Business Logistics 420 Public Transportation Lecture 17 Transportation Planning Overview

Lecture Objectives Understand the scope of planning activities applicable to public transportation Understand the legal background and institutional framework within which planning is practiced Identify specific planning activities that are commonly related to public transit

Transportation Planning Theoretical definitions vs. institutionalized practice Definition – planning is the orderly process of preparing a detailed scheme or program for accomplishment of an objective or goal worked out in advance. –Example – what is the best way to relieve congestion between State College and 7 Mountains that is safe, efficient, and environmentally sound? –Example – what is the best way to reduce the need for parking spaces on PSU’s central campus? –Example – what is the best way to provide mobility for persons who are physically or mentally disabled?

Transportation Planning Explicit within the previous definition are that planning: –Is an orderly process –Specific goals and objectives are known –The end product is defined Implicit within the definition are: –The acceptance of change –Ability to deal with uncertainty and risk –The ability to accept errors

The Theoretical Planning Process Rarely practiced because –Hard to set goals Goals conflict Different groups and individuals have different goals –Assumes a change to the status quo –Typical approach does not include feedback mechanism to determine if plan accomplishes goal –Failure to include and account for uncertainty

The Institutions of Planning Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) –Locally controlled –Elected and appointed officials from region, also representatives of transit system and other organizations –Must approve long-range and short-range plans and specific projects in order to obtain federal funds –Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

US Transportation Planning Process State and federal government funds most planning costs Each metropolitan area has a planning staff devoted specifically to transportation planning State DOTs have major input into planning decisions

Transportation Planning in Practice Long range plans –Typically year projection –Multimodal, at least highways and transit, now also bike and pedestrian, also freight –Designed to evaluate major projects such as major new highway links, rail transit –Fairly general, not detailed design or location plans

Transportation Planning in Practice Typical Approach to Long Range Planning –Federal Government requires that each urban area have a long range plan as condition of receiving federal funds –“3C” Planning Process followed Continuing, Comprehensive, Cooperative Involves modeling of land use, demographic projections and transportation demand Involves significant local government and citizen participation

Transportation Planning in Practice Short Range Plans –3-5 year planning horizon –Usually for a single mode, e.g., highway, transit –Look at specific facilities (highway link, transit station), service design (routes and schedules) –Includes a plan plus capital and operating expense forecasts

Transportation Planning in Practice Operations Planning –Immediate needs –Service evaluations, new routes, new policies Example, how CATA should modify its routes to serve the new Target store Example, how to relieve overcrowding on Campus Loop

Typical Short Range Transit Plan Inventory of existing services –Operations trends –Fare structure –Physical property –Management structure –Routes and service evaluation –Ridership characteristics (usually an on-board survey

Typical Short Range Transit Plan (Continued) Analysis and Recommendations –Data analysis –Recommendations on transit operations –Specification of equipment and facility requirements –Fare structure recommendation –Marketing plan –Financial feasibility analysis including capital and operating expense estimates (3-5 years) –Management and organization recommendations –A five-year summary/business plan

Four Major Planning Activities to be Covered in Subsequent Lectures System design –System concepts –Route planning Demand Forecasting Cost Estimation Performance Evaluation

Study Questions What is transportation planning? Why is it so difficult to plan transportation facilities and services? What are the three different planning horizons typically used in transportation planning and what kinds of activities fall into each category? What are the typical elements of a short-range transit plan?