Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success (2022)

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SECTION 1 Strategies for Metropolitan Planning Organization Success 



CHAPTER 1 Introduction The MPO and the Moving Target This report presents strategies to facilitate the future success of metropolitan planning orga- nizations (MPOs) throughout the United States. The research recognized that although much has changed since the Highway Act introduced the vision of a cooperative, comprehensive, and continuing multimodal planning process (3C planning) for urban areas in 1962, the process continues to be central to metropolitan planning. Little else remains the same. Even the seminal 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) seems of a bygone era as MPOs today grapple with an array of issues that were not anticipated 30 years ago. If the first 20 years of this century are an indication, MPOs will be chal- lenged to stay abreast of emerging issues and opportunities to provide the visionary leadership their planning jurisdictions need to successfully navigate the uncertain waters ahead. In approaching this research project, the research team and panel recognized the need to con- duct a comprehensive, critical review of MPO strengths and weaknesses in light of 21st-century transportation issues, then identify ways of positioning MPOs throughout the United States for future success. Underpinning the approach was the recognition that MPOs, although starting from the same federal legislation and rule-making, have different resources, structures, and con- texts that make some solutions a better fit than others. This research project was initiated in the latter part of 2019 and was therefore significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which changed how the research was carried out and to some extent, what issues were addressed. Table 1-1 presents 12 topic areas developed from Phase I of the study and the impacts ascribed to the pandemic effects for each topic. Objectives and Approach NCHRP research projects benefit MPOs, state departments of transportation (DOTs), and key stakeholders and partners (including the public) by creating resources that are practical and meaningful. The stated goal of this research was to produce a comprehensive resource to inform and guide the evolving roles and functions of MPOs with strategies that respect the diversity of MPO size, structure, resources, and regional context as the 21st century unfolds. Approximately 6 months after this research project was initiated, the project workplan was revised because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It became clear, for example, that the proposed in-person roundtables and case studies could not be conducted. The research plan modifications accelerated the interactions with MPOs and introduced virtual Regional Round- tables (gatherings of MPO staff and stakeholders) and Information Forums (webinars featuring expert panelists on eight topics and audience polling). 7   

8   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success Table 1-1.   Examples of topic areas influenced by the global pandemic. and "Internet of Things" (IoT) Responding to "IoT," On 

Introduction  9   Phase I—Research Approach • Task 1: Kickoff and Amplified Workplan. Conducted official kickoff with the NCHRP Senior Program Officer (SPO), project panel, and research team to help refine the deliver- ables, schedule, and administrative tasks of the project. • Task 2: Integration of Past and Ongoing Work. Developed a baseline understanding of existing research and resources and compiled examples of MPO innovations that will be useful to practitioners. A 325-record literature database and review were conducted (see sum- mary in Appendix C). Based on preliminary findings from the literature search, an Innovation Database was developed with over 100 records of best practices searchable by topic, keyword, region of the country, and MPO size. The Innovation Database is available on the National Academies Press website (www.nap.edu) by searching for NCHRP Research Report 1002: Metro­politan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. • Task 3: MPO Outreach/Engagement. Directly engaged MPO practitioners in online and in-person activities. The research team conducted presentations at three conferences in late 2019: Association of MPOs (AMPO), National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), and American Public Transportation Association (APTA) (see Appendix D). An MPO survey was launched before March 1, 2020, and remained open until July 10, 2020. The total survey response was 129 (30% of all MPOs), approximately half of which responded to the survey before lock- downs from COVID-19 occurred and half afterward. This dichotomy afforded an opportunity to compare responses to the survey during pre- and post-COVID eras (see Appendix E). • Task 4: Interim Report and Meeting. Reviewed the first phase of the research and discussed how to reformulate the workplan to address opportunities and challenges presented by the global pandemic. Figure 1-1 is a graphic illustration that shows how the research project was redesigned as a result of the global pandemic. Phase II—Development of Best Practices and Tools • Task 5: Eight Information Forums and Eight Regional Roundtables. Conducted forums and roundtables from February 2021 to April 2021 to assess how MPOs and their partners Figure 1-1.   Modifications to Phase II to accommodate pandemic effects. 

10   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success 7000 6304 Table 1-2.   Participants in Regional Roundtables and Information Forums. 6000 Regional Roundtables (8) 5000 Regional Roundtable Location Date (2021) Roundtable Participants 4000 ID–MT–WY (multi-state) 10-Feb 4 3000 DC–MD–VA (multi-state) 25-Feb 6 1989 FTA Region 1 5-Mar 7 2000 1078 FTA Region 2 12-Mar 7 229 1000 FTA Region 4 19-Mar 8 0 FTA Region 10 22-Mar 6 Views Participants Responses Comments FTA Region 9 26-Mar 6 FTA Region 6 31-Mar 8 Information Forums (8) Information Forum Topic Date (2021) Panelists Attendees Micromobility 17-Feb 3 141 Funding of Projects and Programs 16-Mar 2 217 Social Equity 17-Mar 2 153 Engagement in the Time of COVID-19 and Beyond 22-Mar 2 112 Land-Use Shifts 23-Mar 2 133 Resiliency, for Real 30-Mar 3 46 MPO Staff Retention and Attraction 31-Mar 2 131 Integrating Technology into MPO Practice 29-Apr 2 114 Figure 1-2.   Information Forum were adapting during the COVID-19 disruption. This provided a rare opportunity to under- participation. stand how MPOs were adapting in real time. Over 1,000 participants joined the eight Infor- mation Forums, providing valuable information to MPOs and their partnering agencies. The forums also served to gather information directly from panelists as well as indirectly through interactions (virtual). Two of the Regional Roundtables were conducted with three MPOs from adjacent states (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming) with small- and mid-sized MPOs; and one with Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland (i.e., large MPOs). The other six Regional Roundtables were conducted with one to two MPOs from the same state and frequently included the FTA, the FHWA, and transit and state DOT representatives. Fifty-two profes- sionals participated in the Regional Roundtables. Table 1-2 summarizes and lists the topics and participation for each Information Forum and Figure 1-3.   Regional Roundtable. The latter used the 10 FTA regions as a mechanism for distributing the round- Regional Roundtable tables geographically. Figures 1-2 and 1-3 illustrate the extent of participation in the Information participation. Forums and Regional Roundtables. • Task 6: Toolkit for the 21st Century. Created short, two-page information sheets on 12 topics, with best practices. Each was developed based on the Phase I literature review, Innovation Database research, and Phase II interactions with MPOs through the Information Forums and Regional Roundtables. • Task 7: Draft and Final Reporting. Developed and includes this final report, supplemented by a searchable Innovation Database of best practices and eight short videos that present summaries of the Information Forums. The Innovation Database and videos are available on the National Academies Press website (www.nap.edu) by searching for NCHRP Research Report 1002: Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. Overview of Contents of the Report The report is organized into two sections followed by the appendixes. This first section includes two additional chapters that describe the Innovation Database and Toolkit for the 21st Century, each providing strategies for the future success of MPOs. The second section contains three chapters that present the research undertaken during Phase I, Regional Roundtables, and Informa- tion Forums, followed by the final chapter of conclusions. 

CHAPTER 2 Innovation Database This chapter introduces the online Innovation Database that houses best practices as a prac- tical tool for use by MPO practitioners. It integrates the findings and conclusions from both phases of this research. The literature review of 325 sources and survey of 129 MPOs completed in Phase I directly informed how the database was organized into major topics, regions, and MPO size. As such, the database has been developed so that it is useful to MPOs. The database contains 108 examples of innovative responses to some of the most challenging planning issues facing metropolitan regions today. The database includes innovations and best practices from MPOs that range in size and location, with the goal of providing useful examples of planning practices applicable to any MPO in the nation. The purpose and use of this database are described in the balance of this chapter. The Innovation Database is available on the National Academies Press website (www.nap.edu) by searching for NCHRP Research Report 1002: Metro- politan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success. Purpose of the Innovation Database The Innovation Database is a portable, searchable database that MPO practitioners can use to respond to current and future planning challenges. During early outreach at the NARC and AMPO conferences in 2019, two comments about the Innovation Database stood out: it must produce resources and information that a standard internet search does not, and it should not duplicate an existing resource. The literature review of 325 sources and survey of 129 MPOs com- pleted in Phase I directly informed how the best practices were organized and how the practices could be searched by keyword, major topic, region, and MPO size (a surrogate for resource levels). As such, the database has been developed so that it is useful to MPOs in a variety of contexts. In total, the database contains records from MPOs ranging from very small to very large and spanning the nation from coast to coast. Some records (innovations and best practices) are derived from non-MPO sources and are considered “national” in scope. The records represent a diverse range of MPOs so that smaller MPOs with fewer resources may find the database as useful as large MPOs with many resources to carry out innovative initiatives. The inclusion of examples from smaller MPOs makes the database more useful and ensures that small and large MPOs can learn from each other by reviewing the examples in this database. Because the database is organized in a Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheet, it is easily searchable without any special knowledge, although applying column filters helps narrow searches. Use of the Innovation Database The research team initially established a goal of creating a portable and searchable database with a minimum of 100 records upon which MPO practitioners can draw inspiration as they respond to planning challenges. The research team primarily searched online for resources 11   

12   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success Table 2-1.   Field descriptions of the Innovation Database. Description of Innovation Database Table and Supporting Tabs Columns A and B: Title and basic description of the type of best practice record information Columns C and D: MPO or lead agency information and geographic location Column E: State location of the best practice (or national if not state-specific) Columns F through J: Primary and Secondary Topics and Keywords (Max: 3) Column K: Description of project or process, noting why the work was done, resources, and so forth Column L: MPO population expressed as a range Columns M and N: The Region and MegaRegion where the source originated Column O: Publicly cited contact person or contact information, if available at the time of writing Column P: Primary source of information to include, scouring MPO websites, AMPO conference proceedings, and federal government research databases to find documents describing innovative practices at MPOs and other trans- portation planning organizations. The search primarily focused on MPOs, but local, state, and federal level examples were also included in some instances due to the inherent relationship between MPOs and other government agencies and the similarities in certain planning goals and activities. When necessary, the research team contacted representatives from MPOs and other agencies to gather more information about a particular innovative practice. Some innovations and best practices were also identified from the Regional Roundtables and Information Forums organized by the research team in March and April 2021. These events provided opportunities for practitioners to share information about their organizations’ best practices, and the research team followed up with emails and phone calls after these events to gather additional information for the database when needed. Resources discovered through research and outreach were placed into the Excel spreadsheet and formatted with columns for information about each document or tool. Each record contains a brief description of the resource, the resource type (presentation, research article, plan, etc.), and contact information to obtain more detail when available. The spreadsheet also contains information that can be used to search for resources by MPO size, geography, topic, and key- words. Field descriptions of the Innovation Database are shown in Table 2-1. As noted, the Innovation Database was created in Excel and is available through links on the project web page for this research project. 

