Consideration of the TEA-21 Seven planning Issues

 

 

Introduction

 

ISTEA established sixteen factors to be considered in the development of the TIP.  TEA-21 summarizes these into seven planning issues which are listed below.

 

1.     Support the economic vitality of the United States, the States and metropolitan areas, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency;

 

2.     Increase the safety and security of the transportation system for motorized and nonmotorized users;

 

3.     Increase the accessibility and mobility options available to people and freight;

 

4.     Promote and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation and improve quality of life;

 

5.     Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight;

 

6.     Promote efficient system management and operation; and

 

7.     Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system.

 

 

CDTC's project selection process for new projects, including the solicitation, screening, evaluation and programming considers these issues.  Documentation of how each individual issue is considered follows.

 

 

Support the Economic Vitality of the United States

 

Issue number one is "Support the economic vitality of the United States, the States and metropolitan areas, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency".

 

The CDTC Policy Board and Planning Committee include Albany Port District Commission and the Albany County Airport Authority.  Freight providers, such as Conrail, CP Rail Systems, and private shippers and trucking interests participate in the CDTC planning process through its Goods Movement Task Force, which meets quarterly and reviews the products of CDTC’s planning and programming processes.

 

Surface access to the Albany International Airport is a major issue in the Capital District.  The results of the Airport GEIS were strongly considered in the formulation of the 1997-02 TIP, and eventually carried over into the 2001-06 TIP.  Major improvements, both publicly and privately financed, are planned for the area as a result. 

 

New Visions considers tourism and recreational travel as part of the overall picture of vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) in the region.  Enhancement-type projects, which are an integral part of implementing New Visions, have significant tourism and recreational travel impacts, and are explicitly incorporated in the CDTC process.  These factors increase the competitiveness of the Region and the State.

 

 

Increase the Safety and Security of the Transportation System

 

Issue number two is "Increase the safety and security of the transportation system for motorized and nonmotorized users".

 

CDTC's TIP includes projects specifically intended to increase safety during the 1997-02 update that have carried over into the 2001-06 TIP.  There are many other projects on the 2001-06 TIP that, although not specifically designated as such, make the transportation system safer for both motorized and non-motorized users. 

 

New Visions enhancements to traditional projects make the system more accessible and safer for non-motorized users.  These enhancements are considered in all projects.  A set-aside (RG82) was added to the 1999-04 TIP for the purpose of supplementing funding for these improvements for projects already on the TIP.  These funds were depleted between updates to accommodate funding increases to existing projects necessitated by New Visions enhancements.

 

Also added during the 1999-04 update was increased funding for RG37, ITS Operating Costs.  These funds provide NYSDOT HELP patrol on the Northway, which provides emergency assistance to disabled vehicles.  The funding for this project was replenished during the 2001-06 update.

 

Also during the 2001-06 update, funds were programmed for the realignment of an “S” curve on Maple Avenue.  This project was on the 1986-91 TIP as project C4 and was reinstated as S157.

 

 

 

Increase Accessibility and Mobility Options

 

Issue number three is "Increase the accessibility and mobility options available to people and freight". CDTC addresses this issue at many stages. 

 

Congestion mitigation is related to New Visions goals concerning mobility.  The implementation of this goal was a key consideration in the formation of the 1997-02 TIP, which was eventually carried over into the 2001-06 TIP.  The programming principles used to build this TIP are based on CDTC's findings that a mixed strategy is most effective in maintaining and improving current levels of mobility.  In addition, CDTC required all fixed capacity improvements to be linked to local land use management prior to consideration for programming.  This essential link to land use is key to a policy that seeks to prevent future congestion.  Only those mobility projects that address a Level of Service E or below condition were considered for programming.

 

New Visions enhancements to traditional projects increase the accessibility options for transportation system users.  As stated above regarding issue number two, these enhancements are considered in all projects.

 

 

The Environment, Energy Conservation and Quality of Life

 

Issue number four is "Promote and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation and improve quality of life".

 

Energy conservation is an explicit consideration in the CDTC project merit evaluation, and one of the key factors in the cost/benefit analysis of federal flexible funding candidates.  Energy conservation was emphasized for mobility projects in particular in the merit evaluation of candidate projects.

 

CDTC applies a screening criterion that requires all fixed capacity improvements to be linked to local land use management.  Keeping transportation improvement projects consistent with land use plans helps the quality of life of the residents of the Capital District.  The TIP also includes projects specifically intended to improve quality of life by diverting truck traffic from neighborhoods and to attract traffic from local roads to higher function roads.

 

Transportation enhancement projects often relate to quality of life issues rather than traditional movement of automobiles.  CDTC's evaluation framework included all eligible enhancement activities, with a focus on bicycle and pedestrian projects with significant transportation benefits.  This TIP contains projects funded by the Enhancement program, as well as about $4M in bicycle, pedestrian, and canal projects funded with other federal-aid highway sources.

 

 

The Connectivity of the Transportation System Across and Between Modes

 

Issue number five states "Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight". 

 

Transportation enhancement projects are often related to non-automobile modes.  CDTC's evaluation framework included all eligible enhancement activities, with a focus on bicycle and pedestrian projects with significant transportation benefits. This TIP contains projects funded by the Enhancement program, as well as about $4M in bicycle, pedestrian, and canal projects funded with other federal-aid highway sources in recognition of New Visions emphasis on increasing the region’s investment in non-motorized travel options significantly over current levels.

 

 

System Management and Operation

 

Issue number six is "Promote efficient system management and operation".  Even though the management systems are no longer required, performance monitoring remains part of CDTC planning process.

 

CDTC has many years of experienced with the Pavement Management System (PMS) approach to prioritizing pavement infrastructure projects and used that expertise in its merit evaluation procedure and screening criteria for pavement projects.  NYSDOT uses a Bridge Management System whose basic tenets were incorporated into the screening and merit evaluation criteria.  NYSDOT also has primary responsibility for the Safety and Traffic Monitoring Management Systems. 

 

CDTC has developed a Congestion Management System (CMS) for the region, resulting in ongoing improvements to CDTC's modeling capabilities.  The CMS is a significant tool for identifying and managing mobility in the Capital District.

 

 

Preservation of the Existing Transportation System

 

Issue number seven is "Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system".  Preservation of the existing system is one of the main tenets of the New Visions plan, which was used to guide the selection of new projects for inclusion in the TIP.

 

Summary Figure 1 on page 54 shows a breakdown of capital projects in the TIP.  Infrastructure projects, which focus on the preservation of the existing transportation system, make up 58% of the total program (by summing the "bridge" and "pavement" categories), demonstrating a strong commitment to a preservation strategy.