Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program

- Peer Exchange Report -

Techniques for Public Involvement

I. Summary

The following report summarizes the results of a peer exchange held through the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Program. The TPCB Program is a technical assistance program jointly sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The Program's objective is to foster information sharing and peer assistance among professionals involved in statewide, rural, metropolitan and/or tribal transportation planning. The FHWA Michigan Division Office, on behalf of three Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in Michigan, requested this peer exchange with three MPOs in Florida. The peer exchange was arranged to provide an opportunity for the Michigan MPOs to learn how to improve their community-based public involvement processes in order to make them more effective in engaging diverse neighborhood groups in the transportation planning process. The Peer Exchange was held at three locations in Central Florida from April 30 to May 2, 2002: the METROPLAN ORLANDO Office, the Brevard MPO Office, and the FDOT District 5 Urban Office. Ms. Cindy Durrenburger of the FHWA Michigan Division Office and Ms. Sabrina David of the FHWA Florida Division Office coordinated the exchange.

Participants shared their experiences with successful public involvement techniques, which included citizen committees, publications, public outreach, market research, and program evaluation.

II. Background

Michigan MPOs have been struggling with devising techniques for improving public involvement in the transportation planning process, particularly in those communities that are traditionally underserved. The visits arranged as part of this Peer Exchange were intended to provide an opportunity for Michigan MPOs to learn how three Florida MPOs have created and managed successful public involvement processes that are both community-based and effective in engaging diverse neighborhood groups in the transportation planning process. Another goal of the program was to allow participants to gain knowledge and insight into various evaluation criteria and methods for refining public involvement techniques. Finally, while the Peer Exchange focused primarily on public involvement techniques, participants also shared ideas and experiences regarding ways to foster regional cooperation in transportation planning.

The Michigan MPOs participating in the exchange were all small to medium sized and consisted of the Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS), the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council (MACC) and the Battle Creek Area Transportation Study (BCATS). The Florida MPOs participating in the exchange, two TMAs and one small MPO, were selected for their ability to develop and implement exceptional public involvement programs and included METROPLAN Orlando, the Brevard MPO, and the Hernando MPO.

III. Statewide Planning Processes

Florida has seven geographic districts and a turnpike enterprise district. Central Florida falls under FDOT District 5 and includes the following major cities: Daytona Beach, DeLand, Melbourne, Merritt Island, Ocala, Orlando, and Titusville. Counties include: Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia. FDOT is decentralized in accordance with legislative mandates.

The Mission of the Florida Department of Transportation is to provide a safe transportation system that ensures the mobility of people and goods, enhances economic prosperity and preserves the quality of our environment and communities.

The geographic districts vary in organizational structure, but in general each has major divisions for Administration, Planning, Production and Operations. Each district has a District Secretary, a Public Information Office and a General Counsel's Office.

One of FDOT's responsibilities is to produce and update the Five-Year Work Program, which is a statewide project specific list of planning transportation improvements and activities. The Work Program must meet the objectives and priorities of the Florida Transportation Plan and fund the priorities of the state's Metropolitan Planning Organizations and local governments to the maximum extent feasible.

The Florida Transportation Commission, consisting of nine lay people appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate for four-year terms, provides oversight for FDOT. The law requires that membership "equitably represent all geographic areas." According to precedent, the Commission consists of one commissioner from each FDOT district and two at large commissioners, one each with rail and port expertise. The Commission's duties include assessing Department performance, monitoring financial status, and reviewing the work program, budget requests and long-range plans.

Florida Turnpike's Mission Statement: To assist in meeting Florida's total transportation needs by pursuing public and private sector partnerships to build Florida Intrastate Highway System projects and improve Turnpike access in urban areas, while improving service to patrons and protecting bondholders.

The Florida Turnpike Enterprise began in 1957 (then known as the Florida State Turnpike Authority) with the opening of the Sunshine State Parkway, a 110-mile Turnpike extending from North Miami to Fort Pierce. Florida's Turnpike is a user-financed facility whose toll revenue pays for new construction and maintenance of the entire turnpike system. Today, the Florida turnpike system consists of more than 400 miles of limited-access toll highways. The turnpike mainline passes through 11 counties from north of the Florida Keys to a junction with Interstate 75 in north central Florida. In addition to the 312-mile mainline, Florida's Turnpike includes the 23-mile Sawgrass Expressway/Toll 869 in Broward County; the 18-mile Seminole Expressway/Toll 417 in Seminole County; the 15-mile Veterans Expressway/Toll 589 in Tampa; the 42-mile Suncoast Parkway/Toll589 north of Tampa; an eight-mile portion of the Bee Line Expressway/Toll 528 in Orlando; the six-mile Southern Connector Extension of the Central Florida GreeneWay/Toll 417 in Orlando; and the 25-mile Polk Parkway/Toll 570.

