Implementation of Active Design: Opportunities in Transportation Policies & Plans May 2011 Gary Toth Director of Transportation Initiatives Project for Public Spaces Fit New Orleans May 14, 2011
34 years at the New Jersey Department of Transportation Currently Director of Transportation Initiatives at PPS Invested career in helping communities get what they want 2
Who are the transportation agencies and when should I engage them? 3
Components of Planning and Project Delivery Process Steps Planning and Programming (Conceiving) Project Development (Scoping) Design (Defining/Refining) Property Acquistion (Clearing the Way) Construction (Implementing) 4
Decisionmaking Progression Planning & Programming Project Development Final Design & Property Acquisition Many ideas, little detail Decision screens Construction A single, welldefined outcome 5
Decisionmaking Progression Planning & Programming Project Development Final Design & Property Acquisition ID problems and needs ID costs ID potential solutions Begin to prioritize investment Which corridors & regions? Freeways vs transit vs bike/ped Performance measures are key Historically auto-oriented Land use planning? Construction 6
Decisionmaking Progression Planning & Programming Short term financial plan/ledger Project Development Final Design & Property Acquisition MPOs responsible for federal MPOs plan = Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) DOT prepares State TIP (STIP) DOT prepares annual Capital Plan Construction 7
Decisionmaking Progression Planning & Programming Project Development Final Design & Property Acquisition Concepts become projects Scope of work defined Almost always DOTs (highways) Transit agencies for transit Focus on project, not broad issues Best time to intervene on details Construction 8
Who Are the Players? Federal Agencies Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) Regional Planning Organizations (RPOs) State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) Transit Agencies (TAs) Local Government 9
Who Are the Players? Federal The Agencies USDOT Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Their Roles Conduits for funds allocated by Congress Implement regulations and oversight Only 21% of actual transportation $ invested Footprint bigger than 21% because used for big, interjurisdictional projects 10
Who Are the Players? MPOs 384 MPOs The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962 Urbanized areas over 50,000 Continuing, comprehensive, cooperative - 3Cs Plans & TIPs Wide range of complexities and structures Some are very open to citizen involvement 11
MPO Makeup Best place!! Board Technical Staff Committees Local elected officials Some state agencies DOTs always have a seat Full time staff: Transportation Planners Some Land Use Planners Financial Specialists Public Involvement Permanent & Ad Hoc Planning Economic Development Safety Project Prioritization 12
Who Are the Players? Rural and Regional Planning Organizations Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) formed through a voluntary association of local governments may or may not house an MPO if not an MPO, then funded by state In rural areas, sometimes called Rural Planning Organizations 13
Who Are the Players? State DOTs All states have a DOT Some have a state highway agencies as well Their Roles Design, build & maintain state and federal facilities Prepare statewide transportation plan and transportation improvement program Responsible for areas outside of MPO jurisdiction Work closely with MPOs... in theory States provide 51% of transportation funding 14
Who Are the Players? Transit Agencies 6,500 providers - Approximately 1,500 bus - 5,760 paratransit services - 200 provide rail services + other services 15
Who Are the Players? Transit Agency Functions Operations Planning (simple operating to regional systems planning) Project Development Design Property Acquisition Construction/Build 16
Who Are the Players? Local Local versus state transportation system Local streets make up 81% of the national system Locals provide 28% of transportation funding, mostly for smaller projects Most of the walking environment encountered by AARP members is shaped at the local level State subdivision standards often the culprit 17
Who Are the Players? Local Large Cities 18
Who Are the Players? Locals Most Muncipalities No Transportation Department or Transportation Element in their Master Plan 19
What Active Transportation projects look like 20
Street design that supports all modes Complete Streets AARP Bulletin
Street design that supports all modes Appropriate widths vs On Street Parking Too!
Street design that supports all modes Sidewalks vs Simply providing them is a start Quality Sidewalks that are Places Too
Street design that supports all modes Intersections Pedestrian-oriented curb radius Vehicle-oriented curb radius A tighter curb radius favors pedestrian safety and mobility; A wider curb radius facilitates vehicular movements
Street design that supports all modes Quality Pedestrian Crossings 25
Street design that supports all modes Quality Pedestrian Crossings 26
Street design that supports all modes Quality Pedestrian Crossings 27
Street design that supports all modes Create Streets That Are Places Harvard Square Area Broadway, Manhattan 16th Street Mall Denver Burlington Vermont
Well connected and balanced networks Shorten trips Slide courtesy of Glatting Jackson
Well connected and balanced networks Support Context Sensitive Streets
Well connected and balanced networks Include Transit Service 26
Land use to support mobility & accessibility goals Mixed land use shortens trips and enables transit, biking and walking 32
Land use to support mobility & accessibility goals Mixed land use shortens trips and enables transit, biking and walking Slide courtesy of Glatting Jackson
Gary Toth 609-397-3885 Gary.Toth@mac.com