National Academies Press: OpenBook
Page i
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26555.
×
Page R1
Page ii
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26555.
×
Page R2
Page iii
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26555.
×
Page R3
Page iv
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26555.
×
Page R4
Page v
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26555.
×
Page R5
Page vi
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26555.
×
Page R6
Page vii
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26555.
×
Page R7
Page viii
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26555.
×
Page R8

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

N AT I O N A L C O O P E R AT I V E H I G H W AY R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M NCHRP RESEARCH REPORT 1002 Metropolitan Planning Organizations STRATEGIES FOR FUTURE SUCCESS J. Scott Lane Chandler Duncan Wade Carroll Matt Miller Metro Analytics, LLC Bountiful, UT Howard Glassman Gannett Fleming Camp Hill, PA Keli Kemp Julia Billings Modern Mobility Partners Atlanta, GA Daniel Rotert Burns & McDonnell Kansas City, MO Reid Ewing Brandon Siracuse Metropolitan Research Center University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Subscriber Categories Highways • Public Transportation • Planning and Forecasting Research sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration 2022

NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY NCHRP RESEARCH REPORT 1002 RESEARCH PROGRAM Systematic, well-designed, and implementable research is the most Project 08-122 effective way to solve many problems facing state departments of ISSN 2572-3766 (Print) transportation (DOTs) administrators and engineers. Often, highway ISSN 2572-3774 (Online) problems are of local or regional interest and can best be studied by ISBN 978-0-309-68699-0 state DOTs individually or in cooperation with their state universities Library of Congress Control Number 20222937525 and others. However, the accelerating growth of highway transporta- © 2022 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. tion results in increasingly complex problems of wide interest to high- way authorities. These problems are best studied through a coordinated program of cooperative research. Recognizing this need, the leadership of the American Association COPYRIGHT INFORMATION of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in 1962 ini- Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining tiated an objective national highway research program using modern written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously scientific techniques—the National Cooperative Highway Research published or copyrighted material used herein. Program (NCHRP). NCHRP is supported on a continuing basis by Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in funds from participating member states of AASHTO and receives the this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with full cooperation and support of the Federal Highway Administration the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, NHTSA, or TDC endorsement of a particular product, method, or (FHWA), United States Department of Transportation, under Agree- practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational ment No. 693JJ31950003. and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted The Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP. of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine was requested by AASHTO to administer the research program because of TRB’s recognized objectivity and understanding of modern research practices. TRB is uniquely suited NOTICE for this purpose for many reasons: TRB maintains an extensive com- mittee structure from which authorities on any highway transportation The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board subject may be drawn; TRB possesses avenues of communications and and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. cooperation with federal, state, and local governmental agencies, univer- sities, and industry; TRB’s relationship to the National Academies is an The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation insurance of objectivity; and TRB maintains a full-time staff of special- Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; the ists in highway transportation matters to bring the findings of research FHWA; or the program sponsors. directly to those in a position to use them. The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or speci- The program is developed on the basis of research needs iden- fications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which tified by chief administrators and other staff of the highway and provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board transportation departments, by committees of AASHTO, and by sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, the FHWA. Topics of the highest merit are selected by the AASHTO procedures, or specifications. Special Committee on Research and Innovation (R&I), and each year The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and R&I’s recommendations are proposed to the AASHTO Board of Direc- Medicine; and the sponsors of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear tors and the National Academies. Research projects to address these herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report. topics are defined by NCHRP, and qualified research agencies are selected from submitted proposals. Administration and surveillance of research contracts are the responsibilities of the National Academies and TRB. The needs for highway research are many, and NCHRP can make significant contributions to solving highway transportation problems of mutual concern to many responsible groups. The program, however, is intended to complement, rather than to substitute for or duplicate, other highway research programs. Published research reports of the NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet by going to https://www.mytrb.org/MyTRB/Store/default.aspx Printed in the United States of America

The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non- governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president. The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president. The three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine. Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org. The Transportation Research Board is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation. The Board’s varied activities annually engage about 8,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS CRP STAFF FOR NCHRP RESEARCH REPORT 1002 Christopher J. Hedges, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Lori L. Sundstrom, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs Waseem Dekelbab, Associate Program Manager, National Cooperative Highway Research Program Dianne S. Schwager, Senior Program Officer Dajaih Bias-Johnson, Senior Program Assistant Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications Heather DiAngelis, Associate Director of Publications NCHRP PROJECT 08-122 PANEL Field of Transportation Planning—Area of Planning Methods and Processes Debra A. Nelson, New York State Department of Transportation, New York, NY (Chair) Gladys Hurwitz, Maryland Department of Transportation, Hanover, MD Christopher Matthew Johns, Rapides Area Planning Commission, Alexandria, LA Ashby Johnson, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Austin, TX Kate R. Lowe, University of Illinois, Chicago, Chicago, IL Larry R. McGoogin, Toole Design Group, LLC, Spartanburg, SC Richard Perrin, T. Y. Lin International, Rochester, NY Anne Richman, Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM), San Rafael, CA Michael E. Vanderhoof, Illinois Department of Transportation, Springfield, IL Corbin B. Davis, FHWA Liaison Ken J. Cervenka, FTA Liaison Caroline Kieltyka, AASHTO Liaison Bill Keyrouze, Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations Liaison Erich Zimmermann, National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) Liaison Cole Patrick Grisham, Western Federal Lands Highway Division Liaison AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The research team sincerely thanks those metropolitan planning organizations, state departments of transportation, transit operators, and many others that participated—totaling literally hundreds of people and agencies—to help us create this resource. Best of luck to all of you in the future. The NCHRP Project 08-122 panelists were encouraged by the research team throughout the project to provide input on the draft surveys, literature summary, interim report, the rescoping that occurred during the pandemic, expert panelist candidates, and draft reports. They responded with gusto to provide the research team with invaluable insights from a range of perspectives.