The Turnpike Enterprise has been applying new technologies, including electronic toll collection. Currently, a state mandate exists to reduce state staffing levels by 25 percent. The Turnpike Enterprise has approximately 508: 127 for the Turnpike and the remainder for toll operations.

Although most transportation planning activities in Florida are decentralized, FDOT's Central Office has continued to produce the Florida Transportation Plan, providing long-range and short-range goals and objectives, which form the policy framework over a twenty-year planning horizon. FDOT is committed to building upon on its relationship with each of the MPOs, and as part of decentralization all modeling efforts are to be shifted down to either the district office or MPO. The high level of cooperation that is already in place makes decentralizing this function much easier. To maintain a level of consistency throughout the state, the district office and MPOs will follow the same standards in model calibration.

Statewide Model Taskforce Mission: To advance model development and applications to serve the transportation planning needs of the Department of local governments.

To help coordinate this decentralization effort on the part of the MPOs and FDOT districts, the FDOT Central Office provides technical assistance by participating in the Florida Model Task Force (MTF) as a non-voting member. Voting members of the MTF include representatives from the state's 25 MPOs, the seven FDOT Districts, one representative from each Florida transit agency, representatives from four Florida Standard Urban Transportation Model Structure (FSUTMS) user groups, as well as representatives from the Federal Highway Administration, the Florida Department of Community Affairs, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The MTF establishes policy directions and procedural guidelines for transportation modeling in Florida using the Florida Standard Model. The term FSUTMS represents a formal set of modeling steps, procedures, software, file formats, and guidelines used by the FDOT for developing travel demand forecasting throughout the state.

The Work Program

The work program has a five-year planning horizon and annually funds for the new fifth year are allocated to the various programs and geographic districts. This process follows the policies and goals contained in the Florida Transportation Plan and includes consideration of relevant Federal and State laws governing the use of transportation funds. For example, the proceeds from the State Comprehensive Enhanced Transportation System Tax must be sent in the transportation district and, to the extent feasible, in the county from which they were collected. Also, state law requires that 15 percent of state revenues deposited in the State Transportation Trust Fund must be committed annually for public transportation (e.g., bus, rail, airport, seaport). FDOT has successfully shifted from serving as simply a "road department" to acting as a multi-modal transportation organization.

Federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds are distributed to the state and then sub-allocated. Ten-percent of STP funds are set-aside for safety programs. Another ten-percent is set-aside for Transportation Enhancement activities. Of the remaining 80 percent of Surface Transportation Funds, the remaining 80 percent is split as follows: 62.5% distributed based on population and 37.5% can be spent in any area of the state. Of the amount distributed by population, some of these are dedicated to TMA areas, some for small rural areas, and some for areas under 200,000 (smaller MPOs and non-MPO areas). Two-thirds of the funds do not go to TMA areas. The Department's allocation of STP funds does not go to the MPO level, with the exception of the STP dollars that must be spent in TMA areas. Further, such metropolitan areas have input concerning how these funds are programmed. Pursuant to federal law, this varies by whether the STP funds are programmed in a rural, TMA, or smaller MPO area - in TMA areas STP-funded projects are selected by the MPO in consultation with the state, in other MPOs and rural areas the STP projects are selected by the state in cooperation with the MPO/local government. This does not apply to the STP safety and enhancement funds. METROPLAN ORLANDO, for example, made a decision in the early 1990s to take an innovative approach and dedicate 80 percent of its STP funds to highways, 10 percent to transit and another 10 percent to bicycle and pedestrian enhancements. This has changed over time and now 58% are used for highways, 30% for transit, and 12% for bicycle and pedestrian projects.

