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Appendix B - Regional Roundtable Summaries
Pages 83-120

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From page 83...
... Regional Roundtable discussions are intended to provide MPOs and their agency partners an opportunity to examine the storied 3C (continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive) planning process and identify how that process could be improved to better address MPO major policy issues.
From page 84...
... by other MPOs or Agencies? Part II:  Addressing major policy issues using the 3C Planning Process In advance of the Regional Roundtable discussion, the MPOs and their agency partners will be asked to identify three MPO major policy issues that are facing MPOs and their agency partners.
From page 85...
... • BTPO: New interchange in the north part of the community; working with local partners and state DOT and private development; moved to a secondary/support role – typical as project moves from planning to design to construction; first PPP in Idaho; overcame federal/state requirements to facilitate the project development. • Missoula: Mountain Line transit provider; zero-fare transit; MPO worked with transit pro­ vider using CMAQ dollars annually to keep it zero-fare; ridership nearly doubled in three years (70% in two years)
From page 86...
... • Missoula: The MPO staff cross-pollinates work with the city itself and that helps create an ability to identify needs and allocate resources through the city; manages infrastructure and transportation planning. • BTPO: The four-year cycle is perhaps too frequent because there is not enough time to work on the ideas coming out of a plan – the community is getting weary; smaller MPOs would be more effective if they were not constantly undergoing plan updates.
From page 87...
... -- tying all of this back to transportation projects and priorities and empower them. Talk about a project, process, or partnership (not already discussed)
From page 88...
... Belfield, Senior Transportation Engineer, Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) Robert B
From page 89...
... Biggest channel for partnership is through data distribution via studies that others can use to implement strategies and recommendations. • BMC: The Maryland Highway Safety Office is producing highway safety plans and is the recip­ ient of a significant amount of funding ($300k–$400k)
From page 90...
... • No one wants to start off being at an MPO but falls into it; state DOTs, city DOTs, transit agencies all go through this problem – there is no central or organized place to seek MPO talent. • HRTPO: There is a large disparity in how MPOs handle their business; staff sizes vary -- there is not a correspondence between staffing and population.
From page 91...
... Establishing policy principles, while time-consuming and drawn out, helps set the stage for later project selection. • Over time, the remit of MPOs tends to grow into areas unrelated to their core competency of transportation planning and into a variety of related regional issues.
From page 92...
... • There is no relationship between the size of the region and the size of MPO staff; different places make different amounts of use of consultants. MPOs with larger staff seem to act more as consultants for the regions, becoming engaged in on-the-ground types of studies: corridor studies, citywide studies, and bike and pedestrian studies.
From page 93...
... Wade Carroll, Project Manager, Metro Analytics, PLLC Scott Lane, Principal Investigator, Metro Analytics, PLLC Part I: Best Practices, Challenges, Opportunities in 3C Planning Process Part I of the Regional Roundtable began with an overview of the MPOs' 3C (continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive) planning process and focused on four discussion questions provided prior to the Regional Roundtable discussion.
From page 94...
... • Monthly statewide MPO meetings help to address issues of concern and promote cooperative planning through the Connecticut Association of Councils of Governments, which is currently chaired by an MPO executive director. Question 1: How can MPOs and their agency partners be poised and equipped to better address current and future opportunities and challenges (pandemics, market disruptions, or other unexpected events)
From page 95...
... This mid-term informal review includes the participation of the MPO, CTDOT, and the FHWA Division Office. Part II of the Regional Roundtable Discussion Pertained to Identifying and Addressing Major Policy Topics Confronting MPOs and Their Agency Partners In advance of this Regional Roundtable, the MPOs and their agency partners submitted an assortment of major topics for discussion.
From page 96...
... • Connecticut MPOs are the host agency for Emergency Planning and Homeland Security Planning and are directly involved in the development of Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans and Homeland Security Plans. • Councils of Government and their MPOs have established the Connecticut Association of Councils of Governments, which provides MPOs and their agency partners a forum to discuss and advance the 3C planning process.
From page 97...
... Summary of Regional Roundtable: New York State March 12, 2021 3:00 pm–4:45 pm EST Attendees Michael Franchini, Executive Director, Capital District Transportation Committee Hal Morse, Executive Director, Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council Lynn Weiskopf, Director, Office of Policy, Planning & Performance, New York State Depart­ ment of Transportation (NYSDOT) David Rettig, Director, Office of Regional Planning & Program Coordination, NYSDOT Maria Chau, Senior Community Planner, FHWA New York State Division Donald Burns, Director of Planning & Program Development, Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
From page 98...
... Both MPOs that participated in the roundtable discussion are hosted by a regional transportation authority. Question 1: How can MPOs and their agency partners be poised and equipped to better address current and future opportunities and challenges (pandemics, market disruptions, or other unexpected events)
From page 99...
... For many MPOs, this may be a new role in helping to shorten the timeline between transportation planning, programming, and production. The move from plan to action requires cooperation among the MPOs and agency partners in the 3C planning process.
From page 100...
... Part II of the Regional Roundtable Discussion Pertained to Identifying and Addressing Major Policy Issues Confronting MPOs and Their Agency Partners In advance of this Regional Roundtable, the MPOs and their agency partners submitted an assortment of major topics for discussion. The chosen topics and highlights of the discussion are summarized below.
From page 101...
... The directors also discussed the "regional strategic partnerships" they have initiated with both traditional and nontraditional transportation partners. Both MPOs that par­ ticipated in the roundtable discussion are hosted by a regional transportation authority.
From page 102...
