CRTPA Regional Mobility Plan Attachment 1 Page 1 of 11 INTRODUCTION Everyone wants to have the ability to move around the city, county, region, country and world in the way that they see fit, when they see fit and how they see fit. However, there are factors that limit the traveler s mobility including time, the mode chosen for the trip, and the available transportation facilities to take that trip. The concept of mobility in transportation is not about speed and traffic volume but about the ability of people to move from one place to another for any number of reasons including work, school, recreation, shopping, vacation, socialization, or emergencies by various modes. For businesses, mobility allows for the movement of goods and services in an efficient manner. All mobility requires time, a mode and the necessary facilities. Time is personal, and every person has a different concept of time. Where a person needs to be and how long it takes to get them there relies on several factors. The weather, the time of day, the route that is taken, the mode that is selected, and the number of other people having to be somewhere concurrently, affect time. For businesses, literally, time is money. How do I get my goods and services to clients in an efficient manner? What is the least expensive way to accomplish the delivery of goods and services? What is the fastest way to get there? In terms of choosing a mode of ground transportation the options available are limited; bike, bus, car, motorcycle, truck, and walking. All must be considered equally to have a balanced transportation system. The reliance on any one mode over the other creates inequities that can take years and years to overcome. Most modes rely upon the roadway network to create a transportation system. Busses, cars, motorcycles, and trucks all require roads to create mobility. Roads also create the opportunity for sidewalks and bike lanes. If done right, planning the facilities to accommodate these opportunities can create a system to meet the needs of the traveler regardless of mode. There are other factors that greatly influence mobility such as land use, density and funding. All of these factors must be considered when providing mobility options. What makes a good transportation system? A good transportation system will support the economic vitality of the region by enabling global competitiveness, productivity and efficiency, will increase the safety and security of the transportation system for all users, will increase accessibility and mobility of people and freight, will protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and planned growth and economic development patterns, will enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes for people and freight, will promote efficient system management and operations, and will emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system.
Page 2 of 11 The Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency (CRTPA) is dedicated to providing the highest level of transportation planning services to all citizens of the region. A major component of the CRTPA work is the development of a long range plan that addresses the transportation needs of the region through a continuous, cooperative and comprehensive process. Continuous in that we area always updating our efforts to reflect current transportation conditions, cooperative in the sense that we work with all of our partners towards identifying issues and solutions, and comprehensive in that we consider all modes of transportation and all citizens as part of the overall transportation planning effort. This long range plan will be known as the Regional Mobility Plan (RMP). It will focus on moving people and goods, not automobiles and trucks. Consideration will also be given to the major transportation network to the local transportation network and its interconnectivity. The major goals for the plan are accessibility and mobility. The major emphasis of the RMP is to integrate all modes of transportation into a single document that identifies the needs of all modes by individual corridors. The needs analysis will be accomplished through a Scenario Planning process. Additionally, the RMP will include a transportation visioning process to look at the needs of the region with a 50 to 75 year time range that will be performed in conjunction with a larger regional visioning process.