A number of other MPOs have now adopted similar formulas. In Florida, state law strengthens the role of MPOs by requiring that the district work programs be developed cooperatively with the MPO and include, to the maximum extent feasible, the project priorities that are submitted to the districts annually. The Board of County Commissioners in rural counties are treated as MPOs and submit project priorities as well. While FDOT serves on many boards in various transportation capacities, FDOT participation provides support as a non-voting member. In addition to fulfilling all applicable federal requirements, Florida MPOs are also obligated to meet the state's requirements for a comprehensive planning process pursuant to Title XXVI.

Michigan has five TMAs and 14 MPOs. Similar to FDOT, MDOT is divided into geographic regions. In Michigan, there are a total of seven such regions.

MDOT Mission: Providing the highest quality transportation services for economic benefit and improved quality of life.

The Michigan State Transportation Commission, comprised of six commissioners appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate, establishes the policy direction for state transportation programs. The commissioners serve three-year terms, which are staggered such that the terms of two commissioners expire each year. The state constitution requires that no more than three commissioners be from the same political party. The Commission establishes policies for the Michigan Department of Transportation relative to transportation programs and facilities. Responsibilities of the Commission include developing and implementing of comprehensive transportation plans for the entire state, including aeronautics, bus and rail transit; providing professional and technical assistance; and overseeing the administration of state and federal funds allocated for these programs.

When updating the Five-Year Plan, MDOT goes to the MPOs annually with a transportation project needs list based on modeling output. Outer years of the Five-Year Plan incorporate MPO comments. Project deficiencies can include topic areas such as environmental justice, safety, and non-motorized transportation. In an effort to reorganize, MDOT has implemented a new concept of establishing a liaison between the MDOT region and each MPO. Each liaison or regional planner is responsible for anywhere from one to four MPOs. Some regions have established better communications with the MPOs than others. Although the delineation of responsibilities has not formally been defined, regional planners are responsible for responding to MDOT projects within the MPO and amendments to the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Long Range Transportation Plan.

MDOT employs a top down approach in distributing federal pass-through funds. In the past, MDOT directed the MPOs as to what to include in their TIPs. More recently, MDOT approaches the MPOs with MDOT's list of transportation needs. In return, the MPOs provide MDOT with a similar list of needs developed by the MPOs as well as input on MDOT's program. MDOT prioritizes improvements in its Road and Bridge Program based upon surface condition and generally allocates 94 percent of funds to preservation and maintenance and 6 percent to capacity enhancing projects. The State Legislature requires between 23-27 percent of federal funds be available for local implementing agencies for improvements on non-trunk line federal aid eligible routes.

The state has two potential state-based sources of revenue for transportation projects, road tolls and fuel taxes. Michigan no longer utilizes toll roads because there is not enough pass-through travel. Instead, it relies primarily on fuel taxes. Fifteen percent of fuel tax revenue is directed to critical local bridges. In Michigan, gasoline and diesel fuel are currently taxed at different rates, 19 cents per gallon for gasoline (increased from 15 cents in 1997) and 15 cents per gallon for diesel fuel. There is a push to increase the tax rate on diesel fuel to the same as that on gasoline. Doing so, however, would bypass the current transportation funding formula. Under the new plan, fuel tax revenues would flow directly to MDOT.

IV. The MPO Perspective

METROPLAN ORLANDO, the only tri-county MPO in the state of Florida, began in 1965 as the Orlando Urban Area Transportation Study. In 1977, it was formally designated as the Orlando Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Finally, in 1997, the MPO changed its name to METROPLAN ORLANDO to stress the importance of regional cooperation. METROPLAN ORLANDO is the regional transportation-planning forum for Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties.

METROPLAN Orlando's Mission: To provide leadership in planning and promoting a comprehensive intermodal surface transportation system that will provide for regional mobility, encourage a positive investment climate and foster sustainable development sensitive to community and natural resources.

Six years ago, METROPLAN ORLANDO underwent a corporate restructuring and is now governed by a board consisting of 19 voting (the maximum allowed under state law) and six non-voting members. FDOT serves on the board as a non-voting member. The board meets monthly. In addition to the board, the MPO maintains a staff of 18 people.

The entire Orlando region is considered one large travel market. The population within the three counties is 1.4 million, with an annual growth rate of three to four percent. Job growth outpaces population growth, and tourism and high tech industries locating in the area contribute significantly to the economy. With new industries locating in the area, the three counties are experiencing a net increase in the number of registered vehicles from 30,000 to 35,000 per year. Also, very important to the Orlando economy is the sheer number of guests traveling to the region, and the travel needs associated with such guests. For example, the market for rental cars in the Orlando region is the largest in the world.

