Peer Programs

ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION CAPACITY BUILDING PEER PROGRAM The Transportation Planning Capacity Building Peer Program is one of the most important pieces of the overall Transportation Planning Capacity Building vision. By providing opportunities for sharing solution-based experiences throughout the professional planning community, the Peer Program seeks to recognize, support, and promote good statewide, metropolitan, and rural transportation planning practices nationwide. Sharing ideas, noteworthy and solution-based experiences between Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), regional planning organizations, transit operators, state departments of transportation (SDOTs), and tribal governments not only strengthens transportation planning practices, but also builds relationships and reinforces cooperation between these agencies. The people who depend on the transportation system ultimately benefit from this peer exchange in the form of a more efficient multi-modal system that provides mobility and access for passengers and freight. Peer Program Evaluation Report FY 2004-2005: This report summarizes the activity of the Peer Program in fiscal years 2004 and 2005. The Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program offers several types of Transportation Planning Peer Programs. These programs are as follows: Transportation Planning Peer Programs Definitions Peer Exchange A Peer Exchange is designed to be responsive to the individual expressed needs of customers, involving small-group discussion of a specific issue. Generally, a customer contacts FHWA/FTA to request technical assistance on an institutional/policy planning issue. One or more peers are selected by the requesting customer based on good practices in the particular desired planning topic/area. A site visit takes place focused on the identified issue or problem at a location of mutual agreement. Peer Roundtable A Peer Roundtable is designed as a one-day program where implementers of innovative practices and/or recognized national experts are invited to participate in an expert peer panel or "roundtable" discussion to share solution-based and noteworthy practices in topic areas of transportation planning. This type of program could take place at national workshops, conferences, and forums and will typically be part of an overall program agenda where the participants will gain knowledge from peers as well as invited experts. Conference registration is not an eligible expense. Peer Workshop A Peer Workshop is designed as an instructional learning tool to assist customers in learning how to apply specific planning tools based upon other peer experiences. In this scenario, peer experts instruct other peers in a workshop format on specific effective techniques and tools to be used in transportation planning. This type of program may take place at a national workshop, symposium, or conference or as a stand-alone activity. Conference registration is not an eligible expense. PURPOSE Providing peer technical assistance through the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program will help agencies involved with metropolitan, statewide, and rural planning acquire and maintain critical planning skills and knowledge. The Peer Program seeks to: Assist agencies and planning partners with transportation planning issues by providing a forum for healthy dialogue exchange. Facilitate dialogue on crosscutting transportation planning issues that will be of relevance to agencies and other stakeholders in the transportation planning process. Examples of crosscutting issues may include: Financial Planning/Fiscal Constraint Land Use and Transportation Transit-Oriented Development Public Involvement Management and Operations Rural Transportation Planning Freight Safety and Planning Back to Top