CHAPTER 3 Toolkit for the 21st Century Purpose and Use The Toolkit for the 21st Century is a key deliverable of this project. The purpose of the tool- kit is to present a series of challenges that MPOs face now or in the foreseeable future and to describe examples of how some MPOs have used innovative strategies to address those chal- lenges. It is intended to serve as a resource for MPOs to understand how others are addressing key issues and to describe scalable, actionable steps MPOs can take to follow the examples and best practices summarized in the toolkit. The toolkit consists of 12 two-page summaries of strategies for addressing key MPO topics (Table 3-1). Each two-page summary focuses on one topic and follows a similar structure, beginning by describing the MPO challenge, why it is important, and potential solutions. Next, the summaries describe examples of where the strategies have been used. They then list high-level steps that MPOs can take to employ the strategies. The summaries conclude with a resources section listing where more information on the applied examples and strategies can be found. The examples draw from MPOs of varying sizes and locations throughout the United States. Toolkit Topics Layout Some examples were identified through a literature review process, while others were cited as • Topic Title examples or highlighted during the project’s Regional Roundtables or Information Forums. • Topic Categories The solutions presented are scalable to MPOs of varying sizes. The Scalable Solutions graphic • Challenge to MPOs • Importance in each summary shows solutions that range from small scale that are easier, faster, and lower • Example Strategies cost, to large scale that may require more time and resources. • High-Level Steps • Additional Resources The toolkit topics listed in Table 3-1 were modified from the high-level categories initially identified in the research to become (1) Internal Operations (i.e., MPO management), (2) Exter- nal Influences, (3) Policy Issues, and (4) Partnering and Coordination. Icons on each summary indicate the corresponding category or categories. This toolkit was developed in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and during a period of widespread protests focused on social equity concerns across a range of public sector practices, including law enforcement. While the summaries do not focus on the pandemic or protests specifically, they do acknowledge some recent trends and findings that are likely to be influenced, such as public participation strategies. These effects include, but may not be limited to, an increased reliance on digital communications and the rising stature of social equity in decision-making. 13   

14   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success Table 3-1.   Toolkit topics by category. Internal External Policy Partnering & No. Toolkit Topic Operations Influences Issues Coordination 1 Social Equity 2 Financial Constraints 3 Inclusive Community Engagement 4 Curb Space 5 New and Emerging Technologies 6 Changing Travel Patterns 7 Addressing Changing Demographics 8 Resilience in Planning 9 Planning for the Unknown 10 Regional Freight Issues 11 Staff Retention 12 Shared Mobility 

Toolkit for the 21st Century   15   Topic: Social Equity Category: Internal Operations, External Influences, Policy Issues, Partnering & Coordination Addressing Social Equity in Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Planning THE CHALLENGE Social inequity is a critical issue nationwide, and metropolitan plan- ning organizations (MPOs) are well suited to help address racial and socioeconomic disparities. MPOs have the opportunity to help mit- igate some of the effects of social inequities as well as change the decision-making that may have contributed to them. Tools that MPOs have for creating change include providing forums for regional collaboration, forming or participating in regional part- nerships, setting regional goals and priorities, influencing the use of federal transportation funding, and monitoring regional data and 2-3 WORD performance toward goals that reduce future or mitigate existing in- equity. The topic of social equity in MPO planning looks at how some MPOs have used these tools to promote greater equity and organizations’ meetings/events, and using on-the-ground “street SOCIAL how the tools can be scaled to regions of different sizes. teams” to interact with residents where they live and work. Solution 2: Transportation Project & Policy Impact Forecasting. A key function of MPOs is to develop the transportation plans that WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? inform federal funding decisions for the region’s transportation DESCRIPTION MPOs have the influence, resources, opportunity, and obli- projects. MPOs can forecast potential effects on historically transportation disadvantaged communities, such as low-income EQUITY gation to help promote social equity through regional col- laboration and distributing federal funding for projects. and minority communities within the region as well as the region as a whole. Solution 3: Framework and Goals for Addressing Inequity. This POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS so-lution involves identifying social equity as an issue that MPOs Approaches to promoting social equity include establishing re- have a role in addressing and then identifying goals and actions the gional priorities that focus on equity, providing meaningful engage- MPO can take to promote equity. MPOs should then track and ment with disadvantaged communities, and allocating funding eq- monitor performance toward goals. An example of social equity in uitably during project selection for MPOs’ metropolitan transporta- fees collection and monitoring is the Penny for Pinellas funding tion plans (MTPs), transportation improvement programs (TIP), program, which has been in effect since 1990 through several and other planning activities. MPOs can also help form partnerships referendums and is used to fund transportation, parks, water among agencies that control resources and decision-making. quality, safety, and other improvements. This one-cent sales tax is not collected on groceries and some other essential goods and Addressing social inequity can be categorized as relating to external relies heavily on expenditures from visitors to the county. influences (i.e., the social inequity that exists due to many contrib- Importantly, Pinellas County monitors and reports on uting factors). Policy issues, partnerships, and coordination are expenditures in easy-to-understand language and graphics. ways to address this topic. Social equity concerns may extend to MPO staff and leadership positions that should reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. Solution 1: Meaningful Engagement with Disadvantaged Commu- nities. MPOs can develop outreach strategies that promote wide- spread involvement, particularly targeting populations that have not previously been engaged or have been negatively affected by trans- portation planning decisions. MPOs also can require more robust outreach in planning studies led by recipients of MPO funds. Out- reach strategies include interviewing community leaders, identify- ing trusted local champions to promote participation from within communities, providing food and childcare at public meet- ings/events (provided that the project funding sources allow such use and/or obtaining separate funding if needed), attending other 

16   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) uses a Dignity- Infused Community Engagement (DICE) approach to public engagement that seeks to recognize and mitigate the negative ef- fects of historically inequitable systems and decision-making and to engage all communities in meaningful discussion on these top- ics as part of the planning process. This approach acknowledges inequitable practices and identifies concrete steps (see below) for mitigating inequity and engaging everyone in the process. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA’s) Bayview Community-Based Transportation Plan cre- ated an equity index to locate projects where they would provide the greatest benefit to the largest number of vulnerable residents. SFMTA identified “Communities of Concern” using Census Block Group level demographic data and vetted it with input from community leaders and residents to develop a weighted equity in- MPOs can also host capacity-building training that promotes shar- dex to spatially prioritize equity in the study area. The index was ing of institutional knowledge related to plans and projects. MPOs a key component of the project selection process. can hold restorative justice sessions to talk about practices that have The Metropolitan Council (the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Region historically negatively affected communities and how to reverse MPO), in collaboration with the Center for Economic Inclusion these practices. Traditional outreach methods like small- and large- and Greater MSP (Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic scale engagement events should also be used as well as formal pub- Development Partnership), created and adopted their Regional lic comment opportunities that allow engagement in-person and via Economic Framework. A key element of the Framework is its nine phone, texting, live polling, public notices, and mailers, in case in- SOCIAL EQUITY strategy priorities, one of which is Racial Inclusion. The priorities ternet access is not available. Lastly, MPOs can identify other spe- are measured in the MSP Regional Indicators Dashboard that cialized efforts to include people of all demographic groups in the benchmarks how the region’s economy is performing over time process and recommend implementation of anti-displacement strat- against 11 peer regions. Examples of the framework’s measures egies in MPO plans. Examples of anti-displacement strategies in- for Racial Inclusion are workforce participation and unemploy- clude community benefits agreements, community land trusts, in- ment rates disaggregated by race, racial employment gap, the ra- clusionary zoning, property tax abatement assistance funds, and cial wage gap, and the number/percentage of companies whose home repair assistance funds. hiring practices reflect the racial and ethnic composition of the re- gion. WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, “Improving equity in HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH transportation fees, fines, and fares: findings and recommendations Elements of LADOT’s DICE-approach are applicable to MPOs. for northeastern Illinois,” April 2021. www.cmap.illinois.gov/ This approach can be applied to all planning processes, from MTPs documents/10180/1307930/FFF_final_report.pdf/1d74b660 to corridor studies, modal plans, housing strategies, safety, and -c1c3-a2c0-dcb0-879d4493a499?t=1617741942903 (accessed other activities. MPOs can begin by conducting a social climate September 16, 2021) analysis to understand cultural identity, demographics, social ser- vices needs, environmental factors, infrastructure conditions, and Los Angeles Department of Transportation, “Los Angeles transit access. This analysis may include oral histories and inter- Vision Zero Dignity-Infused Community Engagement.” views with resident leaders and community-based organizations. https://ladotlivablestreets-cms.org/uploads/b51c5f0c Next, MPOs can form targeted engagement teams, which may in- 09414fb29027afadb70fa813.pdf (accessed January 27, 2021) clude paid partners in the community, to help guide the engagement process and reach previously excluded groups; street teams to can- San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), vass, phone bank, and participate in community meetings and events; Bayview Community-Based Transportation Plan , 2020. and Resident Advisory Councils to help share information about the https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/reports-and-documents/ project with the community. 2020/03/bayview_cbtp_final_draft.pdf (accessed January 27, 2021) HIGH-LEVEL STEPS Kidd, Christopher (SFMTA). “Transportation Equity in a New 1. Conduct a formal social climate analysis Era,” (webinar from Meeting of the Minds, September 30, 2020). 2. Develop or support community teams, street teams, and https://meetingoftheminds.org/cal/transportation-equity-in-a-new resident advisory councils -era 3. Conduct capacity-building trainings Metropolitan Council, Regional Economic Framework , 2020. 4. Facilitate restorative justice discussions https://metrocouncil.org/Planning/Projects/Regional-Economic- 5. Conduct community engagement events and formal pub- Framework.aspx (accessed January 27, 2021) lic comment opportunities Penny for Pinellas. http://www.pinellascounty.org/penny/default 6. Identify and use anti-displacement strategies .htm (accessed September 15, 2021) 

Toolkit for the 21st Century 17   Topic: Financial Constraints Categories: External Influences, Partnering & Coordination Financially Constraining a Plan When Funding Is Reduced or Unstable THE CHALLENGE Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are funded largely through state and federal fuel, registration, and licensing taxes. However, funding for transportation projects is changing in the 21st century, with the increase in fuel-efficient, hybrid, and electric vehicles lowering revenues from motor fuel taxes. At the same time, the decline of brick-and-mortar stores has led to a reduction in funding from local sales taxes. These changes increase the financial burden on MPOs as well as departments of FINANCIAL transportation (DOTs) to provide increasingly expensive transpor- 2-3 WORD DESCRIPTION tation projects to support the efficient movement of freight and goods due to rising e-commerce, often without the necessary level Solution 1: Alternate Funding Scenarios. MPOs can develop alter- of funding to do so. native funding scenarios that account for economic recessions or other events that may cause funding to fluctuate over time. These Due to stay-at-home orders and increased telecommuting during the scenarios can be used to identify how many of the prioritized pro- COVID-19 pandemic, funding from motor fuel tax collections was jects can be implemented with reduced funding and create a plan reduced further, thereby exacerbating the need for alternative fund- for when there is a shortfall in funding. ing sources and flexible long-term funding scenarios. CONSTRAINTS Solution 2: Flexible Funding Scenarios. Various federal funding op- WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? portunities are available, and some projects may qualify for more than one opportunity. MPOs can maximize funding availability by MPOs continue to face a lack of funding and an ever-in- creating a flexible funding scenario that balances funds across creasing transportation project backlog. Through creative modes and ensures projects are matched with their best fit, thereby funding, they can identify methods that suit their needs. providing the best chance for projects to receive funding. Solution 3: Private Funding Sources. Revenue streams such as im- POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS pact fees or development fees can be used to help construct trans- MPOs around the country have started considering how to maxim- portation projects that benefit developments, for example through ize their funding opportunities, with organizations identifying meth- Benefit Improvement Districts (BIDs). Additionally, by partner- ods for adjusting revenue forecasts, using flexible funding, identi- ing with private entities, it may be possible to implement P3s and fying public-private partnerships (P3s), and blending funding further stretch the public tax dollars. sources to meet project demands. Some MPOs can partner with or even take a leadership role in guid- ing or forming Special Assessment Districts to create additional revenue sources. These districts can levy special taxes to cover ser- vices outside those a typical local government will cover. However, typically state legislation is required to enable the formation of such districts; for states without existing legislation, this would add an- other step in special assessment district formations. Addressing funding shortfalls can be categorized as relating to ex- ternal influences (i.e., funding shortfalls that exist due to many con- tributing factors). Funding methodology and partnering are means of addressing this topic. 