The growth strategy for the region is to continue to diversify. METROPLAN ORLANDO works cooperatively with adjoining MPOs such as the Brevard MPO, home of Port Canaveral, which serves as an outlet to the sea for Orlando area passengers and freight. To support the board in its decision-making, METROPLAN ORLANDO has established several advisory boards, which meet monthly. These boards include: a Transportation Technical Committee, a Citizen's Advisory Committee (CAC), a Bicycle/Pedestrian Committee (BPAC), a Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board, and a newly created Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC). MAC is comprised of mayors from cities and towns in Central Florida that do not have direct representation on the board, as determined by population. The MAC was formed to strengthen ties with those municipalities and to ensure that their views are fully considered in the transportation decision-making process.

• Committees:
  
  The Citizen's Advisory Committee (CAC) is the primary mechanism for public involvement. The Committee consists of 32 members, who represent the citizens of the three METROPLAN ORLANDO counties. If a community has 5,000 people, it will have a representative on the Committee. Meetings are held monthly, and attendance averages 22 members per meeting. The CAC reviews and evaluates transportation plans and provides input to the METROPLAN ORLANDO board from the perspective of area citizens.
   
• Website:
  
  The MPO has redesigned the website to give it a new look. The website (www.metroplanorlando.com) provides the public with transportation information. There is an emphasis on providing links to partner organizations.
   
• Newsletter:
  
  METROPLAN ORLANDO publishes a quarterly newsletter, On the Move, which is distributed to homeowner associations, media, elected officials, chambers of commerce, and area businesses. The newsletter balances the different transportation modes and includes both recent survey results and announcements of upcoming workshops. Feedback from the public and contact information is included in each issue. The MPO stressed the importance of repeating its message as often as possible and making sure that this message gets out in a variety of publications.
   
• Coordination with the Business Community:
  
  The Orlando Chamber of Commerce newsletter reaches approximately 10,000 businesses, and includes a column on METROPLAN ORLANDO activities. METROPLAN ORLANDO also hosts business expos on regional transportation issues that are well attended and highly rated by the business community.
   
• Marketing for Public Involvement:
  
  METROPLAN ORLANDO undertakes a market research effort every other year with a particular emphasis on the business community.
   
• Media Relations:
  
  METROPLAN ORLANDO places great emphasis on developing relationships with local media outlets. It works diligently with the media to let people know about transportation issues. Television, followed by radio, provides the largest outlet to the general population.
   
• Community Events:
  
  METROPLAN ORLANDO sets up booths at community events and festivals in order to distribute general information on the planning process to the public. Staff manning the booths answer questions and solicit input. In addition, names and addresses acquired through such booths are added to METROPLAN ORLANDO 's mailing list.
   
• Speaking Engagements:
  
  METROPLAN ORLANDO makes presentations to various groups and civic organizations regarding regional transportation plans and programs.
   
• Outreach to Non-English Speakers:
  
  To help get information out to the region's large Hispanic population, METROPLAN ORLANDO produces and distributes a brochure in Spanish.
   
• Review of Best Practices by Peer Organizations:
  
  METROPLAN ORLANDO informally reviews best practices of other organizations and MPOs in an effort to improve its own outreach efforts. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (WASHCOG) is one such peer that METROPLAN ORLANDO routinely reviews.
   
• Public Hearings:
  
  Public hearings held at county Chambers of Commerce and recreational centers have been most successful in terms of attendance. With respect to outreach to minority populations and areas with smaller populations, public hearings have typically been held at church halls. Evening meetings are recommended. Other meeting times have not been as well attended. Public hearings are publicized through local public access television channels.
   
• Market Research:
  
  METROPLAN ORLANDO continuously researches innovative approaches to inform and involve the public in the transportation planning process. Every two years, the MPO employs an outside contractor to conduct a telephone survey and focus groups to help determine public perception regarding transportation issues and identify where the public gets its transportation information.
  
  The November 2001 survey identified the public's top three transportation priorities as 1) transportation for disadvantaged persons; 2) the need to solve transportation problems; and 3) the environment. METROPLAN ORLANDO wants to become more of a market research-oriented organization. As a result of the survey, transportation for the disadvantaged became a priority of the legislative agenda via Senate Bill 100 and House Bill 141.