GET INVOLVED — APPLY APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS The following criteria must be met for acceptance into the Peer Program: Assistance must be initiated by a representative of State or local government, transit operator, MPO, Regional Planning Organization, or tribal government; Assistance must be requested by a FHWA Division and or FTA Regional Office on behalf of a State or local government, transit operator, MPO, Regional Planning Organization, or tribal government; Appropriate FHWA Division and FTA Regional Offices must concur that assistance in the requested area/s is warranted. All applicants must complete the following application form and forward it to the appropriate FHWA Division and/or FTA Regional office for submittal to the FHWA/FTA Peer Program Coordinators. All applicants must fully complete the following application form at least three to four months in advance of the desired peer program date and forward it to the appropriate FHWA Division and/ or FTA Regional office for submittal to the FHWA/FTA Peer Program Coordinators. APPLICATION MEETING DOCUMENTATION A staff member of the U.S. DOT Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, MA (Volpe Center) is available to attend Peer Program activities to document the site visit assistance process and outcomes, and to provide feedback on shared solution-based practices and noteworthy experiences. The Volpe Center will also participate in discussions to create the agenda for the Peer Programs in order to incorporate background information into the documentation. Draft documentation of specific Peer Programs will be distributed to all Peer Program participants for review, clarification, and editing before a final document is published. The final documentation will be made available on the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program website in order for other organizations to benefit from the Peer Program. TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT INFORMATION FOR NON-FEDERAL PARTICIPANTS For selected Peer Program participants, reimbursements for travel-related expenses associated with the Peer Program event will be provided in accordance with the policies and procedures followed by federal employees. Detailed travel reimbursement instructions and request forms will be distributed to Peer Program participants approximately six weeks prior to the event. A Travel Coordinator the US DOT Volpe Center in Cambridge, MA will handle the travel reimbursement process and can be consulted for travel-related questions. The participants noted in the application and selected for reimbursement must have their attendance confirmed by the host agency before including them in the application. All participants being reimbursed must agree to submit personal information (e.g., social security number and checking account number). The U.S. Treasury Department requires that this information be submitted in order to receive reimbursement. See the Treasury website for more information. Peer Program funds will only pay for travel costs for non-Federal facilitators. Consultant fees and compensation is the responsibility of the applicant or the requestor. Other costs that cannot be covered by Peer Program funds include host agency or other participants' staff time, food, or materials. What are participants’ responsibilities? Completing requested paperwork that will be emailed to the traveler weeks prior to each event. Due to the lengthy approval process, these forms need to be returned within five business days. Contacting SATO Travel, with the assistance of the Travel Coordinator, to make individual flight arrangements for government-authorized travel. Any flight arrangements not made through SATO will not be able to reimbursed. Making individual hotel reservations per the travel reimbursement instructions, which will be emailed to Peer Program participants by the Travel Coordinator. Providing SATO Travel with the participant’s Travel Authorization number, when issued, and verifying ticket information prior to tickets being issued. What can be reimbursed? Transportation to and from the meeting site, including, car rental, personal vehicle mileage, and taxi. SATO Travel will charge airfare expenses to the US DOT Volpe Center as part of the reimbursement agreement. Room and tax at the hotel. Peer Program participants are required to stay at hotels that offer the "Government Rate." At the time when the reservation is made, please verify that the hotel can provide the "Government Rate." In lieu of direct reimbursement for meal expenses, Peer Program participants will receive the government per diem. If, for example, the government per diem of the city visited is $42 per day, the Peer Program participant will receive 75 percent of the per diem, or $31.50, on the first and last days of travel, and 100 percent of the per diem for days in between. The Travel Coordinator will provide Peer Program participants with the government per diem rate and hotel rate for the location to be visited. How are travel reimbursements received? After the Peer Program event, the traveler will submit the Federal Travel voucher along with receipts. Federal Travel vouchers will be emailed to each participant one week prior to the event. All required receipts must be attached to the Travel Reimbursement Form, including transportation, lodging, and the SATO invoice emailed to participants. In accordance with federal procedures, expenses over $75 that are not accompanied by a receipt cannot be reimbursed. Fax the completed travel form and receipts to your Travel Coordinator at 617.494.2569. Mail the completed travel form and receipts to: Conference Services (DTS-930) US DOT Volpe Center, 55 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02142. The original forms and receipts must be received via mail before they can be processed. The Volpe Center will process the travel voucher and deposit the reimbursement funds into participants' bank accounts directly. It may take approximately two to three weeks once the original forms and receipts are received at the Volpe Center. Every attempt will be made to meet each request. However, available funding will ultimately decide the specific format that the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program can offer. Attempts to minimize costs are appreciated. APPLICATION CHECKLIST Have you completed the following? Application _____ Contact Information _____ Travel Estimates _____ FHWA Division Office concurrence _____ FTA Regional Office concurrence _____ Back to Top

PEER PROGRAM RESULTS — REPORTS Transportation Planning Capacity Building Peer Program Evaluation Report. This report presents an initial evaluation of the Peer Program, a key technical assistance component of the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Program. This report details the events undertaken from the Program's inception in May 2001 through the close of FY2003; presents a qualitative assessment of their value to participants; and discusses the effect of participant feedback on the Peer Program as it has continued to evolve. Category Reports Funding Issues Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Financial Management Funding Procurement Communities Americans with Disabilities Act Community Design Community Impact Assessment Complete Streets Health & Human Services Human Environment Job Access Public Involvement Title VI / Environmental Justice Natural & Cultural Resources Air Quality Linking Planning and NEPA Natural Environment NEPA Noise Operations Design Freight in Planning ITS Performance Measures Planning & Operations Transit Ridership Planning Process Land Use & Transportation Metropolitan Planning Planning Fundamentals Planning & Programming Rural & Small Community Planning Smart Growth Statewide Planning Transit-Oriented Development   Tribal Planning Related Areas Public Affairs Real Estate Security & Safety Safety Conscious Planning Security Issues in Planning Tools Data Resources GIS Modeling

