Consideration of Environmental Factors in Transportation Systems Planning (2005) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 93-105
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From page 93... ...
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK REVISITED This report began with the presentation of a conceptual framework that pointed to parts of transportation planning and project development where environmental factors could be more fully considered. Considering environmental factors early in planning could provide an important opportunity to discover potential environmental problems and build a working relationship with those environmental resource agencies that would be likely to play key roles in project implementation.
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From page 94... ...
Prosperity Data Analysis methods Alternative improvement strategies Evaluation criteria Other sources for project ideas System operations Goals and Objectives Social equity/ quality of life Environmental Quality Vision Performance Measures Project development TIP Plan Environment included in vision Environment explicitly stated in goals Data on environment collected Environmental performance measures or indicators Environment included in analysis Environmental strategies considered Environmental impacts part of criteria set Environmental mitigation part of project development Environment integrated within plan Environmental projects programmed Monitoring of environmental impacts of system operations Figure 21. Environmental factors in transportation planning and decision making.
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From page 95... ...
California's Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is an even stronger law that states not only must environmental impacts be identified and considered in transportation plans, but they must be mitigated.
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From page 96... ...
The concept of ecological carrying capacity, which relates to this idea of an environmental alternative, is one that has been receiving increased attention in the scientific literature. The case studies from Cape Cod, Lake Tahoe, North Carolina, Pima County (Arizona)
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From page 97... ...
Only a few examples were found where transportation agencies were incorporating environmental concerns into systems planning. Case studies from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency; Cape Cod Commission; Pima County, Arizona; Riverside County, California; and FDOT provided the most advanced examples of a comprehensive approach to doing so.
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From page 98... ...
Defining alternatives is an important step in transportation planning. One of the interesting aspects of planning that have seriously considered environmental factors in systems planning is the definition of plan alternatives or scenarios that result in infrastructure policies and investment decisions that purposely avoid or minimize the negative impacts on environmental resources.
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From page 99... ...
Other types of strategies are being considered by implementing agencies to reduce the amount of time that projects spend in project development because of environmental reviews. These include: listing certain categories of projects in a programmatic permit approval, parallel processing of NEPA and engineering design, funding environmental resource staff to work on transportation projects, and establishing interagency agreements that define the respective roles of the agencies participating in project development.
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From page 100... ...
• Resources -- The most important obstacle cited by DOT and MPO officials as hindering the incorporation of environmental factors into transportation planning was "competing objectives that detract from environmental Task Work Group Objective Environmental Permits 1. Develop a process to obtain construction permits simultaneously with the NEPA Record of Decision 2.
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From page 101... ...
• CSS as part of project initiation becomes an integral part of all projects • Include CSS strategies in PID guidelines • Include CSS consideration in all PIDs • Include "Statement of Context" in all project reviews • Districts will include CSS strategies in PIDs • Districts will facilitate the involvement of CSS stakeholders in the development of PIDs • HQ Design will enhance CSS concepts in PD M Now Project reports • Projects final scope of work; cost estimates and time-lines should consider and, if appropriate, incorporate CSS • Include strategies in project review guidelines • Include CSS consideration in project reports • Include "Statement of Context" in all project reports • Districts will include CSS strategies in project reports • Districts will facilitate the involvement of CSS stakeholders in the development of project reports • HQ Design will enhance CSS concepts in design manual Now Intergovernmental review • Use reviews as opportunities to advocate CSS regarding local development proposals • Include CSS review and, if appropriate, recommendations in Caltrans intergovernmental review process • District planning functions will include CSS strategies in intergovernmental review program Now California transportation plan/interregional transportation strategic plan/regional plans • Reflect department's commitment to CSS in Plan • • Include CSS description and support strategies in Plan Include CSS strategies in state plan development guidelines • Include CSS strategies in regional plan development guidelines • DOTP • Districts will recommend CSS strategies during the development and review of regional transportation plans • HQ Programming to provide CSS criteria in program themes Now TABLE 19 Caltrans implementation strategy for CSS (continued )
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From page 102... ...
Second, the result of this cooperation is the timely planning and implementation of transportation projects that protect or restore environmental resources. The specific goals of this partnership included – Identifying and sharing information on transportation and environmental priorities; – Developing transportation and environmental performance criteria to evaluate transportation projects and to improve their selection and design; – Ensuring the timely development of environmentally beneficial transportation plans and projects that recognize the priorities of livable communities, the principles of environmental justice, regional planning, cultural and natural resource conservation, and environmental protection; – Ensuring compliance with all applicable environmental laws, rules and regulations, permits and policies while reducing the time required to develop and implement transportation policies; – Encouraging early and continuous participation of effected state, federal, and local agencies, public interest groups, and the public throughout the local land-use planning, resource conservation planning, Regional overall work programs (OWPs)
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From page 103... ...
One of the issues raised by the resource agencies is the lack of sufficient data to support projectlevel decisions and to consider environmental consequences in the early stages of planning. • Defining Benefit -- Changing organizational procedures in, and approaches to, transportation planning and project development could require significant changes in the attitudes and mindsets of agency staff.
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From page 104... ...
Source: California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
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From page 105... ...
The research will examine the linkages between environmental goals/objectives and measures/indicators of performance, appropriate scopes of measures for tracking how well agencies are achieving predefined goals, the need for a dynamic set of measures to reflect changing emphases on various environmental issues, and best practices of performance measurement for considering the environment in transportation planning. Assessing organizational strategies for environmental stewardship.
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