FOREWORD By Dianne S. Schwager Staff Officer Transportation Research Board NCHRP Research Report 1002: Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success, is a practical resource for metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and their state departments of transportation (DOTs) partners to help address their evolving roles and face many of the challenges in the 21st century. It provides strategies for adaptation and improvement that will be effective in a wide range of MPOs that vary in size, structure, resources, and regional context. In addition to MPOs, this report and the supplementary research deliverables will benefit state DOTs, key stakeholders, and partners as they collabo- rate to address future transportation and related needs of their communities. MPOs, present in metropolitan areas of the United States for more than 50 years, were conceived and have persevered because transportation networks and travel operate at scales larger than any one city or county. The federal rules that form the underlying foundations of metropolitan planning at MPOs are fairly durable, but the MPOs have evolved and continue to change in response to local needs as well as national and global forces that pose challenges to MPOs. These challenges include changes in trip-making behaviors, technology, climate, land use, social order, and funding. Under NCHRP Project 08-122, “Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success,” the research team led by Metro Analytics was asked to develop a compre- hensive resource to inform and guide the evolving roles and functions of MPOs in partner- ship with their key stakeholders for the 21st century, taking into account the diversity among MPOs such as population served, the complexity of the region (e.g., number of jurisdictions), the scope of responsibilities, governance structure, staff and financial resources, technical capacity, and level of interaction with stakeholders. The research approach and products of this study were substantially shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant impacts, shifting the research team away from more traditional case studies to conducting eight Regional Roundtables (focused discussions with MPOs and their state DOTs, transit operators, and federal partners) and eight Information Forums (webinars open to all MPOs and the public) to discuss important topics and assess the state of coordination with MPOs and their partners, respectively. The view at the time, while uncertain, created the sense of opportunity to understand at a first-hand level how MPOs were adapting in real time to these substantial challenges. A centerpiece of NCHRP Research Report 1002: Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success is Chapter 3, which presents best-practice challenges and tools to address 12 important concerns of MPOs: social equity, financially constrained planning, inclusive community engagement, improved curb space utilization, emerging transportation- related technologies, changing travel patterns, changing demographics, incorporating resilience

into plans, evaluation of future uncertainty in planning, regional freight, staff retention at MPOs, and shared mobility. In addition to this report, the research produced a searchable innovation database and eight short videos summarizing the eight topics addressed in the Information Forums conducted during the project. The database and videos can be downloaded from the National Academies Press website (www.nap.edu) by searching for NCHRP Research Report 1002: Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success.

CONTENTS 1 Summary S E C T I O N 1  Strategies for Metropolitan Planning Organization Success 7 Chapter 1 Introduction 7 The MPO and the Moving Target 7 Objectives and Approach 10 Overview of Contents of the Report 11 Chapter 2  Innovation Database 11 Purpose of the Innovation Database 11 Use of the Innovation Database 13 Chapter 3  Toolkit for the 21st Century 13 Purpose and Use S E C T I O N 2   Conduct of Research 41 Chapter 4  Phase I Research Findings 41 MPO Survey 41 Challenges Facing MPOs 47 Chapter 5  Regional Roundtables: Approach and Key Findings 47 Purpose of Regional Roundtables 47 Approach to Regional Roundtables 49 Agenda for the Six Single-State Regional Roundtables 49 Regional Roundtable Discussion Key Findings 57 Chapter 6  Information Forums: Approach and Key Findings 58 Micromobility (Andy Boenau, Calli Cenizal, and Crissy Ditmore) 59 Social Equity (Rickey Rogers and Nalungo Conley) 59 Engagement in the Time of COVID and Beyond (Joni Wickham and Enrique Chaurand) 60 Integrating Resiliency (Jeffrey Raven, Kyle Schneweis, and Allison Brooks) 61 Integrating Technology (Jim Hubble, Julia Billings, and Keli Kemp) 61 MPO Staff Retention and Attraction (Ashby Johnson and Doreen Lang) 62 Funding of Projects and Programs (Julie Lorenz and Dr. Patricia Hendren) 63 Land-Use Shifts (Dr. Richard Fry and Ashley Hand) 64 Chapter 7 Conclusions

A-1 Appendix A  Information Forum Summaries B-1 Appendix B  Regional Roundtable Summaries C-1 Appendix C  Literature Review Summary D-1 Appendix D  Conference Activities Summary E-1 Appendix E  National MPO Survey Summary F-1 Appendix F References Note: Photographs, figures, and tables in this report may have been converted from color to grayscale for printing. The electronic version of the report (posted on the web at www.nap.edu) retains the color versions.

Next: Summary »
Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success Get This Book
×
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

While metropolitan planning organizations generally adhere to the same federal laws and guidance, each MPO works within a unique framework of state, environmental, resource, and political contexts. External forces of changing technologies, economics, culture, and demographics are creating a formidable array of challenges for MPOs in the coming years. Over 100 MPOs participated in this project, which included an extensive literature review, surveys, and input sessions (both MPO Roundtables and nationwide Information Forums).

The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 1002: Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success delivers a toolkit of strategies for addressing 12 key topics that will facilitate the future success of MPOs throughout the United States.

Supplemental to the report are a video series on success strategies and a searchable MPO Innovation Database of best practices.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!