Consideration of Environmental Factors in Transportation Systems Planning
Consideration of Environmental Factors in Transportation Systems Planning

Author: A. Amekudzi

Publisher: Transportation Research Board

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 118

ISBN-13: 0309088399

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This report describes the transportation planning process and discusses where and how environmental factors can be addressed effectively at the state and metropolitan levels. This report should be especially useful to federal, state department of transportation (DOT), metropolitan planning organization (MPO), and local transportation planners, as well as other practitioners concerned with addressing environmental factors within transportation systems planning, priority programming, and project development planning leading to implementation. The research focused on environmental issues within the long-range transportation planning processes of state DOTs and MPOs and included the following: (1) a comprehensive review of recent literature; (2) a survey of approaches employed by state DOTs, MPOs, and environmental regulatory agencies; (3) a review of federal regulations and guidance on environmental factors; and (4) case studies to synthesize current practice in environmental planning.

Transportation Development Process
Transportation Development Process

Author: Robert P. Mickelson

Publisher: Transportation Research Board

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 60

ISBN-13: 9780309068208

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This synthesis presents information on current practices used by transportation agencies to complete the transportation development process (TDP). This process involves linking the planning, project development, environmental, design, construction, operations, and maintenance aspects of the overall transportation program. The purpose of the TDP is to implement a seamless process in which all these elements come together and in which there is continuous public involvement. This report will be of interest to regional and state transportation, planning, and environmental agencies who participate in the TDP and who are involved in both the development and policy aspects of the TDP. This report of the Transportation Research Board describes the history of the TDP, as well as the federal requirements that must be met under both transportation and environmental regulations. This process is made more complex by state and local regulations that must be observed in most jurisdictions. Throughout this process, as carried out by the state transportation agencies and the metropolitan planning organizations, there is continuous public involvement. Other programs, such as the transportation implementation plan, state transportation implementation plan, and environmental programs such as the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, and requirements of other environmental laws must be integrated into the TDP. The complexities of this process are described, and some unique approaches to meeting its demands are presented.

Environmental Mitigation in Transportation Planning
Environmental Mitigation in Transportation Planning

Author: U.s. Department of Transportation

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2014-06-19

Total Pages: 70

ISBN-13: 9781499311167

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) included provisions intended to enhance the consideration of environmental issues and impacts within the transportation planning process. Through the provisions, which encourage the continued evolution of the metropolitan and statewide transportation planning processes that metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), and public transit operators conduct, many of the types of activities previously considered effective practice became required for the first time.

Transportation Planning on Trial
Transportation Planning on Trial

Author: Mark Garrett

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Published: 1996-05-20

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 1452248281

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Authors′ ad copy***Use whenever possible*** The Clean Air Act of 1991 and the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1994 require that metropolitan transportation planning agencies give high priority to the improvement of air quality. Under these laws, transportation planners must design regional highway and transit systems that contribute substantially to the attainment of federal air quality standards. This new requirement reveals important limitations to the standard methods by which transportation planners do their work. The mathematical models and statistical techniques used by transportation planners appear to be inadequate to enable them to analyze the air quality implications of alternative transportation plans. This was the situation when a group of environmental organizations brought suit in federal district court alleging that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in the San Francisco Bay area had violated requirements of these laws in its transportation planning and highway funding activities. This volume provides an account of the legal dispute that pitted environmentalists against regional transportation planners, and which demonstrated that regional transportation planning methods are in need of substantial improvement. This monograph should be of interest to urban planners, environmentalists, public policy analysts, and those who apply mathematical modeling and statistical analysis to questions of public policy. The authors--an attorney and a transportation planner who took part in the lawsuit--analyze the specific arguments made by both sides in this important legal action, and draw from the specific case broader conclusions about the role of technical analysis in public policy making. *************************************************************** Urban planning does not and cannot exist in isolation--there are a large number of external factors that impact on a planner′s work including politics and the planning commission; environmental impact studies; and national, state, and local legislation. Focusing on the interrelations between federal legislation, the judicial process, and transportation planning, Transportation Planning on Trial examines the interaction between regional transportation planning and environmental, particularly air, quality. This unique volume is designed to help urban planners understand the legal restrictions and requirements that directly impact how they operate. It considers two recent federal legislation pieces--the Clean Air Act of 1990 and the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991--that mark the most important landmarks in a decade-long shift in emphasis in regional transportation planning. This groundbreaking volume will be vitally important to transportation planners, students of urban and transportation planning, transportation policymakers, environmentalists and environmental lawyers.