Brevard County MPO

Brevard County is located on the central Atlantic coast of Florida and has been termed Florida's "Space Coast" because of the presence of Cape Canaveral within its borders. The MPO Board consists of 19 Brevard County elected officials, including County Commissioners, City Council and Commission members, and a representative from the Canaveral Port Authority. The Board holds monthly meetings, which are open to the public. The MPO employs seven staff persons, including a director, coordinators, a planner and support staff. The Brevard MPO also has several committees, subcommittees, and boards, including the following:

Brevard MPO's Transportation Goal: The Brevard MPO will provide for a comprehensive and coordinated transportation system that enables the safe, efficient, and economical movement of people and goods and that also promotes multimodal mobility and enhances the quality of life of the natural and built environments in the Brevard Area.

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) - 25 primarily technical members (planners, engineers, etc.) representing various local governments and transportation agencies.

Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) - 24 citizens from local communities interested in the transportation planning process.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) - 15 members representing various constituencies with an interest in bicycle and pedestrian issues, including law enforcement, education, recreation, local government, cyclists, and so on.

Growth Management Sub-Committee (GMSC) - local government and transportation agency staff members.

The MPO conducts numerous studies, in cooperation with FDOT, to identify local transportation requirements as well as projects to meet those requirements. Recent examples include the State Route A1A Corridor Study, the Causeway Vulnerability Study, and the Greenways and Trails Master Plan. The MPO also conducts coordination activities with FDOT, other regional transportation-related agencies, such as the Brevard County Publics Works Department and METROPLAN ORLANDO, and with local municipalities. The Brevard MPO also participates in the Central Florida MPO Alliance, which meets quarterly to discuss transportation and other planning issues affecting the Central Florida Region.

The Brevard MPO produces a number of technical and general publications. Examples include standard MPO work products, such as a Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), and a Public Involvement Plan (PIP). Other examples include a State of the System Report, Annual Report, traffic counts, legislative issues, school safety brochures and MPO general information brochures. The Brevard MPO also produces the Brevard Transportation Update, a quarterly newsletter that details the MPO's various activities and projects. Many of the above-mentioned publications are available on the MPO's website (www.brevardmpo.com).

Brevard Public Involvement Techniques

The Brevard MPO adopted its current Public Involvement Plan as well as a Public Involvement Handbook in 2000. According to the MPO, the Public Involvement Plan includes "descriptions of public involvement techniques used by the MPO and discusses the importance of evaluating those techniques for continuous improvement." The Brevard MPO also sponsors various bicycle and pedestrian educational programs as part of its community outreach efforts. Information is available on the MPO's website.

Hernando MPO

The Hernando County MPO was formed in 1992 and is located along the Gulf of Mexico 20 miles north of the urban area of Tampa. Hernando County has experienced and continues to experience rapid growth, which presents unique planning challenges. The county's population increased from 17,000 in 1970 to almost 131,000 in 2000 (the population of the entire Tampa bay area stands at approximately three million). The Hernando MPO policy board consists of six voting members, including all five Hernando County Commissioners and one Brooksville City Councilman. The Florida DOT District VII Secretary also serves on the board as a non-voting member. Board meetings are held monthly and are open to the public. The MPO has a staff of three persons plus a full time secretary. In addition to developing Hernando County's Transportation Improvement Program and other transportation plans, the MPO conducts bicycle, pedestrian, and traffic count studies, publishes an annual Citizens Transportation Survey, and responds to public inquiries.

Including the Hernando MPO, there are six MPOs in the seven-county region, which comprises the West Central Florida area. In the 1980s, the Tampa Bay area MPOs did not have a formal coordination process, which hindered the planning of some large-scale transportation projects. However, since 1983, the MPOs of the Tampa Bay area have formed, funded, and staffed a regional coordination process that has been effectively providing strong direction for transportation planning for the entire region. Much of this coordination effort has occurred within the framework of the West Central Florida Chairs' Coordinating Committee (CCC). In 2000, the Florida Legislature passed that expanded the geographic area and role of the CCC. Regional coordination continues to be an issue among Tampa area MPOs. Current efforts are underway to strengthen the regional coordination process, including expanded technical support and public involvement for the CCC's plans and programs.

Hernando Public Involvement Techniques

• Standing Committees

  In addition to the Board, the MPO has four standing committees, which contribute to the public involvement process. The Board appoints committee members. The standing committees are as follows:

  Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) - technically qualified representatives from public or semi-public agencies appointed for four-year terms.

