Trends in Rural Transportation Planning John Marshall Western Piedmont Council of Governments Hickory, NC.

Trends in Rural Trends in Rural Transportation PlanningTransportation Planning

John MarshallJohn Marshall

Western Piedmont Council of Western Piedmont Council of GovernmentsGovernments

Hickory, NCHickory, NC

►Regional-level rural transportation planning Regional-level rural transportation planning began after ISTEA in 1991began after ISTEA in 1991

►2003 FHWA/FTA planning regulations2003 FHWA/FTA planning regulations►Today, no federal requirement for sub-state Today, no federal requirement for sub-state

non-metro planning, but trend of using non-metro planning, but trend of using RPOs is growingRPOs is growing

Rural Transportation Rural Transportation PlanningPlanning

States with at least one RPO shown in dark blue

States with at least one RPO shown in dark blue

►No single RPO structureNo single RPO structure

►Varied responsibilities and funding Varied responsibilities and funding

levelslevels►Many housed in and staffed by Many housed in and staffed by

Economic Development Districts, Economic Development Districts, Councils of Government, or Councils of Government, or Regional Planning CommissionsRegional Planning Commissions

Rural Transportation Rural Transportation PlanningPlanning

►Assist State DOT with conducting Assist State DOT with conducting rural local official consultationrural local official consultation

►Assist State DOT with public Assist State DOT with public outreachoutreach

►Coordinate transportation priorities Coordinate transportation priorities with economic development goalswith economic development goals

Common RPO TasksCommon RPO Tasks

►Coordinated Human Services Coordinated Human Services Transportation PlanningTransportation Planning Data gatheringData gathering Mapping over- and underserved areasMapping over- and underserved areas Developing strategies to provide mobility Developing strategies to provide mobility

options with wide range of partnersoptions with wide range of partners Meeting federal requirements for 5310, Meeting federal requirements for 5310,

5311, JARC, New Freedom programs5311, JARC, New Freedom programs

►Collaborating with Neighboring RegionsCollaborating with Neighboring Regions

Common RPO TasksCommon RPO Tasks

► Rural Safety PlanningRural Safety Planning Strategic Highway Safety PlansStrategic Highway Safety Plans Addressing rural traffic fatalitiesAddressing rural traffic fatalities Mapping crash locationsMapping crash locations

► Adapting to and Mitigating Environmental ImpactsAdapting to and Mitigating Environmental Impacts Responding to stronger AQ standardsResponding to stronger AQ standards

Climate changeClimate change

Future of transportation energyFuture of transportation energy

Common RPO TasksCommon RPO Tasks

►►Established in June 2006 by the NADO Established in June 2006 by the NADO Board of DirectorsBoard of Directors

►►Program affiliate of NADO consisting of all Program affiliate of NADO consisting of all existing dues-paying members of NADOexisting dues-paying members of NADO

►►Serves as the national professional Serves as the national professional association for rural transportation association for rural transportation planners, practitioners and stakeholdersplanners, practitioners and stakeholders

RPO Resources: RPO AmericaRPO Resources: RPO America

►Provide information, education, peer Provide information, education, peer networking and research services for rural networking and research services for rural transportation planners and stakeholderstransportation planners and stakeholders

►Serve as national clearinghouse and forum Serve as national clearinghouse and forum for exchange of information on for exchange of information on transportation issues impacting rural transportation issues impacting rural regionsregions

►Create opportunities for peer learning, Create opportunities for peer learning, including through national and regional including through national and regional conferences, reports and online conferences, reports and online communicationscommunications

Purpose and DutiesPurpose and Duties

►Consists of all existing dues-paying Consists of all existing dues-paying members of NADO without additional members of NADO without additional charge charge

►Each NADO member is allowed to Each NADO member is allowed to designate a “point-of-contact” to designate a “point-of-contact” to receive RPO America information and receive RPO America information and communicationscommunications

►Target Audience: Rural Planning Staff Target Audience: Rural Planning Staff and/or Related Professional Staffand/or Related Professional Staff

Membership StructureMembership Structure

Center for Transportation Center for Transportation Advancement & Regional Advancement & Regional

DevelopmentDevelopment►Established under Sec. 5504 of Established under Sec. 5504 of