Funding Issues

Disadvataged Business Enterprises

Financial Management

• Denver, CO (December 9-11, 2002)
  Best Practices of Planning Partnerships The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the three Transportation Management Areas (Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins) requested assistance in identifying best practices of planning partnerships directed by TEA-21.
• Vail, CO (July 18, 2001)
  Cooperative Revenue Forecasting and Annual Listings of Projects This peer to peer exchange to discuss cooperative revenue forecasting and annual listing of obligated projects was organized by the Association of Metropolitan Planning Association (AMPO) as part of the Transportation Research Board's Summer Conference in Vail Colorado.

Funding

Procurement

Communities

Americans with Disabilities Act

Community Design

• New York, New York (June 2003)
  Context Sensitive Solutions in Large Central Cities This report summarizes a workshop on context sensitive design and solutions. The goal of the session was to lay a foundation for dealing with the state of the practice and processes related to context sensitive solutions, and to identify specific urban examples that could be used as benchmarks for lessons learned and best practices. The report presents hard-to-find examples of context sensitive solutions in large central cities with specific examples from Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York City, and Philadelphia. Each example illustrates some elements of context sensitive solutions more than others, but together they provide a baseline for understanding how large cities are coping with the myriad issues related to context sensitive solutions.

Community Impact Assessment

• Indianapolis, Indiana (September 8-9, 2003)
  Community Impact Assessment Peer Forum This Roundtable provided an opportunity for representatives of those States that have been leaders in the field of CIA to present their policies and procedures to representatives of other States that are just beginning the process of developing CIA guidelines, and for all of the participants to discuss together the pressing issues, challenges, and opportunities in the field of CIA.

Complete Streets

• Chicago, IL (November 13, 2006)
  Completing the Streets for Transit This peer roundtable on incorporating transit into complete streets policies and procedures was hosted by the National Complete Streets Coalition at the 2006 Rail~Volution Conference in Chicago, Illinois. Major topics included coordinating across agencies and the importance of avoiding rigidity in developing complete streets standards.
• Nashville, TN (May 7, 2007)
  APTA Bus and Paratransit Conference This peer roundtable on incorporating transit into complete streets policies and procedures was hosted by the National Complete Streets Coalition at the 2007 APTA Bus and Paratransit Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Major topics included design standards for bike lanes on transit routes and accessible pedestrian crossings.

Health & Human Services

• Austin, TX (May 23, 2002)
  Partnerships Between Public Transit and MPOs in Job Access and Health and Human Services Transportation The exchange provided the opportunity for representatives of transit operators and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) from across the country to discuss their successful partnerships within the transportation planning process.
• Portland, OR (January 22, 2004)
  Integrating Health and Physical Activity Goals Into Transportation Planning: Building the Capacity of Planners and Practitioners Proceedings of the Portland Roundtable The roundtable brought together transportation and public health professionals to discuss opportunities and strategies to include health and activity goals within the transportation planning process.

Human Environment

Job Access

Public Involvement

• Albany, NY (June 13-15, 2001)
  Noteworthy Practices of Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) This peer exchange highlighted noteworthy practices and the underlying philosophy of the Capital District Transportation Committee such as their Long Range Plan development process which laid the foundation for the MPO's other activities including Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) development, corridor studies, and Congestion Management System (CMS).
• Melbourne and Orlando, FL (April 30-May 2, 2002)
  Techniques for Public Involvement The peer exchange was arranged to provide an opportunity for the Michigan MPOs to learn how to improve their community-based public involvement processes in order to make them more effective in engaging diverse neighborhood groups in the transportation planning process.
• Tucson, AZ (October 4-5, 2004)
  Effective Public Involvement Procedures throughout a Multi-Disciplinary Agency The Exchange was designed to provide the hosts — Pima Association of Governments (PAG) and Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) — with new techniques that could be applied to improve their public involvement processes.