18   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH Alternate future funding scenarios, such as those employed by ARC, can help MPOs plan for uncertain future funding. This strat- egy can be used for all transportation improvement programs (TIPs) and other fiscally constrained plans. MPOs can begin by using data from previous economic recessions or other events that have caused transportation revenues to fall in their region. Once these values have been identified, the MPOs can develop a percentage value that reflects the expected reduction in revenues. This revenue reduction factor can be considered in an alternate funding scenario for the plan. Next, MPOs can hold workshops with cities and stakeholders to review the alternate funding plan and determine the effects it will have on the list of programmed projects for implementation. HIGH-LEVEL STEPS 1. Document previous revenue shortfalls 2. Conduct workshops with local agencies to identify alter- nate funding sources 3. Create consensus on suggested decrease in revenue WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS 4. Develop alternate project programming scenarios In its Southern Fulton Comprehensive Transportation Plan 5. Identify alternate revenue streams or revenue mixing to (SFCTP), the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) serving as the Atlanta MPO, developed an alternate future funding scenario to offset shortfall reflect an immediate 20% reduction in revenue levels, with 2 per- centage points gained back each year for the next 10 years to re- Once a revenue reduction value has been reached, the MPO can flect the longevity of a financial disruption event. These values work with regional agencies to create alternate programming sce- were developed based on the 2008 financial crisis funding short- narios that financially constrain the project list if needed. The next falls. ARC has been tracking revenues in anticipation of potential step is for the MPO to host workshops to identify alternate revenue shortfalls and continues to monitor them in case funding assump- streams within the region and to review project lists to determine tions need to be adjusted. how to maximize federal funding through positioning projects. These programs can include inviting stakeholders interested in P3 Portland Metro created a Regional Flexible Funding Program that opportunities to review project lists for opportunities that benefit uses targeted questions to align submitted projects with regional both parties. Additionally, a task force can be created within the goals, and, once identified, selects the appropriate Surface Trans- MPO or with regional partners to create a review program that de- portation Block Grant (STBG) Program, Congestion Mitigation termines the best CMAQ, STBG, or TAP funding opportunity for and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program, or Transporta- projects to maximize their opportunities. This approach can be tion Alternatives Program (TAP) funding suited for that project’s taken further by having the MPO create an internal review group implementation. Flexible funding maximizes project funding abil- that assists jurisdictions with writing grants or exploring other ity when revenues are reduced. funding sources not controlled by the MPO. The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION evaluates funding from tolling, state highway funds, location Atlanta Regional Commission, Southern Fulton Comprehensive transportation revenues, and federal funds to evaluate the best Transportation Plan. https://www.southernfultonctp.org/ (accessed funding mechanism for each project. Part of this evaluation en- January 27, 2021) courages “the overmatch of local money to create the flexibility to swap funds between a project funded with federal formula funds that require a 20% local match and other local projects.” The over- “The Innovative MPO: Smart Planning, Strong Communities, A match from the larger project can be applied so that the smaller Guidebook for Metropolitan Transportation Planning”, Transpor- project is 100% locally funded, while the larger project still meets tation for America. https://t4america.org/wp-content/uploads/ the federal requirement. By using more revenue sources, the in- 2014/12/The-Innovative-MPO.pdf (accessed January 27, 2021) crease in local funding opportunities can enable MPOs to make up for lost revenue in other areas or increase funding matches. “FHWA Center for Innovative Finance Support,” FHWA. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ipd/value_capture/defined/special_ The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), assessments.aspx (accessed February 17, 2021) centered in Raleigh, NC, created a funding program called the Lo- cally Administered Projects Program (LAPP). This competitive program uses a holistic approach to identify and prioritize locally “Locally Administered Project Program,” CAMPO. administered projects that use federal funds. The program estab- https://www.campo-nc.us/funding/locally-administered-projects lishes an annual target modal investment mix and provides train- -program (accessed February 18, 2021) ing to eligible local jurisdictions. 

Toolkit for the 21st Century   19   Topic: Inclusive Community Engagement Categories: External Influences, Policy Issues, Partnering & Coordination Employing Engagement Tools to Reach Any Audience THE CHALLENGE Inclusive community engagement is critical to the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) planning process. It is essential to ad- dressing equity and dealing with demographic changes. How people INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT communicate and access information is becoming more virtual, and that change has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure everyone has meaningful access to the planning process, MPOs must adapt to keep up with current trends in communication and outreach techniques. With a wealth of resources available on effective engagement strat- egies, this document seeks to present a suite of tools that MPOs can use to reach the largest possible number of people in a way that Solution 2: Noninternet-Based Outreach Strategies. While virtual includes everyone interested in participating. meetings and social media are effective ways to reach large num- bers of people, noninternet-based outreach strategies are also nec- essary to allow participation of those who may not have internet WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? access. Pop-ups, outdoor events, street teams, public computer lab Community engagement in the MPO planning process sites, tele-town halls, texting, mailers, bus stop and transit station should be accessible to anyone through a wide variety of surveys, and traditional public meetings and open houses remain in-person and online platforms to ensure all perspectives viable options for rounding out engagement strategies. are heard. Solution 3: Targeted Strategies for Specific Groups. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to community engagement, and in most cases a combined approach of internet-based and noninternet-based POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS strategies is needed and should be tailored to the specific commu- Provide inclusive and convenient solutions to engage communities nity and process. There are publicly available maps online of digital by using a broad range of online and virtual tools, providing nonin- inclusion related to households with internet access and number of ternet-based engagement opportunities, and crafting the overall en- computing devices [using the American Community Survey(ACS)] gagement strategy to meet the needs of the entire community. that can be reviewed to assist with targeted outreach strategies. Conducting inclusive community engagement is related to external influences due to the changing realities of how people communicate and prefer to receive information and provide input. Policy issues are related in that MPOs must meet federal MPO planning mini- mum requirements for public involvement (e.g., public notice and comment periods). Finally, partnering and coordination are im- portant for effective stakeholder and public engagement. Solution 1: Virtual Community Engagement Resources. The tradi- tional approach to community engagement in transportation plan- ning has centered around in-person public meetings or open houses that occur at key milestones during the planning process. This ap- proach requires attendees to make time and travel to the specified location at a set time. While there is still a role for this type of en- gagement, virtual engagement tools allow more people to partici- pate in real-time events available online and throughout the plan- ning process. There is a host of resources available for virtual en- gagement, such as virtual reality open houses, webinars, livestream- ing, whiteboard collaboration, online surveys, online map com- menting tools, etc. 

20   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE events and activities. In-person meeting presentations can be livestreamed and posted online for viewing during and after the The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and the North Jersey events. Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) have developed guides to help select public engagement tools. The ARC guide (Virtual Public Engagement Guide, Resources for Local Govern- ments) contains checklists on how to ensure compliance with open meeting requirements, making meetings engaging to participants, avoiding technology pitfalls, adapting from an in-person to a vir- tual format, and choosing the best virtual public engagement plat- form to fit the need. The NJTPA Public Engagement Toolkit pro- vides a searchable database of hundreds of techniques for certain audiences, such as seniors or millennials. The Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) developed a tool called the Transportation Outreach Planner. It in- cludes a Demographic Reporting Tool to generate demographic reports within the TPO area, a Community Background Reports INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT feature with historical and other information relevant to public en- gagement in select areas, and a Public Involvement Strategies guide covering a broad range of engagement topics. As part of its 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) process, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia Transportation Planning Organization (Chattanooga’s MPO) created brief, easy- WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION to-understand explainer videos providing an overview of the RTP process and educational brochures about key RTP-related topics. ARC,Virtual Public Engagement Guide, Resources for Local The MPO is also looking into the logistics of hosting computer lab Governments . https://cdn.atlantaregional.org/wp-content/ sessions where people can access online resources such as live and uploads/virtual-public-engagement-guide.pdf (accessed January pre-recorded virtual reality open houses, videos, reports, interac- 27, 2021) tive maps, and online surveys. These sessions will allow people NJTPA, Public Engagement Toolkit. www.njtpa.org/engage.aspx without home internet access to see all the available information (accessed September 17, 2021) about the 2050 RTP and provide input. The City of Charlotte hosted a drive-thru event where residents “Transportation Outreach Planner,” Miami-Dade Transportation could learn about and provide input on the Charlotte Future 2040 Planning Organization. http://mpotransportationoutreachplanner Comprehensive Plan. On October 31, 2020, the city hosted four .org/mpotop/ (accessed February 18, 2021) sessions where attendees were directed to informational booths and were able to provide input via a mobile application. The final “2050 Regional Transportation Plan,” Chattanooga-Hamilton session included a screening of the movie Back to the Future. County/North Georgia Transportation Planning Organization. HIGH-LEVEL STEPS https://2050rtp-chcrpa.hub.arcgis.com/ (accessed April 6, 2021) 1. Research the demographics of the study area, including “Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan,” City of Charlotte. home internet access https://cltfuture2040.com/ (accessed January 27, 2021) 2. Develop a public involvement plan that addresses the needs identified Gilstrap, Samantha, “City Of Charlotte To Unveil Future Plan At 3. Provide both internet-based and noninternet-based en- Community Drive-In,” WCCB (Charlotte, NC), October 22, 2020. https://www.wccbcharlotte.com/2020/10/22/city-of-charlotte-to gagement opportunities -unveil-future-plan-at-community-drive-in/ 4. Record meetings and post online 5. Track and report on number of participants reached using “I3 Connectivity Explorer,” The Center for Internet as each outreach strategy Infrastructure, LLC. https://internet-is-infrastructure.org/ i3-connectivity-explorer/ (accessed February 1, 2021) HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH Salerno, M., et al. NCHRP Synthesis 538: Practices for Online The first step in employing inclusive community engagement is to Public Involvement . Transportation Research Board, Washington, understand the demographics of the area and use that information DC, 2019. https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25500/practices-for to inform the public involvement plan. For example, I3 -online-public-involvement Connectivity Explorer is a free tool that pulls ACS data on home broadband subscription rates. If rates are lower for certain “New Online Public Engagement Resources,” American Planning communities, noninternet-based strategies, like pop-up events and Association. https://www.planning.org/apanews/9198750/ street teams, may be needed in those areas. Next, MPOs can offer a new-online-public-engagement-resources/ (accessed February 1, wide range of engagement activities, including in-person and online 2021) 

Toolkit for the 21st Century 21   Topic: Curb Space Categories: External Influences, Policy Issues, Partnering & Coordination Strategies for Making Better Use of Curb Space in Metropolitan Planning Organization Areas THE CHALLENGE Curb space management is taking on increased importance due to competition for limited space for ridesharing, scooters, e- commerce, outdoor dining, and walking and biking. Cities face requests from all sides to increase space for making deliveries, charging scooters, concentrating pickup and drop-off points for rideshare, and other services. This toolkit topic looks at how MPOs have used various tools to re- envision the use of curb space to maximize recreation, economic revitalization, and revenue for the transportation agencies involved. finding ways of maximizing opportunities within neighborhoods. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Examples include opportunities for businesses to have pop-up shops, new or expanded recreational space, or delivery drivers to Metropolitan Planning Organizations can research, recom- CURB SPACE take advantage of off-peak delivery times. mend, and support local efforts to repurpose curb space and create permanent installations or programs for residents to im- Solution 2: Transportation Funding for Temporary and Permanent prove quality of life and decrease congestion. Installations. MPOs can develop transportation funding mecha- nisms that can be used to develop temporary, seasonal, or perma- nent installations. A lack of money for curb management can be POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS overcome by merging curb projects with other improvements, such Potential solutions to repurposing curb space have existed for years, as roadway repaving, utility repairs, or intersection improvements. namely tactical urbanism (temporary changes to the built environ- ment), parking days (use of parking spots for temporary mini- Solution 3: Curbside Management Guidelines for Implementation. parks), parklets, and other grassroots programs that have led to per- Determining where, how, and when to implement changes to the manent installations in many cities. These approaches can be cham- urban environment can be challenging. Through regional guidelines pioned by a community organization or through city officials and that provide information on how to implement projects at various stakeholders. levels, MPOs can empower local government agencies to envision new futures for their streets. These guidelines may include how to The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an uptick in cities taking ad- implement “flex zones” along a curb that change the use of the curb vantage of lower traffic volumes to implement expanded sidewalks, by time of day and by day of the week. bike lanes, dining areas (or “recovery zones”), and other solutions to get people outside and able to maintain social distancing recom- mendations. While these experiments may be temporary, others are evaluating methods for making these solutions permanent. The MPO’s perspective is typically one of policy and practice guid- ance, as regional agencies typically do not own the streets or side- walks. As such, developing policies and sharing lessons learned that can enable local governments to implement changes to their infra- structure is a vital role. An example is development of regional curbside management plans or guidelines for implementation. Solution 1: Meaningful Engagement with Communities. MPOs can develop outreach strategies that promote widespread involvement to generate ideas on how to repurpose curb spaces. Such outreach will focus on understanding how curb space is currently used and 

