Planning and
Environment
Linkages Program
OARC January 22, 2010
Noel Mehlo – FHWA Ohio Division
 FHWA
has published A Guide to Measuring
Progress in Linking Transportation Planning
and Environmental Analysis to assist
transportation agencies in developing their
own programs to measure the successes of
PEL-related activities.
http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/meas_pr
ogress.asp
The Planning & Environment Linkage
Program guide provides a framework for
establishing measures that transportation
agencies can utilize to develop their own
measurement programs
Integrated approach to transportation decision-making
23 CFR 450 and 318 encourages the
integration of the information, products and
decisions developed during transportation
planning into the NEPA process including:
 These
types of activities were supported
by the changes in SAFETEA-LU 6001 and
the subsequent update to the planning
regulations that require consultation with
resource agencies.
 FHWA,
ODOT and the resource agencies
are actively working on these efforts.
How are transportation planning studies
integrated into environmental and NEPA
analysis?
 FHWA and FTA must be able to stand
behind the overall soundness and
credibility of analysis conducted and
decisions made during the
transportation planning process, which
uses the "3-C planning principles, if
these decisions are incorporated into a
NEPA document, directly or by
reference.
Why link transportation planning to
environmental processes?

State and local agencies can achieve
significant benefits by incorporating
environmental and community values into
transportation decisions early in planning
and carrying these considerations through
project development and delivery. Benefits
include:
 Relationship Building
 Process Efficiencies
 On-the-ground Outcomes
Performance Measures
 Performance
Measures aim to answer
questions about whether the performance
of the transportation system (or economy,
air quality, etc.) is getting better or worse
over time; and whether transportation
investments are correlated or linked to
stated goals and outcomes.
Performance Measures
 Examples
cont.
of performance measures or
metrics could be based on or include:
Accessibility
Mobility
Economic Development
Quality of Life
Safety
Framework For Measuring
Progress
Step 1:
Define program goals and objectives
Step 2:
Develop a set of metrics to
demonstrate results toward
reaching the defined goals and
objectives
Step 3:
Assess baseline and develop targets
Step 4:
Measure and report results
Why is this important ?

The use of performance-based measures by
transportation agencies is a growing trend that is
expected to continue.

While most of the traditional measures used by
transportation agencies focus on system
conditions or operations there has been little
application to tracking the successes of
integrated planning and environmental
stewardship efforts
Why is this important
 Establishing
(cont.)
?
metrics related to integrated
planning and environmental stewardship
will allow transportation agencies to
demonstrate that they are committed to
monitoring their progress in integrating
environmental considerations throughout
the transportation decision-making
process.
Conclusion
This guide is intended to serve as a resource for transportation agencies interested in measuring their
successes in integrating transportation planning and environmental analysis.

Focus on the measures most relevant to your
situation and needs.

Use different types of measures.

Use versatile data sources.

Use versatile measures.

Plan on making Planning and Environmental
Linkages a routine part of how you do business.
Questions??

Contact information FHWA Ohio Division:
Marcus Wilner, Director of Program Development
marcus.wilner@fhwa.dot.gov, (614) 280-6824
 Dave Snyder, Environmental Program Manager
dave.snyder@fhwa.dot.gov, (614) 280-6852
 Frank Burkett, Senior Transportation Planner
frank.burkett@fhwa.dot.gov, (614) 280-6838
 Leigh Oesterling, Air Quality Specialist
leigh.oesterling@fhwa.dot.gov, (614) 280-6837
 Noel Mehlo, Transportation Planner
noel.mehlo@fhwa.dot.gov, (614) 280-6841
For more information:
The Transportation Planning Process: Key Issues A Briefing Book
for Transportation Decision-makers, Officials, and Staff
http://www.planning.dot.gov/documents/briefingbook/bbook.htm#9BB
FHWA Planning and Environment Linkages:
www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/index.asp#benefits
FHWA: http://nepa.fhwa.dot.gov/ReNepa/ReNepa.nsf/home
www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/strmlng
FTA: www.fta.dot.gov/planning/planning_environment_5222.html