  Citizens Advisory Committee - 11 citizens representing various communities appointed for four-year terms.

  Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) - 12 volunteers representing various constituencies.

  Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board (LCB) - 14 members representing various community and state agency constituencies.

• Public involvement is also fostered through public hearings, the publication of an MPO newsletter, and the operation of an MPO website. The MPO conducts consensus-building and environmental justice workshops to solicit greater public involvement in the planning process. The Hernando MPO also issues news releases in newsletters and on their website prior to each Board or committee meeting.

Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS)

Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS) was originally formed in 1965 as UATS (Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Urban Area Transportation Study). Each year, WATS establishes project priorities, which it submits to the Michigan Department of Transportation for consideration when the latter programs state transportation funds. In addition, WATS continually monitors the condition of the county's transportation system, including roads, bicycle and pedestrian paths, airports, and public transit. WATS has an annual budget of approximately $300,000 and is supported by three employees. Although WATS is a TMA, it is not an MPO. The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), is the MPO for the seven county region in southeast Michigan, which includes Washtenaw County.

The WATS Policy Committee consists of members from the following organizations:

• Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners
• Washtenaw County Metropolitan Planning Commission
• Washtenaw County Road Commission
• Ann Arbor Transportation Authority
• Cities of Ann Arbor, Saline and Ypsilanti
• Villages of Barton Hills, Chelsea and Dexter
• Ann Arbor, Pittsfield, Scio, Superior, and Ypsilanti townships
• Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)

The TMA produces work products that are very similar to those of an MPO, including a Long Range Transportation Plan, a Unified Work Program, and a Transportation Improvement Program. However, various air quality requirements that apply to an MPO do not apply.

WATS Public Information Techniques

• Brochures

  One of WATS' innovative initiatives to provide the public with information has been a series of transportation planning oriented brochures developed and produced in-house at WATS. These brochures simplify the complex transportation funding programs by outlining each funding category with easy to understand descriptions. To date, three brochures have been produced:

  Transit Funding Opportunities

  This brochure summarizes the major transit federal and state funding programs available. In addition, the brochure explains how planning funds for transit flow from the federal level to the Michigan Department of Transportation and pass through SEMCOG to the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) and the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Urban Area Transportation Study Committee (UATS). A list of area transit providers is also included.

  Alternative Transportation Funding Opportunities

  This brochure summarizes some of the public and private funding sources available for non-motorized transportation and/or recreation facilities. Where available, information provided includes: description/origin, eligibility requirements, funding amounts, distribution process, and information contacts.

  Transportation Funding Opportunities

  This brochure summarizes the major transportation funding programs available through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) and the State of Michigan. Where available, information provided includes: program description/origin, eligibility requirements, funding amounts, funding distribution process, and examples.

  Additional brochures to be developed include: Planning of a Federally Funded Transportation Project and a series of Rights and Responsibilities brochures for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

  SEMCOG also publishes and distributes a 35-page pamphlet entitled A Citizens' Guide to Transportation Planning in Southeast Michigan. The pamphlet describes SEMCOG's activities and instructs citizens on how they can become involved in the transportation planning process in Southeast Michigan. It describes funding sources and expenditures on transportation-related projects, provides examples of such projects, discusses public comment opportunities and SEMCOG's public outreach activities, and provides an extensive glossary of transportation planning terms.

• Newsletter

  WATS publishes The Vehicle, a quarterly newsletter that provides information on WATS' transportation planning activities and projects. It includes information on transportation-related topics, including county construction projects, with a brief description of each project and a supplementary map.

• Public Television

  Advertising through this method has been relatively unsuccessful, most likely due to the fact that public television is based in Detroit rather than in Ann Arbor.

• Citizens Planning Course

  A course is offered at Michigan State University and covers basic planning and zoning topics. However, transportation is not included in the curriculum.

• Public Meetings

  In addition to the public meetings conducted by the MPO (SEMCOG), WATS holds its own meetings with regard to its transportation planning documents. Copies of the Long Range Transportation Plan are distributed to all area libraries. Forms provided with each copy of the plan allow for public comment. WATS also makes presentations to community groups.

