NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA RURAL PLANNING ORGANIZATION Amy Kessler Community Development/Regional Planning Director A brief overview of rural transportation planning in Pennsylvania Albany, NY June 4, 2009
PENNSYLVANIA PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS MPO SANDRPO S S ERIE Erie CRAWFORD Shenango Valley MERCER BEAVER WARREN Northwest FOREST VENANGO CLARION BUTLER ARMSTRONG Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission ALLEGHENY INDIANA McKEAN POTTER North Central ELK CLINTON CLEARFIELD CENTRE Centre Region Johnstown BLAIR Altoona TIOGA LYCOMING UNION SEDA Council of Governments PERRY BRADFORD Northern Tier SULLIVAN COLUMBIA MONTOUR SUSQUEHANNA LUZERNE WAYNE LACKAWANNA Scranton/Wilkes Barre BERKS CARBON Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance MONROE PIKE SNYDER NORTHUMBERLAND NORTHAMPTON SCHUYLKILL Lehigh Valley LEHIGH Harrisburg LEBANON DAUPHIN LEBANON Reading BUCKS WASHINGTON GREENE FAYETTE SOMERSET Southern Alleghenies BEDFORD FRANKLIN ADAMS YORK York LANCASTER Lancaster Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission CHESTER DELA- WARE PHILADELPHIA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (MPO) RURAL PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS (RPO) NON AFFILIATED COUNTIES
NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA Sq. Mi 5,100 Pop 234,000 43 people per sq mi. Roughly the size of Roughly the size of the state of Connecticut
PENNSYLVANIA PLANNING PARTNERS RURAL PLANNING ORGANIZATION S (RPO) Modeled after Appalachian Regional Commission s Local Development Districts i t (LDDs) Multi county entities put in place to conduct regional planning for economic development RPOs provide local decision making forums RPOs in PA have the same planning requirements as MPOs Required Planning Documents: Long Range Transportation Plans LRTP Transportation Improvement Program 4 year TIP Public Participation Plan Coordinated Public Transit Human manservices Plan Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)
NORTH CENTRAL RPO STRUCTURE Elevated LDD s to RPOs through a formalized M.O.U. with PennDOT Funding 80% Federal SPR, 10% state & 10% local cash match Can compete for additional supplemental lfunds for corridor studies, etc. Staff Capacity currently at 1.5 FTE Planning Committee vs. Executive Board Conducts planning Sets policy Develops TIP and LRTP Approves TIP and LRTP Public Outreach Multi modal focus Freight, public transportation, aviation, etc.
WHAT MAKES THE PARTNERSHIP SUCCESSFUL Coordinated and consolidated federal, state, urban and rural planning process Everyone is at the table Joint development of policies and procedures Financial Guidance Linking Planning & NEPA PA Mobility (statewide long range plan) An open process with common expectations FHWA Peer exchange relationship with staff Rural Transportation Planning Committee discussing ARRA projects
PLANNING PARTNER COLLABORATION Joint development of policies and procedures 1. Financial Guidance MPO, RPOs, FHWA and PennDOT work together to set funding distribution formulas for each Planning Partner Monitor federal and state funding g( (SAFETEA LU, Act 44) Spike funds, discretionary programs 2. TIP Development RPOs develop a 4 year program with locals l and PennDOTDistrict i t Offices Establish project selection criteria Monitor fiscal constraint {Joint Responsibility} Process TIP Administrative Actions and Amendments 3. Linking Planning &NEPA Streamlining project delivery Building greater consistency with hlong Range Plans
SMART TRANSPORTATION & PROJECT CULTIVATION Money Counts Plan and design within context Choose projects with high value/price ration Enhance the local network Look beyond level of service Safety first and maybe safety only Accommodate all modes Build towns, not Sprawl Leverage and preserve existing investments Develop local government as strong land use partners SMART PLANNING Financial Community Transportation Land Use Economic Development
SPECIAL INITIATIVES ARRA RPO s in Pennsylvania worked directly with PennDOT to identify if and program stimulus dollars Regional Action Strategy Linking Land Use, Transportation and Economic Development (LUTED) Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP)
REGIONAL ACTION STRATEGY LINKING LAND USE, TRANSPORTATION & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Responds boldly to PA Policy Direction Improves competitive position for state t grants Advances projects of regional significance Improves front end ROI justification for investments Emphasizes demonstrable project outcomes e.g., improved competitive position and visibility in global market place Strengthens accountability to Board, Stakeholders, Public Ability to evaluate other impacts/outcomes t of project investments Promotes systems thinking and broader dialogue
PROJECT PRIORITIZATION PROCESS Defined criteria Performance Measures Integrated Decision making
INTEGRATING THE PLANNING & PRIORITIZATION PROCESS
QUESTIONS Amy Kessler, Community Development/Regional Planning director North Central PA Regional Planning and Development Commission (814) 773 3162 amy@ncentral.com http://web2.ncentral.com/transportation