INTERMODAL SURFACE
EFFICIENCY ACT
Regional Roundtable Report and Action Plan
A Progress Report from Our Customers
U.S. Department of Transportation fI E 206.3 Office of the Secretary .uss- March 1994 1994 LIBRARY HE 206.3 . nss · 18 ~3 1 J 994
FEB ~ 1;' 4 199. .., Dear Decisionmakers:
The enclosed report summarizes a series of meetings held in November and December 1993 that were designed to seek out your views on how the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, or ISTEA, works in your community. I called for these meetings because ISTEA expanded the United States Department of Transportation's historical partnership with the states to include several new players. These outreach meetings offered a significant opportunity for us to listen to all our customers in one forum, but were especially designed for those who are new to the federal trans portation decisionmaking process. I recently released a seven point plan that describes my strategy for achieving the Department's mission: "to tie America together with a safe, technologically advanced, and efficient transportation system that promotes economic growth and international competitiveness now and in the future, and contributes to a healthy and secure environment for us and our chil dren." Implicitly this mission reflects the goals of ISTEA. My strategy cannot be achieved without effective collaboration between federal, state, regional and local governments. These intergovernmental roles are essential to the successful implementation of ISTEA and the development of transportation into the 21st century. What follows is a synopsis of our customers' views on how the ISTEA process has been working since its creation in 1991. There are success sto ries, glitches, snags and failures. Through these outreach meetings, which were held in each of the 10 regions of the country, (where DOT field staff work wi th you), you helped us focus .our attention on where improvements can be made. The Action Plan outlined within these pages is designed to assist you further. The meetings were successful, because so many of you took the time to confer with the national and regional leadership of this Department. I extend my personal thanks to all of you who participated and gave us your insights, critiques, and suggestions. I want to assure you that we will con tinue to review our work and efforts regarding ISTEA. I encourage you to help us keep this most important discussion current and relevant to the needs of your community.
Sincerely, J~~ Federico Pena Secretary of Transportation BY SENATOR MAX BAUCUS Chairman, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
l commend Sf'cretary Federico Pena and the we must look overseas and seek foreign markets for Department of Transportation for convening regional the goods we produce. It is imperative that our roundtable meetings around the country on the transportation system keeps pace with the changing implementation of the lntermodal Surface tinws - a key element of the ISTEA. Transportation Efficiency Act (JSTEA). These "tak The ISTEA also recognized the importance of ing stock" hf"arings have proven lo be valuable tools planning for the future. An increased emphasis is in assessing the successes and weaknesses of this placed on bringing the public into the planning of monumental legislation. The lSTEA is a landmark transportation projects and local officials have a bill that made dramatic changes in this nation's stronger voice as well. There are still lessons to be transportation policies. For the first time, states learned. There is still work to be done to ensure that were given increased flexibility to choose the types state consultation with local governments and juris of projects that best suited their individual trans dictions is satisfactory. The report on the 10 region portation needs. An increased attention to the effi al roundtable meetings gives Congress the opportuni ciency of our transportation system will lead to an ty to consider the reactions and problems being increase in productivity, the most important measure experienced with the planning process in the ISTEA. of economic well-being. As Americans learn more about the ISTEA, their The increased flexibility in the ISTEA was a input, suggestions and observations will assist us in recognition of the differences between rural and forging the future of transportation policy. The urban areas. Transportation needs and demands are roundtable meetings around the country have dramatically different within each state. By giving brought government to the people. These hearings states more options in the types of projects that can have served to educate the public about the ISTEA be funded, the ISTEA allows states to make wise and the importance of public involvement in the suc investment decisions. cessful implementation of the law. These hearings The full funding of the ISTEA has continued to accomplished more than any hearing inside the belt elude us. As a nation, investment in infrastructure way could have accomplished. has seen a dramatic decline in past years. The lack I look forward to the recommendations of the of investment in transportation and infrastructure Department. As Congress works toward a reautho decreases our productivity. We live in a global mar rization of transportation policies in the coming ketplace. We can no longer look only at our domes years, this report on the implementation of the tic markets for future growth opportunities. Rather, ISTEA will prove to be an invaluable resource.