22   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE The City of Oakland Slow Streets Program and City of Minneapolis Stay Healthy Streets Program were launched in spring of 2020 dur- ing the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to alleviate overcrowding in parks and trails by providing walking and biking through closed roads, lanes, or parking spaces. These programs have expanded to provide outdoor dining, COVID-19 test sites, and pop-up shops for retailers. These temporary solutions can provide MPOs with the ba- sis for a toolbox of options for which they can assist cities in imple- menting these projects. Smart Zones have enabled the City of Aspen to team up with a com- pany called Coord, which developed an app called Coord Driver to reserve curbside delivery zones. Drivers can reserve locations dur- ing select hours to improve delivery coordination, safety, and con- venience. Additionally, the implementation of reserved curb space enables the City of Aspen to add an additional funding source to its toolbox. permanent installation. These criteria can be used to measure the The [National Association of City Transportation Officials before and after impacts of temporary installations and garner sup- (NACTO)] Parklets Guide and Tactical Urbanism Guide provide port for projects before funding is distributed. Additionally, funding resources for cities to implement short- and long-term projects for criteria can be evaluated to determine if certain projects such as in- replacing street amenities with parklets, dining spaces, bike lanes, stalling bike lanes or expanded sidewalks qualify for existing fund- bus stops, and other amenities. The Open Streets Project has an ing in the current program. To ensure that projects do not increase open streets toolkit that takes street repurposing step-by-step traffic congestion to unacceptable levels, create unsafe conditions, CURB SPACE through planning, funding, marketing, and evaluation. or violate standard design guidelines, MPOs can work to create a regional document for best practices based on existing work from HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH NACTO and the Tactical Urbanism Guidebook. MPOs can take actions to help local governments maximize their curb space. Through initial conversations with community organi- WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION zations, stakeholders, business owners, and the public, input can be “Oakland Slow Streets,” City of Oakland, accessed April 7, 2021. garnered to help understand what change is desired in the current https://www.oaklandca.gov/projects/oakland-slow-streets built environment. Based on the feedback, MPOs can develop guidelines that help local governments implement curb space man- “Stay Healthy Streets during COVID-19,” City of Minneapolis, Stay Healthy Streets Program, 2020. https://www.minneapolismn agement strategies. These guidelines can include design standards .gov/government/programs-initiatives/transportation-programs/ for temporary pilot projects, safety requirements, traffic analysis stay-healthy-streets/ (accessed April 7, 2021) considerations, and before-and-after data collection methodologies to document the outcomes of projects. This can also include guide- City of Aspen, Coord Smart Zones, 2019. lines for how businesses can utilize public infrastructure for outdoor www.coord.com/blog/aspen-smart-zone-launch?hsCtaTracking dining or shopping, creating agreements for private enterprises to =efbe2268-9de4-46ee-8809-3907acc1199b%7C15555547 utilize the space either through a free use agreement or lease that -b02c-46fb-87b5-5fe151ba4e49 (accessed April 7, 2021) can lead to additional city revenue streams. Tactical Urbanism, Tactical Urbanist’s Guide to Materials and HIGH-LEVEL STEPS Design Version 1.0, 2016 . http://tacticalurbanismguide.com/ (accessed April 7, 2021) 1. Develop and adopt regional curbside management and design guidelines NACTO, Urban Street Design Guide , 2013. https://nacto.org/ 2. Identify curb space for implementation through commu- publication/urban-street-design-guide/interim-design-strategies/ parklets/ (accessed April 7, 2021) nity outreach 3. Fund temporary installation of projects NACTO, Streets for Pandemic Response & Recovery , 2020. 4. Document effects of temporary installations https://nacto.org/publication/streets-for-pandemic-response 5. Make the formal decision to remove or permanently in- -recovery (accessed April 7, 2021) stall projects Open Streets Project, Open Streets Toolkit. https://openstreetsproject.org/open-streets-toolkit (accessed MPOs can work to create funding mechanisms, such as a curbside September 17, 2021) management grant program, for various stages of project implemen- tation, with criteria for taking a project from the pilot stage to 

Toolkit for the 21st Century   23   Topic: New & Emerging Technologies Categories: External Influences, Policy Issues, Partnering & Coordination Preparing for New and Emerging Technologies in the Transportation System THE CHALLENGE Technology in the transportation industry has been evolving at a rapid pace. Discussions of the linkage between transportation and technology have shifted toward alternative fuel sources and electri- fication of vehicle fleets; updated traffic signal technologies; and connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs). This evolution has NEW & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES made it difficult for state departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and local jurisdic- tions to anticipate or predict the future of roadway and highway in- frastructure. With this continuing evolution of transportation technology in re- cent years, MPOs are taking several initiatives regarding policy and transportation projects to address these alternate futures, and then implementation. This toolkit topic presents how some MPOs are determine which projects would be good investments regardless. planning, anticipating, and facilitating new and emerging technolo- gies to improve safety and mobility. Solution 2: Identify Key Corridors to Implement Technologies. MPOs can identify key corridors that could utilize emerging tech- nologies that will create or enhance connections of residents to WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? housing, employment, recreation, and capital. This strategy can in- MPOs can educate and collaboratively engage with the clude an inventory analysis of technologies such as fiber, broad- community to develop a vision for the future, as well as band, software, and gaps in service as well as public spaces that develop “future proofing” strategies in anticipation of could benefit from new or better broadband service. MPOs can ex- changes to come with new and emerging technologies im- pedite the decision-making process for where technologies should be placed. pacting the entire transportation ecosystem. Solution 3: Develop Smart Corridor Grant Program and Financing Assistance. MPOs and their partners can move technology-ready POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS designs and projects higher on their prioritized list. A smart corridor New and emerging technologies relate mostly to external influ- grant program can be implemented that allows MPO partners to ences, policy issues, and partnering and coordination. They are also submit competitive grant applications requesting a funding match causing some uncertainty for the users of transportation services from the MPO for deploying technologies along smart corridors. and agencies that provide them. However, MPOs can strategize and anticipate future changes and/or reactions by engaging industry leaders, stakeholders, community organizations, city officials, and neighborhood residents. The 21st century has been marked by rapid technological changes, an abundance of accessible information, and an increasing ability to collaborate. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need to be digitally connected and technologically innovative. Solution 1: Develop Metropolitan Transportation Plans (MTPs) with Alternate Futures in Mind. MPOs should develop various fu- ture and uncertain scenarios or “alternate futures” relating to the so- cial, economic, environmental, and technological systems in re- gional plans. Each alternate future should identify key external forces, what could happen to the transportation landscape, potential 

24   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH MPOs can facilitate discussions based on alternative futures or sce- narios with industry leaders, community organizations, stakehold- ers, local jurisdictions, and the public. These initial discussions should provide more insight on the community’s perception and guide local governments on future strategies, projects, and policies, . such as signal priority and pre-emption, connected and autonomous vehicles, and vehicle electrification. MPOs should consider new and emerging technologies through the lens of equity ensuring that disadvantaged populations do not get left behind. . MPOs can provide guidance for a technology inventory analysis or perform the inventory themselves along key corridors. At a mini- mum, the analysis should include broadband fiber locations along corridors, traffic signal communication capabilities (to other sig- nals, vehicles, and back to the transportation management center), remote signal timing software, and CV application software. The . results of this analysis can be used to proactively identify a smart NEW & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES corridor network for future smart technology investments. Projects along a corridor identified in the smart corridor network could re- WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE ceive higher priority. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) MPOs can evaluate and prioritize technologies within their MTPs developed a scenario planning document titled Dispatches from based on performance measures like sustainability, cost, project Alternate Futures: Exploratory Scenarios for Greater Philadelphia. readiness, return on investment, safety, public health, mobility, and The goal of the plan was to assess the conditions and trends of the equity. Technology projects and evaluation criteria can also be in- existing transportation network and gain insight on potential out- tegrated into the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) comes that may occur in four different scenarios. DVRPC identi- project selection. fied scenarios that include emerging technologies, such as auton- omous vehicles (AVs), platooning, open-sourced technology, and the digitalization of transportation. This was completed in a col- HIGH-LEVEL STEPS laborative and engaging environment among stakeholders and lo- 1. Develop and evaluate alternate futures and educate the cal residents. This scenario planning method can help MPOs to public on potential implications clarify their vision and strategy for technologies. 2. Gather input from community members on the percep- In Florida, a variety of stakeholders such as Florida DOT, city of tion of new technologies Orlando, MetroPlan Orlando, and the Central Florida Autono- 3. Conduct inventory of current technology locations mous Vehicle Partnership (CFAVP) have led initiatives related to 4. Develop project evaluation and prioritization framework emerging technologies in the transportation industry. The Auton- omous Vehicle Mobility Initiative (AVMI) was developed to un- for MTP and/or TIP derstand implications for future autonomous transit travel. Florida DOT is also leading Florida’s Connected and Autonomous Vehi- cle Initiative, which is several projects involving vehicle-to-vehi- WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION cle infrastructure, signal upgrades, and intelligent transportation Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Exploratory systems (ITS). These involve partnerships with local municipali- Scenarios for Greater Philadelphia , 2020. https://www.dvrpc ties and MPOs throughout the state. Smaller MPOs may rely on .org/Products/20012 (accessed January 30, 2021) larger partners like state DOTs to lead technology efforts, advo- cating for training and integration of technology into planning and AMPO Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Working Group. design processes. Planning for C/AV Deployment: Public and Private Sector Coordi- In the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Southern Fulton Compre- nation. 2018. https://www.ampo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ hensive Transportation Plan, new and emerging technologies were AMPO-CAV-Draft-White-Paper-Orlando-Final.pdf (accessed incorporated into the plan’s vision, goals, and objectives and January 30, 2021) project evaluation framework; inventory and needs assessment; and recommendations, including the proactive development of one Florida Department of Transportation. Florida’s Connected and of the first smart corridor networks in the country. A robust Automated Vehicle (CAV) Initiative . 2021. https://www.fdot.gov/ inventory of traffic signal locations, communication, and traffic/its/projects-deploy/cv/connected-vehicles (accessed connected vehicle (CV) application abilities was conducted, as February 17, 2021) well as broadband/fiber locations. Additionally, smart technology solutions were recommended for several at-grade railroad Atlanta Regional Commission, Southern Fulton Comprehensive crossings. As a result, system preservation needs were evaluated Transportation Plan , 2020. https://www.southernfultonctp.org/ as well, including the recommendation of a policy to resurface (accessed January 27, 2021) freight corridors more frequently due to additional wear and tear from trucks. 

