Transcript Transportation and the Role of the Planner Civil Engineering 451/551 Fall Semester 2008 Presented by: Phil Mescher, AICP Office of Systems Planning, Iowa Department of.

Transportation and the Role of the Planner
Civil Engineering 451/551
Fall Semester 2008
Presented by:
Phil Mescher, AICP
Office of Systems Planning, Iowa Department of Transportation
Des Moines, Iowa
Purpose of Today’s Presentation
• Overview of the Role the DOT plays
• Discuss Jurisdiction over Transportation Infrastructure
• Discuss System Performance Measures
• Tour the DOT Organizational Structure
• Define the Steps in the Statewide Planning Process
• Cover the Planners Role in Transportation
• Discuss Areas of Planning Expertise
• Job Requirements and Opportunities
Role of the State DOT
• The State Department of
Transportation is responsible for the
overall connectivity of all modes of
transportation in the state, even if the
DOT does not have direct jurisdiction
Highways-- Jurisdiction
•
•
•
•
State Highway System
County Road System
City Road System
Federal Aid System
– State
– City
– County
DOT Covers All Modes
•
•
•
•
•
Highway
Rail
Aviation
Transit
Water
Iowa Facts
Iowa has:
• 114,194 miles of roads
9,393 maintained by the DOT
79% of the roads are county roads
Roughly 30,000 miles are paved (35%)
13th highest in the nation
• 24,598 bridges
5th highest in nation
DOT Organization
• Governor
• Transportation Commission
– (7 Members appointed by Governor)
• DOT Director
– General Counsel
• 5 Divisions
–
–
–
–
–
Highway Division
Information Technology
Planning, Programming, Modal
Motor Vehicle
Operations and Finance
• 6 Transportation Districts
Statewide Planning
• The purpose of statewide
transportation planning is to outline
strategic investments in facilities and
services that are necessary to meet
expected future deficiencies and to
identify the operational and
technological changes in the
existing network that will improve
transportation service.
Definition of Statewide
Planning
• Statewide Multimodal Transportation Planning is
the process of identifying the most cost-effective
and appropriate set of transportation strategies
that will provide a DESIRED LEVEL OF
PERFORMANCE for the state’s transportation
system in relation to a set of desired goals and
outcomes, thus helping the state meet the needs
of its citizens and of those dependent upon the
state’s products for their livelihood
Iowa Goal
• The transportation goal of
Iowa is to provide and
preserve adequate safe, and
efficient, transportation
services based on the use by
and benefits to the public.
Performance Measures
• Highways
– V/C ratio, minutes of delay, crashes/hmm
• Transit
– passengers/vehicle hour, operating ratio
(revenue/cost)
• Airports
– Airside, landside, terminal
System performance is the ultimate test --quality
of life, environmental quality
Iowa Policies
1. Address user needs and
maximize the economic and
social benefits for Iowa
2. Provide a participatory planning
process
3. Encourage and support
programs to provide
commodity movement and
mobility for all citizens
4. Develop, promote, administer,
and enforce just and equitable
procedures for the registration,
regulation,and operation of
motor vehicles, aircraft, and
common carriers of
passengers and freight
5. Promote financing the
system through user and
non-user sources
6. Administer the land and
resources under the
State’s jurisdiction in a
manner that protects the
rights of individuals and
considers the effects on
the environment
7. Promote a transportation
research and technology
transfer program to
develop and improve
services, methods, and
materials.
Statewide Transportation
Plan
• Focus on needs
that concern the
state
• Include all
modes
• Financial
Resources
• Coordinated and
Integrated
• Shared and consistent data
collection strategy
• Common set of assumptions
• Common performance
measures
• Each plan should serve as
input to others
• Formal public participation
process
• Relate all plans to realistic
financial strategies
Statewide Transportation
Improvement Plan
• Capital projects (highways, bridges,
buses) and operating projects
(transit operating) that require
federal funding
• “Regionally significant projects” must
be in
• Must be financially constrained
• Must maintain performance levels
Information in a STIP
•
•
•
•
•
•
Project description
Estimated cost
Federal funds by year and category
Non-federal match for year 1
Responsible agency
Air Quality conformity -- for nonattainment areas
Steps in Statewide
Planning
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Vision, Goals, and Objectives
Performance, Linkages, and Deficiencies
Identify Issues
Identify and Analyze Alternatives
Financial Planning and Programming
System Monitoring
Traffic Forecasting/Modeling
The Transportation
Planner
• Can fill a multitude of roles to
aid in reaching goals
• Entry Level Planner
• Senior Level Planner
• Office/Division Head
The Transportation Planner
• Education Requirements
– Bachelor’s Degree
•
•
•
•
•
Planning
Engineering
Accounting
Geography
Economics
The Transportation Planner
• Job Responsibilities
– General Planning
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Write Plans
Economic Analysis
Policy Analysis
Grant Writing/Administration
Financial
Environmental/ NEPA
Modal
Public Involvement
– Technical
•
•
•
•
•
•
Travel Demand Modeling
Traffic Forecasting
Pavement Analysis
GIS
Air Quality
Safety
The Transportation Planner
•
•
•
•
•
•
District Transportation Planner
Liaison with Locals
Public Meetings
Project Coordination
Public Speaking!
Meetings
The Transportation Planner
(outside the DOT)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Consulting
FHWA/US DOT
Metropolitan Planning Organization
Regional Planning Affiliation
University Research/Education
City/County
Other Governmental Entities
– Census Bureau
Transportation Areas of
Knowledge
• This is a list of areas of interest
where a transportation planner
should be knowledgeable.
Planning Process
• Metropolitan, Regional and Statewide
Planning Process
– LRTP, TIP, UPWP, PTDP
• Legislation (SAFETEA-LU)
• Funding Mechanisms
– Gas Tax, registration, bonding, tolls
– (Time 21)
• Federal Funding Flowcharts/STP/TE
Distribution
Planning Process
• Programming
– TIP/STIP/5-year program
• Grant Administration
• NEPA
– CE, EA(FONSI), EIS(ROD)
• Systems
–
–
–
–
–
FFC
F2M
NHS
Interstate
CIN
Planning Process
• Modal
–
–
–
–
–
Bike/Ped
Rail
Transit
Highway
Water
• Planning Boundaries
– Urbanized Area (Census)
– Urban Area (FHWA)
– Planning Area (Local)
Planning Process
• Data
– Census
• CTPP
– Survey
• NHTS
• NPTS
– Reebie/Transearch
– REMI
Planning Process
• Traffic Forecasting/Modeling
• System Monitoring
– Traffic Count Program
• Geographic Information Systems
– Cartography/Map Making
• Engineering Basics/Terminology
• Traffic Impact Studies
• Interchange Justification
Planning Process
• Safety Analysis
– Crash Data
• Asset Management
– Pavements/Infrastructure
• Access Management
• Land Use and Development
• Real Estate Basics
Planning Process
•
•
•
•
•
•
Civil Rights
Title VI – Discrimination
Impact on the Human Environment
Environmental Justice
DBE/On Job Training
JARC
Questions?
Contact Information:
Phil Mescher, AICP
Office of Systems Planning
Iowa Department of Transportation
515-239-1629
[email protected]