WATS does not employ formal strategies to evaluate public involvement, but relies on duplicating what has been successful in the past. For example, WATS has learned from past experience that the most popular times for holding public meetings are during the afternoon or evening. The local EPA office, located in Ann Arbor, reviews and comments on the public involvement process. Michigan recently passed legislation establishing a comprehensive planning process similar to that contained in Florida's 1975 Comprehensive Planning Act (updated in 1985).

V. Regional Cooperation

Initiatives to foster regional cooperation are taking place in both Michigan and Florida. In West Michigan, people tend to identify more with the town they live in rather than the larger area. The West Michigan Strategic Alliance (WMSA), composed of area business and community leaders, was launched as a regional planning effort for the greater Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Holland areas to try to identify and/or establish a regional outlook in the area of planning. The purpose of the WMSA was to create a 25-year vision for the West Michigan area. One of WMSA's first tasks is the production of a sourcebook for use by both the media and the general public. The sourcebook will provide a snapshot of West Michigan, focusing on its strengths, weaknesses and interconnections. The sourcebook is intended both to help create a shared regional mindset to foster cooperation and to facilitate a more holistic approach to planning. Ten Essential Activities Committees, comprised of persons from throughout the region, will meet regularly to discuss issues pertaining to their respective activities, e.g. economic development, infrastructure, etc. The point was made that regional coordination such as that advocated by the WMSA, is relatively unproblematic. However, once areas get into the specifics ("the nuts and bolts") of regional coordination, more conflicts are likely to emerge. The question was also raised as to who will "catch the ball" after the consultants assisting in regional cooperation initiatives are gone.

In Central Florida, regional leaders have founded an initiative entitled myregion.org, with the goal of fostering the coordination of regional planning. Like the West Michigan Strategic Alliance, myregion.org strives to create a new regional mentality by developing public awareness of the issues affecting Central Florida. The initiative encompasses seven counties (Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia). Funding comes from a combination of governmental and private sector sources. Similar to WMSA, an important step in the process is collecting information and developing a sourcebook describing how the region fits into the larger picture of the global economy. A review of myregion.org literature does not describe any public involvement component. Neither WMSA nor myregion.org discusses any community involvement beyond possible membership on task forces or committees, which is obviously limited. Further, no public meetings or hearings of any kind are mentioned. Both initiatives appear to be driven from the top down.

In terms of the coordination of formal planning, two regional initiatives stand out in Florida. The Central Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Alliance is a coalition of transportation organizations committed to addressing transportation challenges on a regional basis. The Alliance is comprised of representatives from METROPLAN ORLANDO, the Volusia County MPO, the Brevard MPO, the Polk Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), and the Lake County Board of County Commissioners. The impetus for the formation of the Central Florida MPO Alliance was the realization that the market affecting individual MPOs is larger than any MPO's geographic area, thus cooperation and coordination among MPOs is essential in order for planning to be effective. The Alliance has been in existence for two years.. It continues to evolve and, like any relationship, cooperation among the MPOs takes time and effort. Three elected officials from the Lake County Board of County Commissioners serve on the board even though Lake County is not yet an MPO. The Alliance holds quarterly meetings. Decisions eventually go to the boards of the member MPOs for discussion.

In West Central Florida, six MPOs have formed the West Central Florida Chairs Coordinating Committee (CCC), for the purpose of coordinating regional transportation projects (see Florida Statute 339.175 (5) h). The CCC is made up of the chairs of its six member MPOs (Hernando County MPO, Hillsborough County MPO, Pasco County MPO, Pinellas County MPO, Polk TPO, and Sarasota/Manatee MPO), along with the regional FDOT District Secretaries and the Regional Planning Councils, which serve as non-voting members. The CCC holds quarterly meetings, which are open to the public. Staff directors from the member MPOs meet every two weeks. Each MPO in the CCC has its own public involvement program, as well as a Citizens Advisory Committee to promote public involvement. A Joint Citizens Advisory Committee, comprised of individuals from the Hillsborough and Pinellas County MPO's Citizens Advisory Committees, advises the Chairs' Coordinating Committee.

A common theme among all the regional initiatives discussed above is the recognition that regions share common interests and concerns. As a result, effective planning often requires coordination across city, county, and MPO boundaries. Both organizations and individual citizens need to develop a regional mindset.

VI. Highlights/Lessons Learned

• Establish general and specialized citizen committees.