Page 3 of 11 Major Tasks for Study I. Scenario Planning There will be two Scenario Planning efforts for the Regional Mobility Plan (RMP). The first effort will address a 20-year scenario planning endeavor as associated with currently adopted local government comprehensive plans and will consider land use efforts in combination with transportation needs to address the growth of the region for the next twenty years. The long range Scenario Planning process (50 to 75 years) will be completed in conjunction with the larger effort to address the CRTPA region, and beyond, for all infrastructure ranging from utilities to land use to transportation. This may include the involvement of Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, and Liberty Counties in Florida as well as Decatur, Grady and Thomas Counties in Georgia. However, no 50- year scenario planning effort will take place as an exclusive component of the RMP. This effort must be completed in conjunction with the region-wide scenario planning process. The status of the region-wide visioning process will determine the timing of a concurrent transportation scenario planning process. II. SAFETEA-LU As the leading transportation legislation guiding all federally funded projects in the country, the Regional Mobility Plan (RMP) needs to follow the guidance as established in SAFETEA-LU including the following Planning Factors: A. Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity and efficiency; B. Increase the safety of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users; C. Increase the security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users; D. Increase accessibility and mobility of people and freight; E. Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and state and local planned growth and economic development patterns; F. Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes for people and freight; G. Promote efficient system management and operations; and H. Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system. Additionally, the completion of the Year 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) required the document to meet SAFETEA-LU compliance. This compliance was determined by the completion of a series of questions submitted by FHWA and FDOT. These same questions will be required to be fulfilled as part of the RMP, and are listed below:
Page 4 of 11 FHWA 1. Discuss how the plan addresses the new 8 planning factors 2. Identify transportation facilities (including major roadways, transit, multimodal and intermodal facilities, and intermodal connectors) that function as an integrated system, giving emphasis to facilities that serve important national, state, and regional transportation functions. 3. Include discussion of the types of potential environmental mitigation activities and potential areas to carry out these activities, including activities that may have the greatest potential to restore and maintain the environmental functions affected by the plan. This discussion shall be developed in consultation with federal, state, and tribal wildlife, land management, and regulatory agencies. 4. Include a financial plan that demonstrates how the adopted transportation plan can be implemented and indicates public and private resources that can be made available to carry out the plan. 5. Include operational and management strategies to improve the performance of existing transportation facilities to relieve vehicular congestion and maximize the safety and mobility of people and goods. 6. Include capital investment and other strategies to preserve the existing and future system and provide for multimodal capacity increases based on regional priorities and needs. 7. Include proposed transportation and transit enhancement activities. 8. Employ visualization techniques to describe the plan. These can include maps, charts, graphs, and diagrams, and techniques such as scenario planning. 9. Make public information available in electronically accessible formats such as the World Wide Web. 10. Include public meetings at convenient and accessible times and locations. 11. Identify the projected transportation demand of persons and goods in the metropolitan planning area over the period of the plan. 12. Identify adopted congestion management strategies including, as appropriate, traffic operations, ridesharing, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, alternative work schedules, freight movement options, high occupancy vehicle treatments, telecommuting, and public transportation improvements (including regulatory, pricing, management, and operational options), that demonstrate a systematic approach in addressing current and future transportation demand.
Page 5 of 11 13. Identify pedestrian walkway and bicycle transportation facilities in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 217(g). 14. Reflect the consideration given to the results of the management systems required by 23 C.F.R. 500.109 (Congestion Management System), 500.110 (Public Transportation Management System), and 500.111 (Intermodal Management System). A CMS is required in TMAs. The CMS, PTMS and IMS are required in all metropolitan areas to the extent appropriate. 15. Describe proposed improvements in sufficient detail to develop cost estimates. 16. Reflect a multimodal evaluation of the transportation, socioeconomic, environmental, and financial impact of the overall plan, including all ongoing major transportation investments. 17. For ongoing major transportation investments for which analyses are not complete, indicate that the design concept and scope (mode and alignment) have not been fully determined and will require further analysis. The plan shall identify such study corridors and sub-areas and may stipulate either a set of assumptions (assumed alternatives) concerning the proposed improvements or a no build condition pending the completion of a corridor or sub-area level analysis under 23 C.F.R. 450.318. 