Title VI / Environmental Justice

• Atlanta, GA (May 5, 2004)
  Identifying and Engaging Low Literacy and Limited English Proficiency populations in the Transportation Decisionmaking Process The Workshop was designed to allow planning professionals from various backgrounds the opportunity to describe innovative and effective practices that their agencies employ to improve awareness among communities and transportation planning agencies of the existence of low-literacy and limited-English-proficiency populations within their boundaries.
• Sacramento, CA (September 27-29, 2005)
  Western States Environmental Justice and Title VI This Roundtable was hosted by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The Roundtable was designed to identify best practices used by western states for the implementation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Environmental Justice Programs in order to develop uniform, effective, and equitable approaches to public outreach and community involvement. These practices can lead to improved planning for local, regional, and state transportation projects and regional transportation plans.

Natural & Cultural Resources

Air Quality

• Houston, TX (December 3-4, 2003)
  Upcoming Transition to the New 8-Hour Ozone Air Quality Standard The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) hosted the two-day Exchange to discuss the upcoming transition to the new 8-hour ozone standard proposed by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Linking Planning and NEPA

• Toronto, Canada (June, 2007)
  APTA Rail Conference, Toronto, Canada (June 2007) - This peer roundtable focused on the opportunities that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process has to offer, particularly with the streamlining opportunities in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act—A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Section 6002 Environmental Review Process provisions and new FTA guidance on integrating New Starts and NEPA. Participants and audience members discussed NEPA experiences and analyzed needs to improve how NEPA can support decisionmaking in the project development process.
• Atlanta, GA (November 2-4, 2005)
  Georgia Department of Transportation Peer Exchange to Improve Environmental Processes The FHWA Georgia Division Office and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) hosted a Peer-to-Peer Workshop intended to enhance the internal environmental and planning processes as they relate to transportation project development and delivery within GDOT and specifically within the Office of Environment and Location.
• Pittsburgh, PA (June 7, 2005)
  Linking Planning and NEPA Peer Roundtable. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) 2005 Rail Transit Conference hosted this roundtable, which focused on linking the transportation planning process with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act.
• Raleigh, NC (December 15-17, 2003)
  North Carolina Peer Exchange to Improve Environmental processes The North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) Office of Environmental Quality hosted a two and one half day workshop for the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) in order to help illuminate recent and ongoing developments with NCDOT's planning, environmental, and streamlining processes and organizational operations.

Natural Environment

NEPA

Noise

Operations

Design

Freight in Planning

• Philadelphia, PA (January 18 — 20, 2005)
  Sharing Successes ... Building Visions: Freight Peer Exchange The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) co-hosted this peer exchange. The Georgia FHWA Division submitted the application for the event with a goal of helping ARC learn to better integrate freight planning into the overall transportation planning process and to improve its freight planning capacity.

• Philadelphia, PA (July 8 - 9, 2003)
  Freight and the Planning Process The exchange provided an opportunity for freight planning professionals from metropolitan planning organizations (MPO), local and state governments, and representatives from the freight industry, to discuss notable practices of freight planning.

ITS

Performance Measures

• Boston, MA (July 12-13 2005)
  Non-Traditional Performance Measures The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Standing Committee on Planning has released a report that explores how state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, and public transportation agencies use non-traditional performance measures in their transportation planning and decision-making processes.
• Charleston, South Carolina (May 6, 2004)
  Performance Measures to Improve Transportation Planning Practice
  This report summarizes the results of a peer review on the use of performance measures to improve transportation planning and its relationship to project programming. The peer review focused on how state DOTs are using performance measures to improve planning practices. Representatives of 13 DOTs shared their approaches and discussed the successes and challenges experienced in programming and planning.
• Washington, D.C. (October 7-9, 2003)
  The Roundtable on System Performance Measurement in Statewide and Metropolitan Transportation Planning was held October 7-9, 2003. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Office of the Secretary, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) sponsored the roundtable. The roundtable brought together national experts to discuss lessons learned in practical applications of transportation performance measures for systems planning and the role of measures in the decision-making process.