11 FOREWORD BY CONGRESSMAN NORMAN MINETA Chairman, House Public Works and Transportation Committee
l would like to commend the Department for hold goods and to trade with the rest of the world. ing roundtable meetings throughout the country on how I recently asked the Congressional Budget Office this landmark law is working and what can be done to (CBO) to review overall infrastructure investment pat improve ISTEA during its remaining four years. I am terns in the United States. I asked for this report convinced that we need to make certain that no because of my concern that recent trends in federal momentum is lost in the areas of flexible funding, met infrastructure spending were putting our nation at risk. ropolitan planning and approval of a National Highway Unfortunately, the report confirms my suspicion. System (NHS). In little more than a quarter century, we have cut Secretary Pena's submittal of his NHS proposal, federal infrastructure spending by half as a share of ahead of schedule, will help make it possible for our total federal spending - from 6.3 percent in 1965 to 3 Committee to report legislation to the House in 1994 percent in 1992. Furthermore, the CBO documented and seek enactment as soon as possible thereafter. that the consequence of that reduction has been the But more than merely designating the System, this leg neglect and deterioration of transportation facilities the islation will provide another opportunity to consider economy depends on. relevant policy changes to ISTEA - and that makes • Highways: We have 235,000 miles of federal-aid these regional roundtables particularly timely. highways that are in poor condition. The cost of One area where there is clear! y room for improve repair: $212 billion. ment is the level of funding Congress has been able to • Bridges: We have 118,000 structurally deficient provide. In my view, we have not allowed ISTEA to bridges. The cost of repair: $78 billion. work fully for the simple reason that we have not fully • Transit: The average age of transit buses now funded the law. Both highway and transit programs exceeds recommended usable age by 20 to 35 per have been cut back far below the levels authorized. cent, and between 20 to 30 percent of rail transit We are anxious to hear whether the elected officials, facilities and maintenance yards are in poor condi transportation professionals, citizens and business tion. The price tag for repair: $18 billion. leaders who spoke at your regional meetings share our • Aviation: Twenty-three of our largest airports experi concern over the underfunding of our nation's basic ence more than 20,000 hours of aircraft delays every public facilities. year. The cost to relieve the congestion and prevent Throughout United States history investment has the number of problem airports from increasing to been the key to our economic success. Investments 36: $50 billion over the next five years. have enabled our nation to grow, to move people and Add this all together and the name of our national
Ill nemesis becomes all too clear: dis of the Committee on Public Works in vestment. and Transportation, I intend to do One of ISTEA's objectives was exactly that. For me, these are to reverse that trend. We put user questions of investment, of keeping taxes in place and set the spending faith with the American people, levels accordingly to try to meet and of meeting the increasing chal the needs of the nation. Yet the lenges of economic competitive highway spending provided in ness. ISTEA was cut back about $3 bil Meeting these issues head-on is lion in fiscal year 1993 and by essential to the future of our coun nearly a billion dollars in fiscal try, which is why the perspectives year 1994. Because of this many of the panelists, citizens and busi of the hopes raised by ISTEA have ness leaders the Department heard not been realized. I believe !STEA in these roundtables are important should be fully funded, so that tax to the shape and implementation of payers can reap the benefits of the the legislation we continue to pro money they have agreed to set duce in the Congress. aside for transportation purposes. I was delighted to be able to Fortunately, !STEA deliberately join the Department for the Region included a requirement for 9 ISTEA Roundtable Meeting in Congressional approval of the my hometown of San Jose. It was National Highway System so that most instructive. I look forward we would have a point to revisit the now to your report on all ten law, take stock of where we are, regional meetings and your recom and determine how well we have mendations on how the ISTEA pro lived up to its promise. As Chair gram can be improved.
lV ISTEA Regional Roundtable Report and Action Plan March 1994
Table of Contents
Introduction by U.S . Secretary of Transportation Federico Pena .. Foreword by U.S. Senator Max Baucus 11
Foreword by U.S. Representative Norman Mineta 111
Executive Summary 2
Major National Issues 5
Observations and Conclusions 22
Action Plan 27
Regional Summaries 34
Acknowledgements 54
Special transportation artwork provided by the talented students in Mr. Huddleston's art classes at Hine Junior High School, Washington, D.C.