Toolkit for the 21st Century   25   Topic: Changing Travel Patterns Categories: Internal Operations, External Influences Changes in Travel Patterns and Accommodating New Modes of Transportation THE CHALLENGE How people live and work are changing, as is how they choose to commute or get around for everyday activities. Therefore, it is im- portant for metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to be poised for these shifts, especially when Metropolitan Transporta- tion Plan (MTP) horizons must look at least 20 years ahead. CHANGING TRAVEL PATTERNS According to 2018 American Community Survey data, from 2005 to 2018, telecommuting grew by 173% to account for 3.6% of the U.S. workforce. In addition, there has been a slight increase in ac- consider incentivizing employers to continue to allow at least part- tive commuting to work by biking or walking in several urban areas time teleworking. TDM programs can also incentivize employees with cities seeing a slight decrease in drive-alone figures. On a na- to take transit. tional level, though, no mode of transportation saw its share of total commuters change by more than 1.5%. According to the McKinsey Solution 1: Travel Dashboards and Data Methods. Through passive Global Institute, 39% of employees in 2020 have the potential to or active data collection methods, travel trends and dashboards can work from home one or more days per week in the United States. be created to understand how travel patterns are changing within a region. With real-time data availability, trends can be identified While driving alone remains the most popular method of commut- quickly and be used to update travel demand models or MTPs. ing in the United States, data shows that urban centers have seen larger shifts in commuting patterns, some of which may be Solution 2: Refocusing Transportation Demand Management Ef- exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, there is forts. To curb rising congestion and declining transit ridership, the potential for major shifts in travel patterns due to ridesharing, MPOs can sponsor regional TDM programs that encourage employ- adoption of autonomous vehicles, changes in household size, and ers to allow telework post-COVID and encourage employees to take migration to more affordable housing options. transit when not teleworking. Legislation may be required to sup- port certain programs, such as tax credits for businesses that enable WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? teleworking or encourage off-peak work or delivery hours. By understanding how travel patterns are changing MPOs Solution 3: Develop Scenarios and Policy. By documenting travel can enact plans to focus on sustainable solutions to circum- patterns over time, MPOs can develop scenario plans that reimagine vent or encourage those patterns at a larger scale. the future. To guide these scenarios, MPOs can develop policies fo- cused on education, outreach, infrastructure, and mode of travel to POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS shape the future. Example policies include implementing broadband Changing travel patterns relates to internal operations [e.g., MPO infrastructure to promote teleworking or adding charging stations to Transportation Demand Management (TDM) efforts] and external promote e-scooters and micromobility. influences. As one example of an external influence, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic challenged several MPOs to begin the process of quantifying changes in travel patterns. With a wealth of real-time travel information available to transportation agencies through mo- bile data and other passive data collection methodologies, it is easier than ever to develop dashboards and performance measures that track changes to travel patterns, even in near-real time. For MPOs looking to encourage changes in travel patterns, a variety of initiatives within TDM programs seek to facilitate alternative commuting choices. Since many more employees have experienced the benefits of teleworking first-hand due to COVID, MPOs could 

26   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO) used the Maryland Transportation Institute’s (MTI) web-based platform [Regional Integrated Trans- portation Information System (RITIS)] to quantify changes in travel patterns. Through their use of readily available data, the Waco MPO has set itself up to track yearly changes in travel patterns that can be used to understand how travel trends today may impact future trans- portation projects. San Francisco’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) also developed a data collection methodology, utilizing INRIX Real-Time travel data to create a 511 system that provides real-time traffic information and updates while also shar- ing the data with public agencies at no cost to assist in their plan- ning. There are several initiatives nationwide at the state and local levels to encourage telecommuting, biking or walking, ridesharing, and taking transit. However, as alternative modes of transportation con- tinue to shift rapidly due to technological improvements, MPOs can begin to perform scenario planning to incorporate these trends into CHANGING TRAVEL PATTERNS future projections. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Author- WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ity (MBTA), in conjunction with MassDOT, has several scenario developments that evaluate how shifts in employment and travel be- Waco MPO, Travel Pattern Impacts from COVID-19 Shelter in havior, primarily teleworkers by industry and teleworking days per Place Restrictions for Texas Metropolitan Areas, 2020. week, will impact future transportation networks. https://www.waco-texas.com/userfiles/cms-mpo/file/2020%20 Policy%20Board%20Meetings/05%20Jun%2018%202020/6_ The Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) im- plemented a telecommute study to analyze the potential for tele- 1_COVID_White_Paper.pdf (accessed February 2, 2021) commuting as a strategy to flatten the congestion curve in Miami- Miami-Dade TPO, Telecommute Study Executive Summary, Dade County. The study identified which populations have the po- 2021. http://miamidadetpo.org/library/studies/mdtpo tential to use this strategy and how effective it would be at lowering -telecommute-study-executive-summary-2021-01.pdf congestion. To promote this mode countywide, the TPO imple- (accessed February 2, 2021) mented several policy recommendations that included creating an education and outreach pilot to monitor success metrics; imple- menting telecommuting elements in statewide plans; and imple- MBTA, Scenario Planning for MassDOT and the MBTA, 2020. menting broadband initiatives within infrastructure projects, includ- https://www.mass.gov/doc/scenario-planning-for-massdot-and ing transit, to promote telecommuting. -the-mbta-101920/download (accessed February 2, 2021) HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH Federal Highway Administration, Assessing Changes in Travel MPOs can use publicly available data through programs like MTI’s Behavior Data Collection, 2021. https://nhts.ornl.gov/assets/ RITIS or seek private data from cell phone data providers or vehic- MacroSys_FHWAAssessChangesReport_01212020.pdf ular data that can be used to create dashboards recording travel (accessed February 2, 2021) trends and real-time information. These platforms can be shared with other regional partners to ensure all planning agencies have INRIX, Case Studies: Metropolitan Transportation Commission, access to current data. 2020. https://inrix.com/case-studies/metropolitan-transportation -commission/ (accessed February 2, 2021) HIGH-LEVEL STEPS 1. Determine the best source for data related to travel trends McKinsey Global Institute, What’s next for remote work: an 2. Perform trend analyses for targeted travel areas analysis of 2,000 tasks, 800 jobs, and nine countries, 2020. https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Featured%20 3. Identify travel demand programs that encourage or dis- Insights/Future%20of%20Organizations/Whats%20next%20 courage certain travel patterns for%20remote%20work%20An%20analysis%20of%202000 4. Implement policy that shapes future travel mode shifts %20tasks%20800%20jobs%20and%20nine%20countries/Whats_ next_for_remote_work_F.pdf?shouldIndex=false (accessed Once the changes in travel patterns have been analyzed, MPOs can February 2, 2021) begin analyzing both TDM strategies and policies to further encour- age or discourage these patterns. For increased biking and walking, Association for Commuter Transportation. additional funding can be appropriated to bridge gaps in bike lane https://www.actweb.org (accessed September 17, 2021) or sidewalk networks within areas where these patterns are found. Additionally, as modifications are made to the transportation net- work, MPOs should continue to monitor changes in travel patterns based on these direct impacts to ascertain their expected outcomes in other locations. 

Toolkit for the 21st Century   27   Topic: Addressing Changing Demographics Categories: External Influences, Partnering & Coordination Changing Demographics Accounted for in Plans and Processes THE CHALLENGE Cities and regions have seen their demographics change over the past decade due to new trends in where people want to live, work, ADDRESSING CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS and play. The COVID-19 pandemic also affected commuting pat- terns and housing as well as workplace location decisions. Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) rely on accurate population, housing, and employment forecasts to plan. Ensuring they have the most relevant data is critical to their success. With changing demographics and the amount of data generated today, it is no longer acceptable to only track changes once every decade. With the appropriate technologies and data sources, MPOs can monitor these attributes more often to better inform planning upon criteria or thresholds living within an area before developing decisions. Additionally, it is crucial that MPOs adjust their methods outreach plans. Once the MPO has identified new demographic of outreach to ensure they are capturing data from new demograph- groups, or shifts in demographic concentrations or neighborhoods, ics or hard-to-reach groups that can provide valuable insight into an outreach plan can be tailored to the most effective outreach what their communities need and desire. strategies. Solution 2: Tracking Demographic Changes. Assessing how de- WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? mographics may change in the future is critical to ensure housing, MPOs base decisions regarding funding and transportation employment, transportation, and land-use plans will incorporate investments using demographic data as a major input. these changes. The changes can be tracked by monitoring programs that evaluate population, housing, and other growth trends on a yearly basis. The findings can be incorporated into models to ac- POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS count for how populations will change over the course of the model forecast, using free data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Several MPOs are using new methods for tracking demographic Community Survey or other data sources. changes within their regions. These methodologies include modi- fying outreach techniques to incorporate environmental justice Solution 3: Equity Performance Measures. To ensure that MPO and other vulnerable populations, focusing on outreach that works plans do not marginalize communities, plans should incorporate best for these communities. performance measures that ensure investments do not create addi- tional displacement pressures. These metrics can be used at the In addition, the use of weighted forecast scenarios for population regional or project level to understand how decisions can affect demographics in models has allowed some regions to forecast communities of interest. changing demographics and plan for these scenarios. These forecasts can be enhanced with performance measures that evaluate how a proposed plan or individual projects can cause dis- placement. MPOs can then find ways to encourage development where infrastructure and environmental impacts are most favora- ble. Since MPOs seldom if ever directly control zoning or site de- velopment decisions, addressing changing demographics requires partnering and coordination with local governments. Solution 1: Update Outreach Techniques. To ensure that all groups within a region are reached, it is imperative that MPOs first lead an effort to identify all vulnerable populations meeting agreed- 

28   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE jurisdictions can be formed to assist in understanding what can be changed to prevent displacement. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) has evolved a procedure for coordinating with its many local gov- By developing thoughtful equity measures, MPOs can create a way ernment members to update population and employment forecasts. to automatically review the impacts of projects and plans in a quan- Called the Cooperative Forecast, updates are done on an irregular titative way that informs planners of needs to modify proposed in- basis with major updates occurring after Census releases. While vestments. Potential equity measures include providing adequate each member government conducts its forecast differently, county housing based on income levels, reducing transportation costs, in- and regional control totals and a steering body that meets regularly creasing access to job opportunities, or reducing environmental im- help coordinate the process. It’s a large MPO, but this methodology pacts to minority areas. These measures can be used to inform MPO can be applied to smaller regions as well. mitigation plans that work to protect these identified communities Skagit Council of Governments (SCOG) developed a planning pol- and implement plans that deliver projects better suited to these ar- icy in 2016 to begin a regional program monitoring population and eas. To ensure that the MPO’s message is being disseminated employment growth in Skagit County. The Growth Monitoring Pro- among the population, monthly or yearly outreach reports can be gram provides the SCOG with annual information on how, where, conducted to track which populations have been reached and what methods work best for contacting each demographic group and ge- ADDRESSING CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS and why population, housing, and employment growth is occurring. This data is used to support policies for investments and estimate ographic area. future trends. Portland Metro has seen its minority populations increase from 11% to 26% between 1990 and 2010 and found that long-range model projections that assume similar racial profiles to the present become very inaccurate, especially as the forecast extends farther into the future. To account for this, Portland Metro has developed four county-level population growth scenarios that project future racial and ethnic dispersion. These scenarios, when combined with other model projections, can then be used to understand how projected growth scenarios can affect investment decisions. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) for the San Francisco Bay Area has a planning area that became “majority- minority” (non-white populations outnumber white populations) in 2000 in an ongoing trend. The housing affordability issue facing the San Francisco Bay Area has caused the displacement of low- income and minority households throughout the region. MTC worked with a Regional Equity Working Group to develop six eq- uity measures used to assess project performance and the perfor- mance of the full regional plan scenarios: adequate housing, re- duced displacement, economic vitality, equitable access, transpor- tation costs, and workforce access. These equity measures are then used to determine how the projects and plans will affect popula- tions identified as being most at risk. WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION Skagit Council of Governments, Growth Monitoring Program , HIGH-LEVEL STEPS 2018. https://www.scog.net/growth-management/ 1. Determine the best method for tracking demographics growth-monitoring-program/ (accessed February 2, 2021) 2. Incorporate demographic data into models and plans Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Cooperative 3. Form outreach groups for including demographic groups Forecast website https://www.mwcog.org/community/ 4. Develop equity performance measures for evaluation planning-areas/cooperative-forecast (accessed September 17, 5. Create mitigation plans for groups that are affected by 2021) projects or plans Federal Highway Administration, Addressing Changing 6. Conduct monthly or yearly outreach reports to track ef- Demographics in Environmental Justice Analysis, 2019. fectiveness of outreach strategies by demographic group https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/environmental_justice/ publications/chng_demo/fhwahep19021.pdf (accessed February 2, HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH 2021) While county, metropolitan statistical areas, and other large Transportation Research and Education Center, Keeping Pace with geographies have frequent data updates, smaller units of geography Rapidly Changing Environmental Justice Populations in Transpor- often rely on U.S. Census-based data. Developing a method that can tation Planning , 2019. https://trec.pdx.edu/news/keeping-pace be repeated often, uses local data and engagement inputs. and is cost -rapidly-changing-environmental-justice-populations-transportation effective will be critical to decisions that reflect changing conditions. -planning (accessed February 2, 2021) As MPOs begin tracking how demographics are changing within their regions, outreach groups to the affected communities and 

