an 18-year-old local nonprofit, the MTC also includes a fully functioning 1,200 square-foot apartment known as Angela's House that is used to teach daily living skills to sight-impaired and blind residents. The RTC has trained over 500 students with visual impairments as of June 2017.
Since the MTC opened in January 2016, the RTC has saved more than $392,000 through its mobility training program because passengers who are eligible to take paratransit instead chose to use the fixed-route system. That equates to an average cost savings of nearly $22,000 per month during an 18-month period.
Metro Transit
Missouri
The North County Transit Center (NCTC) is the latest addition to Metro transit, the St. Louis metropolitan region's public transportation system, including a $2.1 billion network of transit infrastructure. Completed and opened for service in March 2016, the new transit center is located in Ferguson, Missouri, and allows Metro to better serve the neighborhoods and residents of North St. Louis County, one of the region's fastest growing transit markets. Supported by Federal funding, the North County Transit Center is an example of how to be cost-effective and fiscally responsible, while producing infrastructure that delivers a tangible impact to passengers.
Leveraging the investments in NCTC, Metro expanded service during off-peak periods including weekend, mid-day and late night to accommodate evolving demand for transit between counties and a shift toward a more service-oriented workforce. New service includes an all-day express route between NCTC and downtown St. Louis. Ridership on this line grew over 300 percent in the first three months of operation, and the line has sustained this increased level of ridership to date.
This success indicates the strong need for higher-speed service between this community and downtown during off-peak hours. Customer satisfaction from passengers using the new facility is very high, in part because of the high-quality environment the center provides, including an indoor-waiting area with public restrooms, a cafe, real-time digital arrival time signs inside and outside, and MetroBus managers and public safety personnel on site and accessible to customers throughout the entire duration of service.