2005AFETEA-LU Four-year 2005AFETEA-LU Four-year cooperative agreement with FHWAcooperative agreement with FHWA

►MISSION:MISSION: Provide research, training Provide research, training and professional resources aimed at and professional resources aimed at enhancing the transportation networks enhancing the transportation networks of small metro and rural regions to of small metro and rural regions to support their economic support their economic competitiveness and growthcompetitiveness and growth

►National Rural Transportation Peer National Rural Transportation Peer Learning Conference, October 28 – Learning Conference, October 28 – 30, 2009, Savannah, GA30, 2009, Savannah, GA

►Special ReportsSpecial Reports►NADO’s Rural Transportation NADO’s Rural Transportation

Listserv and Web site, Listserv and Web site, RuralTransportation.orgRuralTransportation.org

ResourcesResources

NC RPO OverviewNC RPO Overview

► RPOs formed through legislative action in RPOs formed through legislative action in 2000 in response to federal requirements to 2000 in response to federal requirements to address rural concernsaddress rural concerns

► RPOs represent all or part of 78 counties in NCRPOs represent all or part of 78 counties in NC► NC is rapidly urbanizing - but still rural in NC is rapidly urbanizing - but still rural in

many areas of the statemany areas of the state► RPOs provide link between local priorities and RPOs provide link between local priorities and

statewide transportation planning processstatewide transportation planning process► RPOs facilitate communication between RPOs facilitate communication between

NCDOT and rural counties and municipalities NCDOT and rural counties and municipalities through their TCC and TAC meetingsthrough their TCC and TAC meetings

Areas RepresentedAreas Represented►Contiguous Areas of three to fifteen Contiguous Areas of three to fifteen

CountiesCounties Must have at least 50,000 population Must have at least 50,000 population

according to Office of State Planningaccording to Office of State Planning Metropolitan Planning Organizations areas Metropolitan Planning Organizations areas

shall not be includedshall not be included Not all Municipalities in a proposed RPO must Not all Municipalities in a proposed RPO must

join the organization but the County must be join the organization but the County must be a member in the RPO.a member in the RPO.

StructureStructure

►Planning Work Program based on MPOPlanning Work Program based on MPO work program and prospectus work program and prospectus

structurestructure►Local and State funding sources only Local and State funding sources only ►NCDOT – 80%; Local – 20%NCDOT – 80%; Local – 20%►$100,000 Average$100,000 Average

How many are there?How many are there?There are twenty organized RPO’s throughout North Carolina.There are twenty organized RPO’s throughout North Carolina.

Isothermal RPO Isothermal RPO High Country RPO High Country RPO Lake Norman RPOLake Norman RPO Northwest Piedmont RPONorthwest Piedmont RPO Piedmont Triad RPO Piedmont Triad RPO Eastern CarolinaEastern Carolina RPORPO Down East RPODown East RPO Southwestern RPOSouthwestern RPO Albermarle RPOAlbermarle RPO Kerr-Tar RPOKerr-Tar RPO

Upper Coastal Plain RPO Upper Coastal Plain RPO Rocky River RPO Rocky River RPO Triangle Area RPOTriangle Area RPO Lumber River RPOLumber River RPO Mid-East RPOMid-East RPO Peanut Belt RPOPeanut Belt RPO Land-of-Sky RPOLand-of-Sky RPO Mid-Carolina RPOMid-Carolina RPO Cape Fear RPOCape Fear RPO Unifour RPOUnifour RPO

Rural Planning Organization Rural Planning Organization Four Core DutiesFour Core Duties

► Developing long range local and regional transportation Developing long range local and regional transportation plans.plans.

► Providing a forum for public participation in the Providing a forum for public participation in the transportation planning process.transportation planning process.

► Developing and prioritizing projects the organization Developing and prioritizing projects the organization believes should be included in the TIP.believes should be included in the TIP.

► Providing transportation related information to local Providing transportation related information to local governments.governments.