18. Reflect, to the extent that they exist, consideration of and coordination with: the area's comprehensive long-range land use plan and metropolitan development objectives; national, state, and local housing goals and strategies, community development and employment plans and strategies, and environmental resource plans; local, state, and national goals and objectives such as linking low income households with employment opportunities; and the area's overall social, economic, environmental, and energy conservation goals and objectives. FDOT 1. Identify transportation facilities that should function as an integrated metropolitan transportation system, giving emphasis to facilities that serve important national, state, and regional transportation functions. Those facilities include the facilities on the Strategic Intermodal System designated under s. 339.63 and facilities for which projects have been identified pursuant to s. 339.2819 (Transportation Regional Incentive Program). 2. Address the prevailing principles to be considered in the long-range transportation plan: preserving the existing transportation infrastructure; enhancing Florida s economic competitiveness; and improving travel choices to ensure mobility. The LRTP must be consistent, to the maximum extent feasible, with future land use elements and the goals, objectives, and policies in the approved local government
Page 6 of 11 comprehensive plans of the units of local government located within the jurisdiction of the MPO. 3. Identify transportation facilities, including, but not limited to, major roadways, airports, seaports, spaceports, commuter rail systems, transit systems, pedestrian walkways, bicycle transportation facilities and intermodal or multimodal terminals that will function as an integrated metropolitan transportation system. 4. Consider the goals and objectives identified in the Florida Transportation Plan. 5. If a project is located within the boundaries of more than one MPO, the MPOs must coordinate plans regarding the project in their LRTPs. 6. Include a financial plan that demonstrates how the plan can be implemented, indicating resources from public and private sources which are reasonably expected to be available to carry out the plan, and recommends any additional financing strategies for needed projects and programs. 7. Assess capital investment and other measures necessary to ensure the preservation of the existing metropolitan transportation system and make the most efficient use of existing transportation facilities to relieve vehicular congestion and maximize the mobility of people and goods. 8. Indicate, as appropriate, proposed transportation enhancement activities, including, but not limited to, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, scenic easements, landscaping, historic preservation, mitigation of water pollution due to highway runoff, and control of outdoor advertising. 9. Be approved on a recorded roll call vote of the MPO membership present. The following are the US Codes, Code of Federal Regulations, and Florida State Statutes (not already addressed in Federal law or regulations) the LRTP is required to meet according to the FDOT MPO Handbook (July 5, 2007): 23 C.F.R. 450.316(a) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(f)(6) 23 U.S.C. 134 (i)(2)(a) 23 C.F.R. 450.316(a)(1)(iii) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(f)(8) 23 U.S.C. 134 (i)(2)(b)(i) 23 C.F.R. 450.316(a)(1)(iv) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(f)(10)(i) 23 U.S.C. 134 (i)(2)(b)(ii) 23 C.F.R. 450.316(a)(1)(vi) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(f)(10)(iv) 23 U.S.C. 134 (i)(2)(c) 23 C.F.R. 450.316(a)(1)(vii) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(g) 23 U.S.C. 134 (i)(2)(d) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(a) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(g)(1) and (2) 23 U.S.C. 134 (i)(2)(e) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(b) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(h) 23 U.S.C. 134 (i)(2)(f) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(e) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(i) 23 U.S.C. 134 (k)(3) 23 C.F.R. 450.322(f)(1) 23 U.S.C. 134 (h)(1)
Page 7 of 11 III. Multimodal Transportation Systems Over the course of the last two updates to the long range transportation plan the CRTPA has expanded into a highly integrated effort that includes bike, pedestrian, transit and roadway projects. The RMP will include the coordination of three major work products; the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Transit Development Plan (TDP), and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP). The RMP will identify transportation facilities (including major roadways, transit, multimodal and intermodal facilities, airports, seaports, spaceports, commuter rail systems, transit systems, pedestrian and bicycle facilities and intermodal connectors) that function as an integrated system, giving emphasis to facilities that serve important national, state, and regional transportation functions. Those facilities include the facilities on the Strategic Intermodal System designated under Florida Statutes 339.63 and facilities for which projects have been identified pursuant to Florida Statutes 339.2819 (Transportation Regional Incentive Program). IV. Corridor Coordination Given the decrease in new road construction and the need to preserve the existing system, further detail needs to be given to developing corridor plans to address mobility in the region. Coordinating and providing various modes of transportation within each corridor will provide a foundation for growth and redevelopment along the corridor. Land use considerations and zoning will be key to understanding how a corridor can be maximized for mobility options. Each and every corridor will be unique with individualized features for consideration. Therefore, this effort will include the development of cross sections for illustrative purposes that will be completed in conjunction with funding ranges to provide CRTPA members a concept of the cost for each corridor. These cross sections will account for the needs of all users including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, children, the elderly and the disabled. V. Evaluation Criteria and Project Staging In order to provide all transportation partners aware of the priority projects as well as how the projects were selected, the RMP will include a multimodal evaluation of the transportation, socioeconomic, environmental, and financial impact of the overall plan, including all ongoing major transportation investments. The results of this effort will be a listing of projects in a Staging Plan, which will serve as the guiding document for developing the Priority Project Lists and future Transportation Improvement Programs. VI. Environmental Mitigation The CRTPA is committed to ensuring that there are minimal impacts of the plan to the environmental systems in the region. Therefore, the RMP will include a discussion of the types of potential environmental mitigation activities and potential areas to carry out