Planning & Operations

• San Diego, CA (January 30-31, 2006)
  Value Pricing: Managed Lanes on Interstate 15 in San Diego County The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) hosted a peer-to-peer exchange on January 30-31, 2006 at the request of the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA). The objective of the Peer Exchange was for the participants from Georgia to learn about SANDAG's experience creating and operating managed lanes on Interstate 15 (I-15).
• Washington, DC (November 27, 2001)
  Management and Operations This report summarizes the results of an AMPO-sponsored meeting on how to better incorporate system management and operations (M&O) considerations into the transportation planning process.
• Washington, DC (May 4, 2005)
  Operations Data for Planning Applications: Identifying Needs, Opportunities, and Best Practices TRB's Transportation Research Circular E-C095, Operations Data for Planning Applications: Identifying Needs, Opportunities, and Best Practices summarizes a May 4, 2005, Washington, DC, peer exchange that focused on opportunities to improve the linkages between transportation planning and operations. The report includes a summary of questions addressed by participants about the relationship between operations data and planning processes. The report also explores ideas on linking operations data and transportation planning.

Transit Ridership

• Baltimore, MD (June 13, 2002)
  Enhancing Transit's Role in Transportation Decision Making The exchange provided the opportunity for representatives of transit operators and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) from across the country to discuss ways of enhancing transit's role in the transportation decision-making planning process.
• Las Vegas, NV (November 13, 2006)
  Public Transit in a Gaming and Resort Community This Peer Exchange was hosted by the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada, and included meetings and several site visits for a delegation from the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Representatives from the Coast Transit Authority (CTA); the Gulf Regional Planning Commission; the Gulf Coast Business Council; the Mississippi Governor’s Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding, and Renewal; and Mississippi Power Company attended the event to learn about public transit in the Las Vegas region.

Planning Process

Land Use & Transportation

• Ft. Collins, CO (August 7-8, 2007)
  Integrating Land Use and Transportation Planning The North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO) hosted a two-day workshop for the Hidalgo County Metropolitan Planning Organization (HCMPO) to facilitate the exchange of best practices on land use and transportation planning, visioning, and public involvement.
• Tucson, AZ (March 24-25, 2003)
  Land Use Models in Transportation Planning The Pima Association of Governments (PAG) hosted a one and a half day workshop for eight western metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) to facilitate the exchange of best practices on integrating land use modeling with traditional transportation modeling.

Metropolitan Planning

• Gettysburg, PA (October 28-29, 2003)
  PENNDOT Planning Partners' Meeting of Pennsylvania MPOs The objective of this exchange was to expose Pennsylvania metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), rural planning organizations (RPOs), and State transportation entities to the Tampa Bay, FL, region's success with collaborative transportation planning and programming in a large metropolitan region with numerous MPOs.
• Philadelphia, PA (April 8, 2004 and June 16, 2004)
  A Two-Phase Peer-to-Peer Roundtable on Potential Transit Projects in the Nine-County Philadelphia Region The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) hosted this two-day Peer Roundtable in Philadelphia, PA entitled Destination 2030: The Future in Transit. Phase One of the event was held on April 8, 2004 and was attended by approximately 75 key stakeholders from the local government, transit agencies, transportation consulting firms and planning organizations. Phase Two was held on June 16, 2004, with over 150 participants. The purpose of the Phase Two meeting was to invite various stakeholders and the public at large to hear ideas about new transit and transit-oriented development in the Philadelphia area.
• Michigan/Pennsylvania (September 24-26, 2002)
  HPMS Workshop: Building Partnerships with Metropolitan Planning Organizations Representatives from Michigan DOT, three MPOs, and the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) met with representatives from PennDOT and other MPOs in Pennsylvania to share best practices on the maintenance of database management systems and Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data collection techniques.
• Lansing, MI (June 15 -17, 2004)
  Peer-to-Peer Exchange on the Electronic STIP Amendment Project (E-STIP) The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) hosted this two-day Peer Exchange in Lansing, MI in order to learn the electronic Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) amendment procedures practiced in New York. This exchange was aimed at exploring the possible adaptation of the New York E-STIP process for Michigan.