Toolkit for the 21st Century   29   Topic: Resilience in Planning Categories: Internal Operations, External Influences, Policy Issues, Partnering & Coordination Incorporating Resilience in Metropolitan Planning Organization Planning THE CHALLENGE The concept of resilience in MPO planning encompasses many strategies and policies to mitigate or reduce the impacts of disrup- tion to the transportation system, which can be natural or human caused. Examples are hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, infrastructure failure, economic changes, power outages, and cybersecurity breaches. MPOs can incorporate resilience measures in their project evaluation and scenario planning processes. This toolkit shows how MPOs are addressing resilience in their processes and plans. RESILIENCE IN PLANNING Solution 2: Perform a Vulnerability Assessment. MPOs can per- WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? form a vulnerability assessment by identifying potential threats MPOs can incorporate new strategies to better anticipate (flooding, hurricanes, wildfires, etc.) that could occur and affect external forces or shocks to the transportation system that critical transportation assets. The Federal Highway Administration occur with natural and human-caused hazards. (FHWA) has developed the Vulnerability and Assessment Frame- work, which MPOs can use to identify risks associated with infra- structure assets and natural hazards. The Vulnerability Assessment POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS assists MPOs in understanding existing conditions, climate sensi- Addressing resiliency can be categorized within internal operations, tivities, and future needs of the transportation system. Typically, external influences, partnering and coordination. Resilience plan- identification of critical and vulnerable assets is done together. ning involves the integration and cooperation of agencies at the fed- However, due to variabilities in MPO resources, we have separated eral, state, regional, and community levels. MPOs are uniquely po- the identification of critical assets as an earlier step that requires sitioned to increase their role in response and recovery of such fewer resources. events. MPOs are most familiar with the critical assets in the trans- portation system at a regional scale, as well as the stressors and haz- Solution 3: Identify Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies and Use ards that pose the biggest threat. Scenario-Based Models to Compare with Baseline Scenarios. MPOs can identify strategies to mitigate hazards to transportation assets. They can use scenario modeling to understand which strate- Existing and potential future stressors, shocks, and external forces gies are most effective in reducing and absorbing risks to transpor- have intensified the need for MPOs to assess hazard-related vulner- tation infrastructure compared to a trend scenario where no steps abilities for infrastructure in the area. MPOs can take additional are taken to promote resilience in the transportation system. Such steps by compiling data (assets, temperatures, precipitation, air scenarios may include power outages, security operations, or ex- quality, etc.) and identifying strategies to mitigate future risk. treme weather events. Solution 1: Identify Critical Transportation Assets and Establish Resilience Goals and Metrics in the Transportation Planning Pro- cess, Framework, and Project Prioritization. MPOs can develop resilience-related goals to incorporate into their metropolitan trans- portation plans (MTP). Once critical transportation assets have been identified, evaluation criteria can be used to prioritize and deliver projects that mitigate risks and provide redundancy to those critical transportation assets. Performance measures can also be evaluated, such as centerline miles of roadway on evacuation routes operating at or better than the adopted level of service, greenhouse gas emis- sion levels, travel delay times, and pavement conditions. 

30   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH The Southwest Louisiana (SWLA) MPO is centered on Lake MPOs can address resilience and protect critical infrastructure and Charles, part of a heavily trafficked freight corridor along I-10 and assets. The first step is to identify critical and vulnerable assets such encompassing much of Calcasieu Parish. During their MTP update, as major highways, evaluation routes, bridges, rail, and intermodal a new project priority system was developed based on public and ports. Hazard-related data, such as precipitation, temperature, and committee inputs. This new system included a resilience aspect by sea levels should be compiled to understand the potential effects on creating a grid of varying-sized cells mapped over the planning area critical infrastructure. Population data and social infrastructure near and populated with information from a land-use suitability analysis or reliant on critical transportation assets can also be incorporated. (LUSA), including stream crossings, flood-prone areas, low infra- MPOs can further prepare for resilience in the transportation system structure capacity, and other vulnerability factors. Projects that by identifying adaptation strategies to mitigate and reduce the im- crossed high-vulnerability cells received a lower score; projects that pacts from potential stressors, shocks, and events. The adaptation facilitated emergency routing, bettered access to low-income/mi- strategies can range from physical construction projects, govern- nority populations, and improved freight routes got a higher score. ance and coordination between agencies, regional strategies to pro- tect critical infrastructure and surrounding assets, or even scoping The FHWA offers funding and assistance to DOTs and MPOs to studies to better understand potential risks. Scenario-based model- identify resilience solutions through resilience pilot programs. Be- ing can assess potential needs and strategies. The scenario-based low are some examples. modeling process compares the outcome(s) of a given strategy to a baseline scenario. Lastly, MPOs can prioritize and fund projects and In San Francisco, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission policies that promote resilience. (MTC) was awarded FHWA Climate Change Resilience Pilot fund- ing to complete a vulnerability assessment. The infrastructure assets RESILIENCE IN PLANNING included I-80, I-880, State Route 92, two bridges, passenger rail, and freight rail. The goal was to collect data, gain insight on storm event exposure, and identify climate adaptation options and strate- gies for the critical infrastructure and surrounding areas. MTC com- pleted baseline scenarios to show how each asset would be affected by various levels of sea-level rise if no action is taken to adapt. The MPO also compared those outcomes to scenarios where five adap- tation strategies were used. Overall, MTC developed a vulnerability assessment that identified strategies to best adapt to sea-level rise. The Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) obtained technical assistance from FHWA Climate Change Resilience Pilot funding to support incor- porating resilience into the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The goal of the pilot was to identify potential project recom- mendations and strategies to address hazards affecting the transpor- tation system. The TPO and FHWA held a two-day resilience work- shop early in the RTP planning process with approximately 100 in- vited participants. The workshop defined resilience in context of the WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION 2050 RTP; existing and past resilience efforts in the region; the de- Metropolitan Transportation Council (MTC), Climate Change and velopment of an RTP resilience objective; adaptation and mitigation Extreme Weather Adaptation Options for Transportation Assets in strategies; example vulnerability and risks of RTP and TIP projects; the Bay Area Pilot Project , 2014. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ and resilience project evaluation measure(s). As a result, resilience environment/sustainability/resilience/pilots/2013-2015_pilots/ will be threaded throughout the development of the 2050 RTP. mtc/final_report/mtcfinal.pdf (accessed February 18, 2021) Lake Charles Metropolitan Planning Organization (LCMPO), HIGH-LEVEL STEPS Lake Charles Urbanized Areas (LCUA) 2045 Metropolitan 1. Identify critical transportation assets Transportation Plan. https://www.planswla.com/files/LCMPO 2. Assess vulnerability by identifying hazards or stressors _2045_MTP_Report.pdf (accessed April 4, 2021) affecting the region Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia Transportation 3. Identify adaptive strategies to mitigate or reduce risk, im- Planning Organization, accessed March 15, 2021. https://2050rtp- pact, and vulnerabilities chcrpa.hub.arcgis.com/ 4. Model scenarios that compare trend scenarios and scenar- ios representing environmental or human disruptions “Resilience” website, Federal Highway Administration, Office of 5. Prioritize and fund projects and policies that promote re- Planning, Environment, & Realty (HEP), accessed February 18, 2021. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/sustainability/ silience resilience/ 

Toolkit for the 21st Century   31   Topic: Planning for the Unknown Categories: External Influences, Policy Issues, Partnering & Coordination Evaluating Future Uncertainties for Metropolitan Planning Organizations in Planning THE CHALLENGE Forecasting future conditions in MPO planning processes has be- come increasingly complex due to changing social, technological, environmental, economic, and political factors that influence how regions develop. MPOs are addressing these changing dynamics in a variety of innovative ways. For example, “what if” scenario plan- ning has gained prominence by helping to prepare for potential changes ahead of time such that MPOs can better respond to or ben- PLANNING FOR THE UNKNOWN efit them. Experts can help guide the planning process to consider potential transformative changes occurring over the 20-year or longer planning horizon. These changes can encompass opportuni- ties as well as challenges. MPOs must determine how to allocate funding to ensure infrastructure and development is prepared to handle the future changes. relevant information, MPOs can evaluate how areas have shifted over time and in some cases, make forecasts on future expecta- tions. These future expectations can then be evaluated by expert groups, compared to near-term observations, or developed into al- WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? ternative scenarios to determine their potential impacts. It is important for MPOs to ensure that their limited re- Solution 2: Create Future-Focused Expert Groups. Some trends are sources for transportation investments will stand the test more recent or have not occurred yet. These trends can be discussed of time. Understanding and planning for the potential ef- as part of local, regional, or statewide focus groups of experts on fects of changes in future mobility promotes the long-term areas of concern to the MPO. These groups can be one-off work- success and relevance of these investments. shops or recurring meetings that allow MPO planners to engage with experts and remain abreast of current information. Colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations in the area are excellent resources to engage in this process. These future scenarios can then POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS be used in a backcasting exercise in which the differences between There have been several reports generated through the American the vision and reality are identified as well as actions that need to Planning Association (APA), as well as NCHRP Research Report be taken to bridge the two. 750: Strategic Issues Facing Transportation, a six-volume series, that address incorporating future changes into comprehensive Solution 3: Develop Alternative Scenarios. Incorporating future plans. These reports address several topics, including autonomous scenarios into metropolitan transportation plans (MTPs) can help vehicles, ridesharing, micromobility, climate effects, resiliency, guide MPOs in planning for their desired futures. Through these equity, health, and other topics that may be relevant to a given scenarios, the consequences of certain actions can be quantified or region. MPO staff can also host local experts to brainstorm future qualified to better prepare agencies for what may occur. It is im- scenarios that may impact the region given their field of expertise. portant to test these scenarios against near-term observations and Additionally, MPOs can prepare plans that address “what if” sce- explain differences in long-term forecasts if they exist. narios through creating collaborative planning processes that work to analyze multiple uncertainties and implications. These future viewpoints can be used to clarify visions and gain insight into keeping the region on a desired path. Planning for the unknown is related to external influences, policy issues, and partnering and coordination. Being unknown does not mean that there are no methods for gathering information and in- puts that can help define the magnitude and direction of potential change or outcomes. The following are some solutions that can be used by MPOs to bring clarification to unknown factors. Solution 1: Develop Trend Analyses. Utilizing available data sources in air quality, transportation mode shifts, and other 