... Karen Brunelle, Director, Office of Project Development, FHWA Florida Division Cathy Kendall, Planning Team Leader, FHWA Florida Division Keith Melton, Director, Office of Planning & Program Management, FTA Region IV John Crocker, Community Planner, FTA Region IV Julia Walker, Environmental Protection Specialist, FTA Region IV Cassandra Borchers, Chief Development Officer, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority Howard Glassman, Senior Planning Consultant, Gannett Fleming, Inc. Wade Carroll, Project Manager, Metro Analytics, PLLC Scott Lane, Principal Investigator, Metro Analytics, PLLC The metropolitan planning organization (MPO)
From page 103...
... As a built-out metropolitan area, the public involvement comments clearly show that people want transit, bicycle paths, and trails instead of more roads. Question 1: How can MPOs and their agency partners be poised and equipped to better address current and future opportunities and challenges (pandemics, market disruptions, or other unexpected events)
From page 104...
... Forward Pinellas and MetroPlan Orlando both experienced a sig­ nificant increase in the number of people who participated in MPO planning activities using virtual rather than in-person attendance. At some events, attendance increased from 50 to 60 people to 500 to 1,000 people using virtual meeting communication tools.
From page 105...
... Likewise, MetroPlan Orlando has allocated a portion of its federal urban funds to local government Complete Streets, bicycle, and trail projects. Part II of the Regional Roundtable Discussion Pertained to Identifying and Addressing Major Policy Topics Confronting MPOs and Their Agency Partners In advance of this Regional Roundtable, the MPOs and their agency partners submitted an assortment of major topics for discussion.
From page 106...
... • Regional transportation planning and coordination throughout the state where multiple MPOs came together and established separate Regional Transportation Planning Organiza­ tions including the Central Florida MPO Alliance and the West Central Florida MPO Chairs Coordinating Committee in the greater Tampa Bay Area. • FDOT developed an MPO Program Management Handbook that is used by the department's central office, district offices, and MPOs to implement the various state and federal requirements
From page 107...
... Wade Carroll, Project Manager, Metro Analytics, PLLC Scott Lane, Principal Investigator, Metro Analytics, PLLC Part I: Best Practices, Challenges, Opportunities in the 3C Process Part I of the Regional Roundtables began with an overview of each MPO's 3C (continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive) planning process and focused on four discussion questions provided prior to the Regional Roundtable discussion.
From page 108...
... bring grassroots issues to the MPO to be discussed and resolved. Question 1: How can MPOs and their agency partners be poised and equipped to better address current and future opportunities and challenges (pandemics, market disruptions, or other unexpected events)
From page 109...
... Both organizations noted the challenges they face in implementing the state's 3C planning process due in part to legacy projects and the established role of state legislators in the selection of mobility projects. Part II of the Regional Roundtable Discussion Pertained to Identifying and Addressing Major Policy Issues Confronting MPOs and Their Agency Partners In advance of this Regional Roundtable, the MPOs and their agency partners submitted an assortment of major topics for discussion.
From page 110...
... Summary of Key Findings • The PSRC is engaged in coordination with the other MPOs in Washington and participates regularly in the statewide quarterly meetings that are held with other MPOs and their agency partners. • The Walla Walla Valley MPO has many of the same responsibilities that are required of larger MPOs, but their work is more compressed.
From page 111...
... ? • The MPO staff directors noted at an Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO)
From page 112...
... The significant level of collaboration between MPOs in Arizona and their agency partners includes meetings between the ADOT and the MPOs to discuss the upcoming ADOT work program well in advance of its development. Question 3: Should the roles, responsibilities, and resources of MPOs change in relation to their state, regional, and local transportation partners?
From page 113...
... • The FTA Region IX Administrator in San Francisco moved an FTA planning position to the FHWA Division Office in Phoenix to improve the FTA's ability to effectively participate in Arizona's statewide and MPO transportation planning process. Part II of the Regional Roundtable Discussion Pertained to Identifying and Addressing Major Policy Issues Confronting MPOs and Their Agency Partners In advance of this roundtable discussion, the MPOs and their agency partners submitted an assortment of major topics for discussion.
From page 114...
... Summary of Regional Roundtable: Texas March 31, 2021 11:45 am–1:30 pm EST Attendees Chris Evila, MPO Program Administrator, Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Michael Morris, Director, Dallas-Fort Worth MPO Jessica Butler, Director of Transportation Planning & Programming, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
From page 115...
... The directors noted that the 3C planning process goes back to the 1970s, which means MPOs have a long history of working with their agency partners. • The Waco MPO coordinates transportation planning for all of McLennan County in Central Texas.
From page 116...
... and their state and federal agency partners. Question 3: Should the roles, responsibilities, and resources of MPOs change in relation to their state, regional, and local transportation partners?
From page 117...
... This enables projects to move forward in smaller MPO areas while ensuring that the larger MPOs will be reimbursed in the TxDOT Work Program during speci­ fied future years. Part II of the Regional Roundtable Discussion Pertained to Identifying and Addressing Major Policy Issues Confronting MPOs and Their Agency Partners Part II of the Texas area Regional Roundtable discussion was not held due to time constraints.
From page 118...
... The Dallas Fort Worth MPO is engaged in various levels of planning that include neighborhood planning, regional planning, and international logistics. Larger MPOs have access to data sources that smaller MPOs cannot locate or afford, and therefore, it is necessary for larger MPOs to assist smaller MPOs in meeting the federal planning requirements.
From page 119...
... The population growth rate of a state should also be factored into the federal planning fund distribution formula. It is estimated that the state of Texas is expected to grow from 27 million people today to over 47 million people by the year 2050.


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