TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE DECEMBER 17, 2014 BECKY A. BRADLEY, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

DECEMBER 17, 2014

BECKY A. BRADLEY, AICP

SECRETARY, LEHIGH VALLEY TRANSPORTATION STUDY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEHIGH VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION

• Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
• Federally-mandated and federally-funded transportation policy-making organization
• Made up of representatives from local government and governmental transportation authorities
• Established by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962

Charged with developing strategies for operating, managing, maintaining, and financing the Lehigh Valley’s transportation system for the safety and security, growth and development, and quality of life of the region.

Coordinating Committee (Approval Body)

Lehigh Valley Planning Commission PennDOT Central Office PennDOT District Office Lehigh County Northampton County Allentown Bethlehem Easton LANta LNAA

Technical Committee (Advisory Body)

Lehigh Valley Planning Commission PennDOT Central Office PennDOT District Office Allentown Bethlehem Easton LANta LNAA

WORK PRODUCTS

Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Comprehensive Freight Movement Plan (CFMP) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Safety Studies Congestion Management Process (CMP) Municipal Outreach, Education + Assistance Other:

 Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)  Multi-Modal Transportation Fund Program  Green Light Go Program

Population Growth

Population Migration (2006 – 2010)

Population Density

Job Density

Employment Projections by Industry

Job Flows

Land Use

Distance to Fixed-Route Bus Stops

LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN

• Purpose is to guide future transportation investment decisions
• Is a Federally-mandated program
• Plan must:
• Cover at least a 20 year period

 Be fiscally constrained  Be intermodal in scope  Include both short and long range elements

COMPREHENSIVE FREIGHT MOVEMENT PLAN

• First freight plan for the Lehigh Valley
• Piggybacks off the statewide freight plan currently under development
• Feeds the development of the LRTP
• Analyzes commodity flow data by:
• Value of goods
• Tonnage of goods
• Forecasts anticipated growth in goods movements
• Allows public dollars to be invested in freight including an inland port,

future interchanges

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

• List of high-priority highway, bridge, and transit projects to be implemented within

the next 4 years utilizing Federal financial assistance

• Federally-mandated program
• Updated every 2 years
• Must be fiscally constrained
• 2015 – 2018 TIP:

Highway Projects = $185,518,000 Bridge Projects = $140,721,000 Transit Projects = $56,066,000 Total Value = $382,305,000

PLACEHOLDER FOR HIGHWAY MAP

OTHER PROGRAMS

Transportation Alternatives Program

 $1,326,191 awarded locally  $964,939 awarded from the State (ex., Jordan Greenway Trail)

Multi-modal Transportation Fund Program

 $5,476,621 awarded from the State (ex., LNAA Intermodal Center)

Green Light Go Program

 New program resulting from Act 89 that funds traffic signal improvements.  First round of funding to be awarded early 2015.

Process for Getting Projects onto the LRTP

• Proposed projects must be brought before LVTS for consideration and should

include:

• project scope
• limits
• improvements – resurfacing, reconstruction, widening, mill & overlay, bridge

replacement, sidewalk repairs, trail construction, etc.

• justification – Why is it needed?
• cost estimated by phase of work
• match
• handouts for committee members – 15 copies

Process for Getting Projects onto the LRTP (cont.)

• Proposed projects will be evaluated by LVTS for inclusion into the LRTP

based upon compliance with:

• LRTP Goals and Policies
• Project need
• Project selection process
• Cost reasonableness
• Readiness for implementation
• Funding availability

Process for Getting Projects onto the LRTP (cont.)

• Project selection process for these project types:
• Congestion mitigation
• Safety
• Air quality
• Bridge
• Maintenance
• Other project types

CONGESTION MANAGEMENT PROCESS (CMP)

• Identifies corridors projected to be congested in 2030 &

2040 based upon:  Traffic Volumes  Accident Rates  Corridor Length  Level of Service

• Also used as a programming and project screening tool
• Feeds the Long Range Transportation Plan

Process for Getting Projects onto the LRTP (cont.)

• Congestion Mitigation Projects:
• Must be contained within the LVTS Congestion Management

Program to be considered

• Proposed projects must fall within a CMP identified corridor
• Congestion problems outside the urban development

boundary will not be addressed using federal or state money available to the MPO

SAFETY PLANNING

• Traffic Safety Plan for the Lehigh Valley 2008 – 2012
• Identifies high crash corridors and intersections by crash type
• Is a project programming and screening tool
• Many improvements can be accomplished with low cost, quick

delivery solutions

Process for Getting Projects onto the LRTP (cont.)

• Safety Projects:
• Proposed projects evaluated using PennDOT safety data

comparing crash rates against statewide crash rates for highways with similar characteristics

• Proposed projects must have a crash rate greater than the

statewide average for that type facility.

• Project is also measured against a PennDOT District 5 list of

safety concerns.

Process for Getting Projects onto the LRTP (cont.)

• Air Quality Projects:
• Proposed projects that want to use congestion mitigation/air quality

funds must go through an air quality test documenting reductions in VOCs and Nox.

• This is done using either the LVPCs regional travel demand

forecasting model or the statewide model to determine air quality impacts.

• Projects are also measured against a PennDOT District 5 list of safety

concerns.

Process for Getting Projects onto the LRTP (cont.)

• Bridge Projects:
• Proposed projects must have a sufficiency rating below 80 in order to be eligible

for rehabilitation.

• Proposed projects must have a sufficiency rating below 50 in order to be eligible

for replacement.

• If these criteria are not met, the project is not eligible for state or federal

critical bridge funds.

• Highest priority for funding is given to closed, posted, and structurally deficient

bridges.

Process for Getting Projects onto the LRTP (cont.)

• Maintenance Projects:
• Projects are generally proposed and prioritized by

PennDOT and this typically deals with large maintenance projects only.

• Smaller maintenance projects are handled “off program”

using PennDOT maintenance funds.

Process for Getting Projects onto the LRTP (cont.)

• Other Projects (direct application through respective

program)

• Transportation Alternatives Program
• Multi-modal Transportation Program
• Green Light Go Program

Project Pitch Schedule before LVTS Technical Committee

• LVTS Technical Committee meeting – Tentative January 26, 2015
• 9:00 AM LVPC Conference Room
• 5 minute limit per project presentation
• PowerPoints welcome – provide to staff before meeting
• Handouts for LVTS members required
• All projects will be considered for inclusion

INVESTING IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY’S INFRASTRUCTURE