32   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) and Se- Given the availability of disciplinary experts in large metro areas, attle Department of Transportation (SDOT) have developed func- forming expert groups to help envision the future of cities may be a tional transportation plans that cover policy frameworks for imple- viable solution for agencies. Smaller agencies may be able to form menting autonomous vehicles (AVs) within their jurisdictions. virtual expert groups that pull interested subject matter experts to These plans include policy frameworks for addressing equity, pilots discuss the future of regions from a distance. and partnerships, infrastructure and street design, mobility econom- ics, and land use and building design. The plans work to ensure that With the information acquired, MPOs can begin the process of de- future infrastructure investments and projects consider how the veloping and evaluating “what if” scenarios to incorporate into the growth of AVs can impact the jurisdictions and ensure that planned transportation planning process. These scenarios can help to either transportation infrastructure projects are prepared to handle AVs. develop policy for implementing future projects that are future re- silient or develop model ranges that help to convey the message that Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) devel- certain scenarios could affect expectations should they be imple- oped an exploratory planning exercise, Dispatches from Alternate mented. Futures: Exploratory Scenarios for Greater Philadelphia. Regional and transdisciplinary experts, called the Future Working Group, generated multiple views of the future by assessing uncertainty within a changing environment to understand what conditions or events may emerge and their likely outcomes. DVRPC is planning a third step within its 2050 long-range plan that will identify poten- PLANNING FOR THE UNKNOWN tial actions to respond to, or benefits that may accompany, these uncertainties. Valley Visioning is a three-part outreach path to plan for the future of Utah County, Utah. First, the county conducted listening surveys to understand how the public thought growth would occur. Second, growth scenarios were developed accounting for the survey con- cerns with scenarios such as business as usual, organized growth around mixed-use centers, westward growth, and urban infill. Each scenario incorporates housing, transportation, open space, water, re- silience, workforce, education, and air quality scenarios. Finally, these scenarios were used to model the transportation, land use, and water consumption outcomes that could be drafted into a final vi- sion for Utah County. The APA has also developed comprehensive plan standards for con- sidering how AVs can be addressed in the planning process, plan context, and implementation phases. These standards cover six prin- ciples consisting of a livable built environment, harmony with na- WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ture, resilient economy, interwoven equity, healthy community, and Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Dispatches from responsible regionalism. These principles can be researched in con- Alternate Futures, 2019. https://www.dvrpc.org/Reports/20012.pdf junction with NCHRP Research Report 750: Strategic Issues Fac- (accessed February 26, 2021) ing Transportation reports, which explore freight movement, cli- mate change, technology, sustainability, energy, and other trends to Envisioning Utah,Valley Visioning , 2020, demonstrate the importance of foresight in navigating a rapidly https://utahvalleyvisioning.org/ (accessed February 26, 2021) changing future. American Planning Association, Preparing Communities for Autonomous Vehicles, 2018. https://planning-org-uploaded HIGH-LEVEL STEPS -media.s3.amazonaws.com/publication/download_pdf/ 1. Use existing data to evaluate trend analyses in areas of Autonomous-Vehicles-Symposium-Report.pdf (accessed February 26, 2021) interest such as travel mode or climate change 2. Create expert working groups or public surveys Transportation Research Board, NCHRP Research Report 750: 3. Use feedback to develop alternate future scenarios Strategic Issues Facing Transportation , 2021. http://www.trb.org/ 4. Incorporate scenarios into long-range plans as recom- NCHRP/NCHRPForesightSeries.aspx?srcaud=NCHRP (accessed February 26, 2021) mended policies or action items 

Toolkit for the 21st Century   33   Topic: Regional Freight Issues Categories: Internal Operations, External Influences, Policy Issues, Partnering & Coordination Addressing Regional Freight Issues in the Metropolitan Planning Organization Planning Process THE CHALLENGE As freight is a critical component of the transportation system, met- ropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) must address a range of freight-related matters in the MPO planning process. Some key challenges include the following. Need for increased consideration of movement of goods in the Met- ropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) planning processes. When freight is considered in a separate section or chapter and not fully REGIONAL FREIGHT ISSUES integrated throughout the MTP, the resulting implementation and transportation system performance can underrepresent the role of freight in the transportation system. Identifying and balancing freight-related project prioritization met- rics. MTPs and other MPO plans must adequately quantify freight Solution 1: Weave Movement of People and Goods Throughout the project performance. Such projects may benefit some modes that MTP. Instead of consolidating freight considerations into a single are confined to roadways (e.g., personal vehicles and fixed-route section of the MTP, MPOs should address both movement of people bus transit) but can harm other modes of travel or exacerbate im- and movement of goods throughout the plan. This approach ensures pacts (e.g., noise, air quality, and bicycle and pedestrian safety). goods movement is adequately incorporated rather than addressed without consideration of other users, modes, and resources. Accommodating increasing freight volumes and associated needs, such as truck parking and curbside management. With the increas- Solution 2: Incorporate Freight Performance Measures and Metrics ing freight volumes (amplified by rapid growth of e-commerce dur- into Plans. When evaluating projects, MPOs can incorporate project ing the COVID-19 pandemic), demand for truck parking facilities, prioritization metrics that measure impacts on the movement of and speed and volume of deliveries to homes and businesses have goods. Plan performance measures should also include measures accelerated. Lack of truck parking is associated with unauthorized specific to freight and goods movement. truck parking, which causes safety issues for commercial vehicle drivers and others on the roadway. These trends have direct impli- Solution 3: Address Truck Parking in MPO Planning Documents. cations for curb space availability, freight vehicle emissions, and MTPs, regional freight plans, and similar planning documents freight-intensive land use (including growing demand on the urban should address emerging freight issues, such as the shortage of truck periphery and conflicts with other development patterns). parking availability. Some MPOs have developed freight plans that address truck parking using a truck parking inventory and general types of truck parking solutions even if specific locations are not WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? identified. Examples of innovative truck parking solutions include The efficient movement of goods is vital to the health of truck staging and commercial vehicle loading zones; truck parking information and management systems; smart parking systems; and people and the economy. locating truck parking in interchange areas, along transit routes, or in other underutilized spaces. Other relevant topics may include curb management, emissions, and freight-intensive land use. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS Some ways for MPOs to address freight more thoroughly and mean- ingfully include weaving freight considerations throughout the MTP document, incorporating freight metrics into project prioriti- zation processes and addressing truck parking in MPO planning documents, including the MTP. Addressing regional freight issues can be categorized primarily within external influences associated with changing freight and goods movement patterns. Freight planning relates to internal oper- ations, and policies and partnerships can help address freight-related challenges. 

34   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE address pressing freight issues like truck parking, curb manage- ment, freight vehicle emissions, and freight-intensive land use. Rather than addressing all freight considerations in a separate plan, the Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organiza- tion’s 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) weaves the movement of people and goods throughout the entire plan docu- ment. Freight is addressed in the plan’s existing conditions inven- tory (including freight corridors and generators), needs, LRTP goals, LRTP performance measures (e.g., intermodal access and ef- ficiency/tons of goods impacted), and improvement strategies. This balanced approach ensures that the movement of people and goods are considered in combination instead of by themselves. The Colorado Department of Transportation’s Colorado Freight Plan established key strategies, freight-specific performance measures, and investment actions aligned with each of the plan’s WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION goals. The freight plan performance measures are in addition to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Primer for Improved required federal performance measures. Examples include commer- Urban Freight Mobility and Delivery: Operations, Logistics, and cial vehicle involved incident rate per 1 million truck vehicle miles Technology Solutions, 2018. https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/ traveled (VMT), available truck parking space per 100,000 VMT, Publications/fhwahop18020/fhwahop18020.pdf (accessed percent of bridge crossings over interstates, U.S. routes and state March 11, 2021) highways with a vertical clearance less than the minimum design REGIONAL FREIGHT ISSUES requirement, peak period incident clearance times on key corridors, Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization, annual cost of congestion to commercial motor vehicles, and emis- Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Transportation Planning sions (pounds of carbon dioxide) due to excess truck delay. Freight- Organization 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan , amended 2019. specific performance measures can also be incorporated into MTPs. https://www.hrvampo.org/long-range-transportation-plan-lrtp (accessed March 16, 2021) Big cities have a lot of freight movements. New York City has cre- ated a very accessible but still comprehensive guide to working with local companies to promote off-hour deliveries. Topics include Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Freight Plan , noise mitigation and how-to guides for transporters and receivers. 2019. https://www.codot.gov/programs/planning/transportation- plans-and-studies/assets/march-2019-colorado-freight-plan.pdf The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) completed a (accessed March 11, 2021) Statewide Truck Parking Research Project that included a national review of best practices for truck parking; an inventory of public, National Coalition on Truck Parking, State, Regional, Local Gov- private, and unauthorized truck parking locations (in the state and ernment Coordination Working Group, Including Truck Parking in within a 30-mile buffer outside the state); as well as potential solu- State and Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Freight tions for consideration. Plans, 2018. https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/infrastructure/truck_ parking/workinggroups/state_reg_lgov_coord/product/freight Curb space analysis and management are highly relevant to regional _plans.pdf (accessed March 11, 2021) freight issues. The University of Washington’s Urban Freight Lab (UFL) conducted the Final 50 Feet research program to understand New York City, Off-Hours Delivery Guide . https://ohdnyc.com and quantify current use and operational capacity of curb space for (accessed September 17, 2021) commercial vehicle parking in downtown Seattle. The UFL will also pilot active curb management using sensors and a data platform to provide real-time data. Georgia Department of Transportation , Statewide Truck Parking Research Project , 2021. http://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/ Freight (accessed March 11, 2021) HIGH-LEVEL STEPS 1. Weave movement of people and goods throughout the University of Washington, Urban Freight Lab, The Final 50 Feet of MTP, rather than evaluating separately the Urban Goods Delivery System: Tracking Curb Use in Seattle , 2. Identify freight-specific performance measures and 2019. https://depts.washington.edu/sctlctr/research/publications/ project prioritization metrics in planning documents final-50-feet-urban-goods-delivery-system-tracking-curb-use-seattle (accessed March 17, 2021) 3. Address freight-related issues, such as truck parking, curb management, freight vehicle emissions, and freight-intensive land use in MTPs and freight plans HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH MPO plans and MTPs should address both the movement of people and the movement of goods to ensure a balanced approach. Next, incorporate regional freight issues in the MPO transportation planning processes to identify and incorporate freight-related per- formance measures into MPO plans. Lastly, freight plans should 