Planning Fundamentals

Planning & Programming

• Raleigh, NC (August 14-15, 2007)
  Developing an Asset Management Program This peer event was conducted between the North Carolina DOT (NCDOT) and Connecticut DOT (ConnDOT). Representatives from NCDOT presented to ConnDOT representatives North Carolina's approach to asset management which focuses on performance-based management combined with the use of its seven management systems (finance, safety, pavement condition, highway maintenance, bridge, transportation systems, and bridge inspection).
• El Paso, TX (September 23-24, 2002)
  Border Crossings and Bi-National Transportation Planning and Coordination The peer exchange looked at best practices and planning practices for regions that serve a binational population and have busy international border crossings.
  
• Salt Lake City, UT (March 2-4, 2004); Bellingham, WA (March 15-18, 2004)
  Preparing for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games The Whatcom Council of Governments (WCOG), a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) in Northwest Washington, organized this Peer Exchange to provide an opportunity for representatives from their region to learn about the Olympic planning process and impacts that the Olympic Games may have on their region during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Rural & Small Community Planning

• Charleston, West Virginia (June 1, 2007)
  Rural Transportation Planning in West Virginia The FHWA West Virginia Division office, the West Virginia Department of Highways and the Rahall Transportation Institute co-hosted a one-day workshop focused on rural transportation planning. The event served as the kick-off meeting the update to West Virginia’s Statewide Transportation Plan. More than seventy conference participants attended the session, including expert speakers and panelists from neighboring states.
• Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Ames, Centerville, and Burlington, Iowa (August 21-25, 2006)
  This peer exchange provided metropolitan and rural planning agencies from Indiana and New Hampshire, as well as the Indiana Department of Transportation, a comprehensive look at the rural/regional transportation planning process in Iowa, specifically examining the role of Regional Planning Agencies in the planning process of Iowa.
• Fort Smith, AR (April 21- 23, 2004)
  Best Practices for Small and Medium Sized Metropolitan Planning Organizations The purpose of the Peer Exchange was to highlight issues facing small and medium-sized MPOs and to facilitate information sharing among the agencies.
• Hagerstown, MD (September 24-25, 2003)
  Solution to Rural Issues Through Partnerships: A Community-Centered Approach Transportation Solutions for Rural Communities This peer roundtable session was part of a two-day conference in which the participants developed a strategic plan to coordinate rural development resources within the region.
• Indianapolis, IN (August 1, 2003)
  Institutions, Processes, and Practices for Transportation Planning in Rural Areas The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) hosted representatives from South Dakota, Iowa, and Kentucky to discuss institutions, processes, and practices for transportation planning in rural areas.
• Philadelphia, PA (May 19, 2003)
  Rural Public Transportation's Role in the Planning Process The workshop provided a forum to explore the complex challenges posed in the planning and operation of a community transit systems, and the methods used by some state departments of transportation and other agencies with transportation needs.

Smart Growth

Statewide Planning

• (August 2007)Raleigh, NC (August 14-15, 2007)
  Developing an Asset Management Program This peer event was conducted between the North Carolina DOT (NCDOT) and Connecticut DOT (ConnDOT). Representatives from NCDOT presented to ConnDOT representatives North Carolina’s approach to asset management which focuses on performance-based management combined with the use of its seven management systems (finance, safety, pavement condition, highway maintenance, bridge, transportation systems, and bridge inspection).
• FHWA Iowa Division (September 11-13, 2001)
  Multi-State Transportation Planning Directors of five MPOs met in South Sioux City, Nebraska, to discuss the unique challenges facing MPOs serving small (population 200,000 or less), multi-state metropolitan areas. Participants identified and shared new, innovative, and effective approaches for addressing common issues.
• Lansing, MI (June 14-15, 2005)
  Developing Statewide Long Range Transportation Plans This two-day peer exchange focused on how state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) develop Statewide Long Range Transportation Plans (SLRPs). The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is preparing to update its SLRP and requested a peer exchange to obtain guidance from other states. MDOT and FHWA Michigan Division co-hosted the event and six states (Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Washington, Ohio, and Michigan) presented their SLRPs. Representatives from the state DOTs shared their approaches and discussed the successes and challenges experienced in plan development.
• Nashville, TN (September 27-28, 2004)
  The Role of State Department Transportations in Guiding Transportation Investments The purpose of this peer review was to assist TDOT as it restructures its process for planning and programming future transportation investments.

