July 30, 2004

Summary of Meeting on Statewide Planning Capacity Building
On October 24-25, 2002 in Chicago, Illinois

Staff from FHWA and FTA, AASHTO and a cross-section of State DOTs met for facilitated discussions in Chicago October 24-25, 2002 to discuss planning capacity building in Statewide, multimodal transportation planning.

Goals for the meeting:

• Initiate a dialogue among partners on immediate and longer-term needs, priorities, and approach; and
• Identify stakeholders who will support capacity building in the Statewide, multimodal planning process.

The point of departure: Planning Capacity Building is an integrated FTA-FHWA program that

• Coordinates resources efficiently to benefit metropolitan, statewide, and other constituencies, while meeting the unique needs of each group.
• Focuses on short-term, high priority needs, while not losing sight of larger complex issues.

Statewide Planning Capacity needs and approaches:

• Contribute to improving the relevance of transportation planning for decision-making, demonstrating to decision-makers and the public impacts on daily life.
• Focus on expectations under TEA-21 and reauthorization, but expand to emphasize how states, metropolitan areas and others can cooperate to improve planning technically and institutionally.
• Focus on state DOT concerns about staffing -- levels, training and experience.
• Develop a clearinghouse or "center for excellence" to provide a single accessible source for high quality planning information and tools.
• Examples of State Planning Capacity Building activities:
  • Kentucky - State, MPOs and transit meet every four months to discuss topics and concerns.
  • Montana - Developing distance based learning program with George Mason University
  • Florida - Public Involvement Tool Kit.
• The group discussed topics, including (not in priority order):
  • Multimodal and intermodal planning
  • Economic development, smart growth and transportation
  • Freight planning
  • Safety, security, and emergency preparedness
  • Analysis tools (data, performance measures, models, GIS)
  • Integrated planning - energy and environmental Planning (NEPA, Civil Rights Title VI, etc.)
  • Public involvement and consensus building
  • Performance measures
  • Institutional and organizational roles and responsibilities

Next steps toward a new initiative: Meeting participants suggested

• Distributing this summary then holding a follow-up conference call with the meeting participants.
• Gaining input from State DOTs (with AASHTO Committee on Planning as key resource), FHWA/FTA field staff and others on
  • Capacity building needs in Statewide planning,
  • Current examples of State planning capacity building activities,
  • Level of State interest in the FHWA-FTA initiative
• After gaining insights on needs from other State DOTs and interested parties, follow up in 2003 with a draft work plan and scope.
• Meeting with State DOTs and other stakeholders on the planning capacity building work plan and scope possibly concurrent with TRB/AASHTO meetings in May 2003.
• At a later stage, expanding participation to other stakeholders interested in Statewide planning.

Participants in Statewide Planning Capacity Building Meeting

Meeting Staff

William Lyons, Project Manager
USDOT/Volpe Center

Kathy Stein, Facilitator
Howard/Stein-Hudson