Toolkit for the 21st Century   35   Topic: Staff Retention Category: Internal Operations, External Influences How to Retain Staff at Metropolitan Planning Organizations THE CHALLENGE On average across all industries, 28% to 38% of all new employees quit within the first 90 days (Doreen Lang, 2018). With decreases in family size and shrinkage in the labor pool, the ability to find and attract new employees is costing metropolitan planning organiza- tions (MPOs) more every year. A new generation of employees has entered the workforce with unique expectations about work, with less than 15% of these employees being engaged at work and more than 70% looking to leave their current position. As MPOs compete not only with other government agencies but also with the private sector, it is time for MPOs to start finding more unique ways to at- tract, train, and retain employees. STAFF RETENTION projects and explaining why they are important, encouraging train- ing opportunities or conferences, and providing ongoing feedback. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? When employees go above and beyond, it is helpful to recognize The cost to an MPO to find, hire, and train a new em- them in front of the board. Additionally, including staff members’ ployee who leaves making more than $55,000 a year is ap- names in completed documents and celebrating the victories as a proximately $82,500. team can help employees feel recognized. Solution 2: Work/Life Harmony. With a new generation of employ- POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS ees entering the workforce, changes are expected of their employ- ers. To accommodate these expectations, MPOs can consider adopt- The Federal Highway Administration has conducted several re- ing flexible work hours, enabling telework, sponsoring parental search studies to document MPO staffing and organization struc- leave, or providing flexibility for those caring for elderly or sick tures. In 2017, it conducted the MPO Staffing and Organizational family members. Another strategy is to see what other companies Structures report. The report found that smaller MPOs have greater in the area offer to get an understanding of what an agency is com- difficulty retaining employees, with staff turnover around 18% per peting against for attracting talent. year versus 8% to 11% per year for mid-size and large MPOs. When surveyed about if the MPOs offered competitive pay, a third re- Solution 3: Monetary Incentives. When employees go above and sponded that MPOs did not offer it. The remaining two-thirds re- beyond, performance bonuses can be offered to commend them. sponded that they are competitive with other government agencies Additionally, raises and title changes are beneficial, as merited. but tend to lag behind private companies in pay and benefits offered. Should a staff member leave and another be asked to fill their role, MPOs face special challenges: small MPOs have small talent pools the staff taking on additional responsibility should be compensated to draw from, nontourist-destination MPOs may have trouble at- for the additional workload or promoted if warranted. Full or partial tracting qualified talent, large-market MPOs face competition from reimbursement for membership in professional organizations better-paying employers, and government organizational structures should also be considered. might offer little opportunity for upward mobility. With these issues in mind, strategies for retaining staff at MPOs can include increased training and work opportunities, providing work/life harmony improvements and monetary incentives. Staff re- tention is primarily related to internal operations and external influ- ences and can be addressed through the following strategies. Solution 1: Workplace & Training Opportunities. Ensuring that team members are empowered at work can help them feel like a valued part of the team. This can include assigning meaningful 

36   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE necessary, but within the first year, communicating thorough in- The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO, structions and expectations is essential. Austin, TX) has created a program to help employee recruitment and retention. The program includes several areas: onboarding in- volves describing the ideal candidate, introducing finalists to the of- HIGH-LEVEL STEPS fice staff, and explaining growth opportunities; work involves talk- 1. Research what other competing public and private sector ing to employees about meaningful things not related to work, as- firms offer both financially and for work/life balance signing meaningful tasks, encouraging training, and providing per- 2. Implement formalized telework or flexible schedule de- formance bonuses; work/life balance includes adopting flexible of- termined by employees fice hours, allowing telework, and providing tools for a supportive work culture; and leadership involves giving employees a chance to 3. Establish a conference/training program budget lead, giving credit where it’s due, and celebrating victories. 4. Identify potential funding sources for performance bonus CAMPO has used Metropolitan Planning (PL) 104/112 funds to or incentives provide performance bonuses when warranted. Additionally, the 5. Conduct check-ins with staff to understand how they are MPO issues invoices to cities based on population size to obtain doing and conduct exit interviews matching money for federal surface transportation block grant (STBG) funds for staff performance bonuses. HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH The Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) in Chicago promotes an With the increase in employee turnover and costs to find and train Employer Assisted Housing (EAH) system that extends housing af- their replacements, there is more pressure on MPOs today to adapt fordability for employees while enhancing the competitiveness of their organizations to attract and retain employees. The solutions businesses. Through the EAH, companies in the Chicago area pro- range from simply keeping employees more engaged at work through diversified tasks to providing monetary compensation for STAFF RETENTION vide guidance and financial assistance to employees who purchase or rent homes in or near communities where they work. The MPC performance. EAH guidebook provides information on all the steps of the process and includes examples of how the system pays off for companies. With the information provided here, MPOs can begin the process to For example, a $5,000 forgivable loan for a housing down payment evaluate competing public and private sector employers in their re- that is forgiven after 5 years of employment will only cost the busi- gion to understand what others are doing and which of those bene- ness $1,000 a year but save them far more in training a replacement. fits they can also provide. Ms. Doreen Lang is a consultant on employee retention and author of How to Drive Employee Retention in the First 90 Days. From her observations, the onboarding process should last up to a year, WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION with the first week being the most memorable. Having a staff mem- Lang, Doreen. How to Drive Employee Retention in the First ber with a positive attitude be their initial mentor through this criti- 90 Days: Volume 1, 2018. Hang OnTo Your Stars, LLC cal period will help them learn the system and feel comfortable. One Metropolitan Planning Council, The Cost of Employee Turnover: MPO strength as an employer is the opportunity to engage in a va- EAH as a Tool to Affordably Retain Employees , 2014. riety of work, from public engagement to technical analyses to https://www.metroplanning.org/news/7029/The-cost-of-employee- graphic/report design. Carving out discrete work tasks that comfort- turnover-EAH-as-a-tool-to-affordably-retain-employees (accessed ably stretch the employees’ abilities keeps them learning and en- April 14, 2021) gaged in their work. As time goes on, less instruction will be Kramer, Jeffrey, MPO Staffing and Organizational Structures , 2017. Center for Urban Transportation Research for Federal High- way Administration (FHWA), U.S. DOT. https://www.planning .dot.gov/documents/MPOStaffing_and_Org_Structures.pdf (accessed April 14, 2021) National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Pro- ject 08-122, Information Forum: Staff Attraction & Retention, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KverraLT_fc (accessed April 14, 2021) 

Toolkit for the 21st Century   37   Topic: Shared Mobility Categories: External Influences, Policy Issues, Partnering & Coordination Facilitating Shared Mobility in Metropolitan Planning Organization Planning THE CHALLENGE Shared mobility in the current context includes micromobility, mo- bility on demand (MOD), and mobility as a service (MaaS). Micro- mobility refers to bicycle sharing, scooter sharing, and other low- speed modes that enhance the first- and last-mile experience. MaaS is defined as a framework for the integration of mobility services into a single platform where people can plan and pay for trips across multiple modes. MOD refers to the ability of consumers to access personal transportation and goods delivery as needed (or “on de- mand”). The travel modes that encompass shared mobility are bikesharing, scooter sharing, carsharing, ridesharing, ride hailing SHARED MOBILITY and more. Current challenges associated with shared mobility are include identifying proper locations for shared vehicles and devices related to the regulation and use of public rights-of-way, consistent to be parked, developing a process for requesting access to the use data sharing across public and private agencies, and the integration of public rights-of-way among providers, and establishing appro- of shared modes into transportation planning to accommodate new priate signage and markings for parking areas. This will provide travel behavior and infrastructure needs. MPOs with tools to manage demand and prioritize shared modes into valuable curbside activity. Benefits of shared mobility include reduced automobile use and air pollution, as well as increasing individual freedom by increasing the Solution 2: Coordinate Data Collection and Sharing Methods with distance people can travel without owning a vehicle. This toolkit Private Entities. MPOs can develop contractual agreements with topic presents how metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) private entities representing modes that use shared mobility. This are anticipating expected impacts of shared mobility to achieve would provide MPOs with a new and informed knowledge that may long-term goals of mobility, sustainability, and equity in the trans- be relevant for future investment in shared mobility programs, pro- portation planning process. jects, and partnerships. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Solution 3: Integrate Shared Mobility into Travel Demand Forecast- Shared mobility offers greater mobility and freedom with- ing Models. MPOs can deploy household travel surveys that capture out the need of a personal vehicle, as well as personal cost individuals using shared mobility services, as shared mobility ser- savings for transportation. vices and technology are expected to drastically change travel be- havior over time. Incorporating these modes into travel surveys and models will provide MPOs with accurate performance predictions of the system and ideas for future infrastructure investment. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS Shared mobility is related to external influences, policies, and part- nering and coordination. MPOs can begin to shape the future of the transportation system with shared mobility by engaging and coor- dinating with private industry leaders and public agency officials. Overall, transportation as a commodity is expected to impact travel behavior and mode share throughout the nation. MPOs should begin to reexamine the role of infrastructure, land use, and transportation modes as shared mobility continues to grow. Solution 1: Curbside Management Guidelines and Implementation. MPOs can create policies and guidelines to assist with increased demand for curbside space among shared mobility, parking, and de- livery services. The examples of policies and guidelines could 

38   Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Strategies for Future Success MPOs can further prepare for shared mobility in the transportation system by identifying potential funding sources to launch pilot pro- grams, projects, and partnerships with private vendors. Examples of funding sources that can be used to expand shared mobility, MOD, MaaS, and micromobility include the Federal Highway Administra- tion’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Pro- gram as well as the Federal Transit Administration’s Mobility on Demand Sandbox Program. MPOs can use these financial resources to promote and expand the benefits of shared mobility modes. HIGH-LEVEL STEPS 1. Develop curbside management plan and/or policies within urban areas 2. Identify funding sources for future pilot programs 3. Establish data procurement and sharing processes with private entities WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE 4. Incorporate shared use modes into travel demand model In 2016, the City of Seattle adopted flex zones that prioritize passen- to forecast future scenarios ger loading zones for ridesharing services and transit rather than metered parking for single occupancy vehicles. The flex zones pri- oritize the uses of right-of-way for activities such as passenger load- ing, parking for bicycles and e-scooters, and walking along com- WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION SHARED MOBILITY mercial and mixed use areas. Overall, Seattle developed a guide that Metro Transit, $1 Lyft Trips to Transit Connections , 2021. outlines curb use priorities based on the corresponding street types https://www.metrostlouis.org/lyft/ (accessed April 13, 2021) and areas (i.e., commercial, mixed used, residential, industrial, etc.). Also, Seattle has developed policies for curbside management to Schwartz, Sam, Shared Mobility Study Technical Report , 2017. guide where dockless bicycles and e-scooters should be parked. The https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/SDOT/ policies prohibit bicycles from being parked on or near street cor- NewMobilityProgram/AppendixB.pdf (accessed on May 17, ners, curb ramps, bus stops, parking meters, and more to prevent 2021) further obstruction hazards for pedestrians. Shared Use Mobility Center (SUMC), 2021. Metro Transit in St. Louis, Missouri, developed a public-private https://sharedusemobilitycenter.org (accessed April 12, 2021) partnership with Lyft to make transit stops and stations more acces- sible for its users. The pilot program allows eligible recipients to Shaheen, Susan, A. Cohen, M. Randolph, E. Farrar, R. Davis, and access $1 trips via Lyft to designated areas throughout St. Louis A. Nichols, Shared Mobility Policy Playbook , 2019. County. Metro Transit covers up to $12 of the trip, while the cus- https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9678b4xs (accessed April 13, tomer is responsible for $1. If the trip exceeds $12, the eligible re- 2021) cipient is responsible for the remaining balance as well. The part- nership between Metro Transit and Lyft improves first- and last- mile connectivity due to transit service reductions during the NACTO, Streets for Pandemic Response & Recovery , 2020. COVID-19 pandemic. https://nacto.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Streets_for_ Pandemic_Response_Recovery_Full_20-09-24.pdf (accessed The Puget Sound Regional Commission (PSRC) recalibrated its April 7, 2021) most recent travel demand forecasting model to better understand the effects of shared mobility on mode choice and vehicle miles Federal Highway Administration, Integrating Shared Mobility into traveled. This recalibration of the forecasting model included Multimodal Transportation Planning: Improving Regional Perfor- shared modes such as transportation network companies (TNCs), mance to Meet Public Goals , 2018. https://www.planning.dot.gov/ TNC pools, and microtransit. This allowed planners and policy documents/SharedMobility_Whitepaper_02-2018.pdf (accessed makers in the area to understand what the introduction of shared April 14, 2021) mobility will do to the transportation network in the future. PSRC has also begun to discuss the incorporation of shared mobility into the household travel survey for the future. HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS OF APPROACH MPOs can begin to address regional shared mobility in several ways. The first step is to create a collaborative network that includes public agencies, local officials, private vendors, and nonprofit or- ganizations. This network can begin to establish goals, explore the benefits, and recommend strategies to improve shared mobility modes such as microtransit, TNCs, bikesharing, and scooter sharing in the area.