Final Scope

Rural communities traditionally have been underrepresented in transportation planning efforts by state departments of transportation (DOTs). During the early to mid-2000s, there were significant efforts to document rural consultation efforts by state DOTs, with the goal of building relationships and communication between state DOTs and rural community leaders. The goal of these efforts was to create a more widely inclusive transportation planning and project development process, consistent with statutory language in ISTEA and TEA-21, as well as the FHWA and FTA joint planning regulations in 2003. Early research on state outreach to rural places identified the use of regional or rural planning entities (RPE) as one effective practice for conducting local official consultation.

These efforts culminated in the establishment of statutory language in the surface transportation bill MAP-21 that enabled the establishment and designation of regional transportation planning organizations (RTPOs). In addition, statewide and non-metropolitan planning language changed the relationship between states and rural local officials from “consultation” to “cooperation,” necessitating a higher level of communication. Between the date of this authorizing language and the current day, very few designated RTPOs have been established, even though over 30 states are using some form of RTPO-like entities, sometimes including RPEs. Finally, some state DOTs have responsibilities rural transit services and there may be planning or engagement associated with those activities.

The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practices for transportation planning in non-metropolitan areas.

Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):

·       Type of rural planning organizations (structures, handling agencies, etc.) state DOTs cooperate with in transportation planning and project development and delivery;

·       Roles and responsibilities for surface transportation planning activities (multimodal plans, corridor plans, etc.) in non-metropolitan areas, including those undertaken by RTPOs or RPEs in support of, or in place of state DOTs conducting transportation planning in non-metropolitan areas;

·       State DOT requirements of RTPOs or RPEs (development of unified planning work programs, regional transportation improvement programs, long-range plans or other planning activities, performance measures, etc.);

·       Outreach methods used for conducting local official consultation and cooperation in areas with and without RTPOs or RPEs (memorandums of understanding, public participation plans, etc.);

·       Degree of technical assistance offered by state DOTs or other state agencies (community development agencies) to RTPOs or RPEs (e.g., hours, staffing, capacity building, funding, and funding sources);

·       Practices of state DOTs and RTPOs or RPEs working with federal partners; and

·       State-specific statutes that outline roles and responsibilities for non-metropolitan planning.

Information will be gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.

Information Sources (Partial)

·       National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Research Foundation. (2016). “Regional Rural Transportation Planning: Models for Local Consultation, Regional Coordination, and Regional Transportation Planning Organizations.” https://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Reg_transportation_planning_report_FINAL2.pdf

·       NADO Research Foundation. (2017). “Regional Transportation Planning Organizations.  Peer Exchange Summary.” (2017).  http://ruraltransportation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/RTPOpeer2017.pdf

·       Washington State DOT.  (2019). WSDOT/MPO/RTPO Reference Materials:  Selected Federal & State Planning Requirements.  https://wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-10/WSDOT-MPO-RTPO-ReferenceMaterials2019.pdf.pdf

·       Ohio DOT. (2020). RTPO Administration Manual. https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/working/publications/rtpo-administration-manual

·       Federal Register Final Rule.   Volume 81, Number 103 (Friday, May 27, 2016). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2016-05-27/html/2016-11964.htm

·       ICF Consulting, requested by the AASHTO Standing Committee on Planning. Evaluating State DOT Rural Planning Practices. December 2003. https://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1251

TRB Staff

Trey Joseph Wadsworth

Phone: 202-334-2307

Email: twadsworth@nas.edu

Meeting Dates

First Panel Meeting: September 11, 2024, Washington, DC

Teleconference with Consultant: November 15, 2024

Second Panel: June 5, 2025, Washington, DC