These are the core duties that must be provided but theThese are the core duties that must be provided but the

organization is not limited to only these and can provideorganization is not limited to only these and can provide

other dutiesother duties

NC RPO Work ProgramsNC RPO Work Programs

►Deliverables Are Required By NCDOTDeliverables Are Required By NCDOT Maps Maps Traffic countsTraffic counts Public outreach materialsPublic outreach materials TIP project priority listTIP project priority list Transportation Plan priority listTransportation Plan priority list Meeting agendas/minutesMeeting agendas/minutes Planning documentsPlanning documents CTP dataCTP data

Primary RolesPrimary Roles

►Develop and communicate local Develop and communicate local priorities to NCDOTpriorities to NCDOT

►Provide comments on the STIPProvide comments on the STIP►Conduct local community and public Conduct local community and public

involvement activitiesinvolvement activities►Assist in, and/or develop CTPs in Assist in, and/or develop CTPs in

coordination with NCDOTcoordination with NCDOT►Prioritize CTP study needs for the regionPrioritize CTP study needs for the region

Primary RolesPrimary Roles

►Provide support to the project development Provide support to the project development process through local input, data and Serve process through local input, data and Serve as a key stakeholder in the development, as a key stakeholder in the development, implementation and update of the STP implementation and update of the STP

►Provide overall needs to NCDOT for use in Provide overall needs to NCDOT for use in preparing STIP updatespreparing STIP updates

►Provide feedback on pending policy issues Provide feedback on pending policy issues that affect all partnersthat affect all partners

►Conduct, partner or request specific studiesConduct, partner or request specific studies

CoordinationCoordination

► There has been coordination between RPOs and There has been coordination between RPOs and MPOsMPOs Serve on each other’s boardsServe on each other’s boards More highway corridor planning consistency between More highway corridor planning consistency between

rural and urban areas (major purpose of strategic rural and urban areas (major purpose of strategic highway corridor system identified by NCDOT)highway corridor system identified by NCDOT)

After 2010 Census expansion of MPOs will be smooth After 2010 Census expansion of MPOs will be smooth because of RPO project planning and prioritizationbecause of RPO project planning and prioritization

Annual MPO/RPO ConferenceAnnual MPO/RPO Conference NCDOT StudyNCDOT Study

RPO AssociationRPO Association

► Network of RPO PlannersNetwork of RPO Planners► Quarterly meetings Quarterly meetings ► Subcommittees: Legislative, Subcommittees: Legislative,

GISGIS► Professional and educational Professional and educational networknetwork► Work with MPO AssociationWork with MPO Association

Funding WebsiteFunding Website

► Worked for more than a year to develop a Worked for more than a year to develop a database of mostly non-TIP transportation database of mostly non-TIP transportation funding options and projects in North Carolina funding options and projects in North Carolina

► The goal was to create a brochure of all of The goal was to create a brochure of all of these programs and sources, with contacts these programs and sources, with contacts and application forms for local staff and and application forms for local staff and elected officials to useelected officials to use

► Became more complex and comprehensive it Became more complex and comprehensive it because apparent that a strategy to guide because apparent that a strategy to guide users to the appropriate information was users to the appropriate information was neededneeded

► Website was developedWebsite was developed► www.nctransportationanswers.org

Key IssuesKey Issues

►Where will the future money it come Where will the future money it come from? Administrative section of the from? Administrative section of the highway trust fundhighway trust fund

►Initially funded for five years. NC Initially funded for five years. NC RPOs are in seventh year of RPOs are in seventh year of existenceexistence

►Evaluation by ECSUEvaluation by ECSU►New RPO Boundaries?New RPO Boundaries?►Will RPOs continue in NC?Will RPOs continue in NC?

Reauthorization Issues Reauthorization Issues

►Rural areas need the support of the Rural areas need the support of the Federal Government to provide Federal Government to provide meaningful transportation planning meaningful transportation planning services and input into the state processservices and input into the state process

►The issue of rural consultation does not The issue of rural consultation does not appear to be adequately addressed in appear to be adequately addressed in recently proposed changes to the federal recently proposed changes to the federal transportation billtransportation bill

Contact InformationContact Information

Carrie KisselCarrie Kissel John MarshallJohn Marshall

NADONADO WPCOGWPCOG

(202) 624-7806(202) 624-7806 (828) 485-4232 (828) 485-4232 [email protected]@wpcog.org

Questions?Questions?