CE 326: Transportation Planning

Lecture 2: Public Sector Planning

From Horse Power to Horsepower

What was the biggest transportation-related challenge faced by

New York and other major cities in 1896?

What other related challenges existed?

How do these compare with todays major transportation

challenges?

What solutions were developed to address these challenges?

Government Role in Planning

Who performs transportation

planning?
Government
Federal
State
Regional
Local

Private sector can also build, maintain, and operate

transportation infrastructure and services

Federal Role
Legislation passed by Congress and signed by president

determines:

National priorities
Specific programs/projects
Reporting requirements

Funding mechanisms ensure compliance

Federal Agencies oversee
Their own programs
State/local use of federal funds

US Department of Transportation

Early Planning Legislation

Federal Aid Highway Act of 1962
Mandated the 3C planning process for major cities to remain eligible

for Federal Highway Funding

Continuing
Cooperative
Comprehensive

1960s and 1970s

Focus on regional planning
Urban Transportation Planning System (UTPS) Model developed by

FHWA and UMTA (now FTA)

1980s
Devolution of authority to local governments
States and MPOs required to self-certify compliance with federal

requirements, but little guidance on the process

Timeline: Major Legislation Impacting

Transportation Planning in the US
Reorganization Plan No.
3 (1970)
Motor Vehicle Air
Pollution Control
Act (1965)
Air Pollution
Act (1955)

Federal-Aid
Highway Act
of 1944

Federal-Aid
Highway Act
of 1956

Air Quality Act of 1970

Federal Aid-Highway
Act of 1970

Clean Air
Act of 1963

Clean Air Act

Amendments
1990

Surface Transportation
Act of 1982

Civil Rights
Act (1964)

Executive
Order 12898
(1994)

Transportation Equity
Act for the 21st Century
(1998)

Federal-Aid Highway
Act of 1973

National
Environmental
Policy Act of 1969

Civil Right
Restoration Act
of 1987

Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity
Act: A Legacy for Users
(2005)

Intermodal
Surface
Transportation
Efficiency Act of
1991

Recent Highway Authorizations

Intermodal Surface Transportation
Equity Act (ISTEA, 1991)

Emphasis on planning process

Intermodal / Non-motorized
National highway system

Transportation Equity Act for the

21st Century (TEA-21, 1998)

Accessibility
Transit facility redevelopment
Corridor development/Intl crossings

Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient

Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy
for Users (SAFETEA-LU, 2005)

Eased private investment/tolling

Regional/Interregional funding
Environmental project funding

Moving Ahead for Progress in the

21st Century Act (MAP-21, 2012)

Streamlined planning/env. review

Performance measurement
National freight system

State DOT Requirements

Develop Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan
Develop Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP)

that incorporates TIPs from all MPOs in state

Coordinate and administrate State Planning Research
Program (SPR)

Metropolitan Planning Organization

(MPO)
Required for all urban areas > 50,000 population
Coordinates planning and programs funds
Cooperates with state and with operators of publicly owned

transit services
In some areas, MPO directly distributes project funds
Representative structure varies
Jurisdiction-based
Agency-based
Population-based

MPO: Five Core Functions

Establish a setting
Identify and evaluate alternative transportation improvement

options
Prepare and maintain a Metropolitan Transportation Plan
(MTP)
Develop a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
Involve the public

MPO: Other Functions

Perform air quality management; develop traffic control

measures for

Non-attainment area
Maintenance area

Develop congestion management process (population >

200,000)

State and MPO Deliverables

Local Agencies
Roles and responsibilities will vary

Transit Authorities
Departments of Transportation
Departments of City Planning
Authorities
Transit
Bridges
Tunnels
Toll Roads
Ports
Airports

In smaller state, state authorities may manage local infrastructure

Who manages transportation in the

NYC Region?
Federal Government

State Government

Metropolitan Planning
Organization

Local Agencies

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/conformity/reference/maps/pm25_1997/nynjct_newyork-nnewjeserylongisland.jpg

Manhattan Crossings
1 GWB
2 Third Avenue
3 Willis Avenue
4 Triborough
5 Queensborough
6 Queens-Midtown Tunnel
7 Lincoln Tunnel
8 Williamsburgh Bridge
9 Holland Tunnel
10 Manhattan Bridge
11 Brooklyn Bridge
12 Brooklyn Battery Tunnel

Funding

Who pays for transportation?

Generally, system users via
Federal taxes and fees
State taxes and fees
Local taxes and fees
Direct tolls/fares

The Highway Trust Fund

The HTF is a dedicated fund for transportation projects and

operations

Created by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 to fund interstate

development and construction

Federal Aid Highway Act of 1973 allowed HTF receipts to be
allocated for transit projects
Surface Transportation Act of 1982 created the Mass Transit
Account of the HTF
ISTEA provided flexibility for use of HTF funds for transit, bike,
and pedestrian projects

Federal User Fees

Federal Transportation Funding

Authorizing

Legislation
Appropriations
Apportionment

Federal Surface Transportation Funding

Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA)

Federal Transit
Administration (FTA)
Urban

State DOT

MPO

Local Government

Rural

Transit
Agency

Transit
Agency

State DOT

MPO

Local
Government

If Receipts > Allocations, state is a DONOR state

If Receipts < Allocations, state is a RECEIVER state

Highway Trust Fund

In the red since 2008 why?

State Revenue Sources

Fuel Tax
Vary from state to state
High: 38.1 cent per gallon tax on diesel in PA
Low: 7.5 cent per gallon tax on gasoline/diesel in Georgia
May be indexed to inflation

Vehicle/Part Sales Taxes

Registration Fees
Size and Weight Permits
Tolls
General Fund Appropriations
Income Tax
Business Tax
Property Tax

Local Revenue Sources

User Fees
Tolls
Transit Fares

Income Tax
Property Tax
Sales Tax
Utility Tax