  All three of the Florida Peer Exchange participants have made citizen committees a crucial part of their public involvement process. Such committees can be general in nature, such as citizens advisory committees, which are normally comprised of representatives from area communities and provide general input from the perspective of residents. All three Florida MPOs also sponsor specialized committees, such as Bicycle/Pedestrian Committees and Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Boards, to address the needs of particular constituencies. Committee meetings are typically held monthly. Regional associations of MPOs also have joint Citizens Advisory Committees to provide public input into regional transportation planning issues.

• Create and distribute public information publications.

  All of the Peer Exchange participants attending the program publish some sort of MPO newsletter discussing MPO activities and the results of surveys, local transportation studies, etc. Most of the MPOs also publish various brochures providing information about the MPO itself or about the transportation planning and funding processes. SEMCOG publishes a very useful pamphlet guiding citizens through the transportation planning process. METROPLAN ORLANDO noted the importance of providing brochures in Spanish in areas with large Hispanic communities. All the MPOs make their work products such as TIPs and Long Range Transportation Plans available to the public. WATS noted that it distributes its Long Range Transportation Plan to area libraries along with public comment forms.

• Go into the community.

  METROPLAN ORLANDO , in particular, emphasized proactive measures to get its message out, including making presentations to civic groups, hosting sessions for the business community, setting up booths at community events, soliciting names and addresses for its mailing list, and partnering with other local organizations to promote public awareness of transportation issues. In terms of public hearings, METROPLAN ORLANDO makes a point of holding such hearings at convenient times and locations in order to solicit as large a turnout as possible. Special attention is paid to holding hearings in locations that are convenient to traditionally underserved groups.

• Use electronic media.

  Most of the MPOs and regional MPO associations have websites. Some of the websites are basic, while others provide extensive information of local planning activities as well as other transportation-related information and hyperlinks to print publications and partner organizations. Some of the larger MPOs utilize other media outlets, such as television and radio. WATS noted the importance of making sure that the media utilized reach the right target audience (e.g., advertising on public television was unsuccessful because it did not reach the right viewers). METROPLAN ORLANDO emphasized the importance of working with and developing relationships with local media outlets. The Hernando MPO noted its practice of issuing press releases to relevant media outlets prior to each MPO Board or committee meeting. METROPLAN ORLANDO publicizes public hearings through local public access television channels.

• Sponsor education.

  Several of the MPOs participating in the Peer Exchange foster public involvement by sponsoring various educational programs. Such educational programs either pertain to the planning process, such as the Citizen Planning Course offered at Michigan State University or the environmental justice and other workshops conducted by the Hernando MPO, or else involve local transportation or safety issues, such as the bicycle and pedestrian educational programs held by the Brevard MPO.

• Conduct market research.

  Several of the participating MPOs conduct market research, such as written surveys, telephone surveys and focus groups, to gain insight into public perception regarding transportation issues. Such market research can focus either on citizens or the business community. The results of such market research are typically published.

• Evaluate public involvement programs and techniques.

  The Brevard MPO, in particular, emphasized that effective public involvement requires active planning and that public involvement programs and techniques need to be periodically evaluated and improved. Other MPOs, such as WATS, indicated that they do not formally evaluate public involvement techniques, but rather rely on techniques that have been successful in the past. METROPLAN ORLANDO noted that it reviews and tries to learn from the best practices of other MPOs. Each year, the Hernando County MPO formally reviews the effectiveness of its public involvement strategies, and modifies its public involvement action plan as required.

VII. For More Information

Useful Links:

1. Brevard County Public Involvement Plan

   http://www.brevardmpo.com/publications/pdf%20files/PIP%2011-00.pdf

2. Brevard County Public Involvement Evaluation Handbook

   http://www.brevardmpo.com/publications/pdf%20files/handbook.pdf

3. Central Florida MPO Alliance

   http://www.metroplanorlando.com/cfmpoa/index.htm

4. Hernando County Metropolitan Planning Organization

   http://www.co.hernando.fl.us/plan/mpo/INDEX.HTM

5. METROPLAN Orlando

   http://www.metroplanorlando.com/

6. Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS) Brochures

   http://www.miwats.org/brochures/brochure.htm

7. West Central Florida Mobility Chairs Coordinating Committee (CCC)

   http://www.cccmobility.org/images/cccbroch.pdf

8. Western Michigan Strategic Alliance, The Common Framework

   http://www.wm-alliance.org/Brix?pageID=26