Page 8 of 11 these activities, including activities that may have the greatest potential to restore and maintain the environmental functions affected by the plan. This discussion shall be developed in consultation with federal, state, and tribal wildlife, land management, and regulatory agencies. Additionally, methods for environmental mitigation shall be discussed at the macro-level in respect to the overall plan, not the individual project. VII. Finances and Costs A major component of the RMP is developing project costs, assessing funding opportunities and searching for funding resources in support of the projects in the RMP. A. Financial Plan. The RMP must include a financial plan that demonstrates how the adopted corridor plans can be implemented and indicates public and private resources that can be made available to carry out the plan. B. Capital Investment. The RMP must include a discussion of capital investment and other strategies to preserve the existing and future transportation system and provide for multimodal capacity increases based on regional priorities and needs. C. Cost Estimation. The RMP must describe proposed improvements in sufficient detail to develop cost estimates for each and every project. VIII. Congestion Management The CRTPA adopted a Congestion Management Plan (CMP) in January of 2007. Therefore, the RMP will include operational and management strategies to improve the performance of existing transportation facilities to relieve vehicular congestion and maximize the safety and mobility of people and goods based upon the strategies outlined in the CMP. These strategies may include, as appropriate, traffic operations, ridesharing, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, alternative work schedules, freight movement options, high occupancy vehicle treatments, telecommuting, and public transportation improvements (including regulatory, pricing, management, and operational options), that demonstrate a systematic approach in addressing current and future transportation demand. IX. Local Government Comprehensive Plans One of the biggest factors that will affect the transportation system is the local government comprehensive plans. That is why it is imperative to be knowledgeable in understanding the direction of all CRTPA members in terms of their long range plans outside of the transportation world. Therefore, the RMP will reflect, to the extent that they exist, consideration of and coordination with: the area's comprehensive long-range land use plan and metropolitan development objectives; national, state, and local housing goals and strategies, community development and employment plans and strategies, and environmental resource plans; local, state, and national goals and objectives such as
Page 9 of 11 linking low income households with employment opportunities; and the area's overall social, economic, environmental, and energy conservation goals and objectives. X. Public Involvement There is not enough that can be said about the importance of the public involvement effort component of the RMP. Every effort that can be made to gather the public s input into the RMP process will be made. At a minimum the RMP will reflect the efforts outlined in the CRTPA s Public Involvement Plan (PIP) and will involve a variety of media outlets including television, radio, and the Internet to reach a high level of citizens in the region. This may also require the need to produce the document in several languages. In terms of specifics, the RMP will employ visualization techniques to describe the plan such as maps, charts, graphs, flyers, brochures and diagrams, and techniques such as scenario planning. All public meetings will be held at convenient and accessible times and locations through out the region. A stakeholders committee will be established as a component of the Public Involvement Program to ensure that regional groups are coordinated with as the RMP develops. Members of this group will include, at the very least, freight operators, Chambers of Commerce from the region, realtors, school boards, economic development councils, Innovation Park, environmental groups, representatives for the elderly, disabled, underserved, students, and universities. Consideration should be given to employing an outside Marketing/Public Relations firm to address the special needs of this plan and its efforts. XI. Transportation Enhancements The results of the RMP may include enhancement projects to work in concert with developing corridor plans. Therefore, the RMP will include any proposed transportation and transit enhancement activities, including, but not limited to, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, scenic easements, landscaping, historic preservation, mitigation of water pollution due to highway runoff, and control of outdoor advertising. XII. System Preservation and New Projects A key component to developing the RMP is ensuring that the existing transportation system is accounted for. The existing system should be maximized in the plan before considering the addition of new projects. Therefore, the RMP will assess capital investment and other measures necessary to ensure the preservation of the existing transportation system and will maximize the use of existing transportation facilities to relieve vehicular congestion and provide mobility for people, goods, and services. For any new project, or for any ongoing major transportation investments for which analyses are not complete, the RMP will indicate that the design concept and scope (mode and alignment) have not been fully determined and will require further analysis.