Tribal Planning

• Albuquerque, NM (March 2, 2004)
  National Tribal Roads Conference Peer Workshop for Tribal Transit Service Development The workshop to provide a forum in which representatives from tribal governments of varying size could share insights learned during the development of transit services for their respective communities.
• Cabazon, CA (November 15, 2006)
  Experience of Tribal Data Managers and Tribal Planners This roundtable was sponsored by the FHWA and was held as a session during the 9th National Tribal Transportation Conference on November 15, 2006. Five roundtable participants discussed tribes’ experiences in establishing, collecting, sharing, analyzing, and reporting safety and relevant transportation data for decision-making in tribal transportation planning process. The session included presentations from the roundtable panelists and facilitated discussion.
• Scottsdale, AZ (November 2, 2005)
  Long-Range Transportation Plans: The Experiences of Tribal Planners This peer roundtable was held as a session at the 8th National Tribal Transportation Conference. The primary intent of the peer roundtable was to demonstrate and highlight how tribes of different sizes are successfully finding ways to plan for their communities in coordination with their neighboring Federal, State, regional, and local government planning partners.
• Spokane, WA (June 7-8, 2005)
  State DOT Tribal Liaison Roundtable and Panel Discussion State Department of Transportation tribal liaisons are dedicated to coordinating and improving the state-tribal relationship in regards to transportation planning. Liaisons from eight states gathered in to share their programs and discuss successful practices.

Related Areas

Public Affairs

Real Estate

Security & Safety

Safety Conscious Planning

• Detroit, Michigan (May 3-5, 2005)
  Safety Conscious Planning Peer Exchange: The goals of the Peer Exchange were to exchange information about Challenges and Opportunities; Data Collection, Management and Analysis; Integrating Safety into the Planning Process; Safety Initiatives (traffic safety, multimodal, intermodal); Implementation Strategies (education and funding); and, Safety Perspectives: Purpose, Mission and Partnerships.

Security Issues in Planning

Tools

Data Resources

• Using ACS Data in Transportation Planning Applications: A Peer Exchange
  Daytona Beach, Florida (May, 2007)—Transportation planners and analysts are making or contemplating a transition from using data from the decennial Census “long form” to the new American Community Survey (ACS). The Peer Exchange provided a platform for sharing information, documenting practices and issues, discussing plans for the future CTPP, and exploring how to help inform the larger transportation planning community.

GIS

Modeling

PEER PROGRAM RESULTS — PRODUCTS

The Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC) reconstructed their web site to be more user-friendly. It is easy to navigate and provides useful information.

UPCOMING & RECENT EVENTS

OTHER PEER PROGRAMS

Freight Peer-to-Peer Program — Builds on the existing Freight Planning Peer Exchange LISTSERV by placing practitioners and experts in contact with one another to tackle specific issues. This next phase will include a new database containing resumes of freight experts, travel resources to facilitate face-to-face meetings, and management support to help organize and facilitate fruitful sessions.

ITS Peer-to-Peer Program — The Intelligent Transportation Peer-to-Peer Program is a Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Technical Assistance Program that provides public sector transportation stakeholders with a convenient method to tap into the growing knowledge base of ITS experience receive short-term assistance.

TMIP Peer Review Program — The Travel Model Improvement Program (TMIP) offers a peer review program focused on forecasting and data collection procedures to assist with model development and improvement efforts. TMIP supports peer reviews by funding travel, lodging and per diem for site visit(s) by peer review panel members. TMIP can also assist in the selection of peer review panel members and can help document the review, if requested, by the sponsoring agency. TMIP also periodically holds forums where experts in a particular area share ideas and discuss an emerging technical issue.

KEY PEER PROGRAM CONTACTS