Page 10 of 11 The RMP shall identify such study corridors and sub-areas and may stipulate either a set of assumptions (assumed alternatives) concerning the proposed improvements or a no build condition pending the completion of a corridor or sub-area level analysis under 23 C.F.R. 450.318. XIII. Florida Transportation Plan While attaining regional and SAFETEA-LU goals and objectives, the RMP will also consider the goals and objectives identified in the Florida Transportation Plan. Additionally, the RMP will address the prevailing principles to be considered in the longrange transportation plan: preserving the existing transportation infrastructure; enhancing Florida s economic competitiveness; and improving travel choices to ensure mobility. XIV. Special Considerations The Elderly, Students and the Underserved Any transportation system that is designed as part of the RMP should consider the effects on the elderly, students, and underserved populations. The elderly will account for a larger portion of the population in the future and the transportation system needs to address and reflect that trend. In terms of students, the higher education facilities in the region will continue to increase in enrollment and therefore, attention needs to be given to the students and their mobility needs in the region. The underserved populations are going to have to be and integral component of this system since they also require transportation in and around the region. Special efforts need to be made to incorporate this population in the transportation plan. XV. Freight Although freight is not currently a major component of the transportation system in this region, consideration must be given to the expanding role of freight through out the region and its connectivity to the State of Florida network. XVI. Data Consistency In order to have a plan that is effective, the data that is collected for the RMP needs to be consistent through out the region. XVII. Intergovernmental Coordination The CRTPA Planning Area includes all of Leon County and the highly populated areas of Gadsden and Wakulla Counties. Contained in this area are eight governmental agencies that constitute the CRTPA which have individual transportation issues that need to be coordinated with in order to provide a fully integrated transportation plan. On-going communications are mandatory.
Page 11 of 11 XVIII. Products The RMP will serve as the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP). In terms of the meeting LRTP documentation, the RMP will follow the guidelines for developing LRTP s, which can be found in the FDOT MPO Program Management Handbook. While there are no requirements for a BPMP the RMP will serve as an update to the document with the expansion into the region. For background, additional information regarding the BPMP can be found in Attachment 1. A. Transit Development Plan (TDP) - The Transit Development Plan needs to comply with FDOT Rule 14-73.001. This plan serves as planning, development and operational guidance for StarMetro. This plan is a ten (10) year document with major updates every five years and minor updates annually. The document should be developed in a manner which allows for the essential annual updates. The TDP will also include the efforts identified in the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual. Additional information regarding the TDP can be found in Attachment 1. B. Documentation All documentation will be written in a form for the average citizen to understand. In the past, LRTP s were written in a fashion that broke down the individual tasks into a collection of reports for the reader. Additionally, contained in these documents was the technical data that was used to validate the transportation model, Needs Plan and Cost Feasible Plan. The problem with this method is that many citizens have no need for that data and are looking for the heart of the report, not the detailed descriptions of the modeling process. Therefore, The use taskbased documentation will no longer be acceptable as a method of reporting for the RMP. This effort will include a documentation process that is fluid, not compartmentalized, and will include graphics, tables, diagrams, pictures etc... to describe, explain, and report on RMP efforts. The report will describe each and every Cost Feasible project in sufficient detail so that anyone reading the report can quickly determine the anticipated improvements. Consideration should be given to producing individual project sheets to include vital information regarding the project. Those interested in the detailed operations of the transportation computer model will have access to the technical data required for the modeling in a separate document that will be generated. C. Executive Summary A full color Executive Summary will be developed and printed for distribution. At a minimum the Executive Summary will be 24 x 36 and include the Cost Feasible Plan. Additional maps that should be considered include a separate Bicycle and Pedestrian Map. D. CD s- Fully interactive CD s will also be required for distribution.