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In December 1991, the the DOT leadership Learn sought lntermodal Surface Transportation out the views of governors, state ''ISTEA is Efficiency Act (ISTEA) set forth a legislators, mayors and ci ty coun new environment for federal trans cilmembers, county elected offi portation assistance. It provided cials, port, transit and Metropolitan worl~ing. '' more funding flexibility with Planning Organization (MPO) lead greater control at the local level, ers. They also heard from profes - John Egan, Commissioner, while at the same time placing sig sionals including state transporta ew York Stal!:' Departnlf:'nt nificant new intermodal require tion secretaries, city and county of Transportation ments on transportation decision public works directors, as well as makers. citizens and business leaders. In order lo assess progress to The opportunity for participants date in the implementation of to deliver a message directly to top ISTEA, in the fall of 1993 DOT officials was greeted with Secretary of Transportation enthusiasm. Without exception, Federico Pena arranged a series of across the country, the basic thrust 10 roundtable sessions to be held of the discussions indicated strong across the nation. The discussions support for ISTEA. In region after were to give state and local offi region, state and local officials cials from each of the 10 federal emphasized that transportation regions the direct opportunity to improvements and an efficient advise management teams at the transportation system are vital highest levels in the U.S. to the economy. They expressed Department of Transportation just their hope that ISTEA's promise how well the ISTEA process was of increased funding, flexibility working. This report summarizes and local empowerment would be the findings from those outreach realized. And they asked that the sess10ns. Act be given time to achieve its Led by Deputy Secretary potential before significant changes Mortimer Downey and Associate are made. Deputy Secretary Michael Huerta, Here are some of the comments:
"/STEA represents an important breakthrough in how we - as local commu nities and as a nation - deal with the issues of mobility, development, and environmental quality... " - Norm Rice, Mayor of Seattle
"Contrary to the usual centralized one-size-fits-all federal practice, this leg islation allows local and regional transportation agencies the flexibility and authority to design systems tailored to their specific needs." - Donna Halstead, Dallas City Councilmember
"Let us complete our regional and state transportation plans and see how they work before we recommend any changes in /STEA." - Doug Sutherland, County Executive, Pierce County, Washington
2 MAJOR NATIONAL ISSUES Although there is consensus that ISTEA is working, themes emerged consistently across the country that show we still haw· more work to do Lo assure that the full promise of ISTEA is realized. Ten general areas of nationwide concern emerged. DOT was urged Lo:
• Support full funding of !STEA; • Use transportation planning to maximize system efficiency and support economic • Simplify the !STEA project approval development; process; • Expand !STEA outreach and training; • Oversee the planning and funding allocation process to assure it works • Increase the priority for freight projects; as intended; • Give rural areas a fair shake in the dis • Reduce the complexity of !STEA tribution of funds; and regulations; • Emphasize preservation of the existing • Encourage more flexibility and coopera transportation system infrastructure. tion from EPA in helping communities meet air quality goals;
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES While these themes were com of metropolitan New York and On the other hand, in New mon throughout the country, we New Jersey, the flexing of funds England, one of their challenges observed interesting regional dif from highways to transit use was was how to pull together sound ferences as well. In the south, the going well. In contrast, states and regional planning in an area most consistent request was for localities alike in the midwest fragmented into so many small the federal government to take a placed a much higher premium jurisdictions. stronger role in conflict resolution on investing in highways and What this diversity brought between state DOTs and local gov bridges, and especially in their home was the genius of ISTEA in ernments. In the west, especially rehabilitation. recognizing that a "one-size-fits California, where united by hard With the support of advocacy all" approach cannot work in this times or other factors, state and groups, enhancement projects country. What it provides, instead, local governments seemed to be were doing well in the northwest, is the flexibility and empower getting along fine. Their joint while the priority in the mountain ment for each state and its locali message was "expedite the west was basic "farm to market" ties to fashion solutions that meet process of project approval" so road system improvement. their own specific needs. It does transportation investments can The major theme in Chicago so under a common national help in their economic recovery. was jurisdictional rivalry between framework that supports both flex In the heavily populated areas big cities and the rest of the state. ibility and local determination.
3 LISTENING TO OUR CUSTOMERS The Secretary's intent in holding ernments are making a good faith the roundtable meetings was to lis effort to make this new system ten to our customers. What we work - some more effecti vel y than heard was that ISTEA is working others. While there are many ways but there is room for improvement. DOT can help state and MPO lead There was a widespread plea for ers change their approach, we also education and training to help both hear 4 !MAJOR. NAT!ONAL !SSUESI 1. FULL FUNDING ------Strong suppori for full funding of people bikeways, mass transit, pedes ISTEA was expressed in each of the "There is simpl) not t1ian walkways, etc. Eve1ything is eli 10 regional meetings. This was dear enough porridge in the gible for federal funding!" ly the highest p1io1ity held by state Several speakers explained that as pot to meet all the needs and local officials attending the important as full funding was, even round tables. that Congress has set out that would not be sufficient Lo meet As Jim McKenzie of Little Rock, for mobility under the nation's Lme needs. In Seattle, Arkansas, said at the Tulsa meeting, King County Councilmember Greg "If we're expected to maintain our ISTEA." ickels said that over the last decade, existing infrastmcture; if we're "federal transit support has been cut - Jim McKenzie, M PO Director, expected to build the new capacity by half. Additionally, local transit Little Hock, Arkansas that is required; if we're expected to now has to comply with the unfunded have flexible funds and still meet the federal mandates of the Americans mobility goals the Congress has set very significant needs and past with Disabilities Act, mandatory dmg out - there is simply not enough neglect for all modes of transportation and alcohol testing, and the Clean Air money there to do that." in our urban and rural areas. We Act, none of which were addressed by In Chicago, Dave Schulz, Director encourage you to argue for full con ISTEA." of Northwestern University's gressional funding for all modal pro Commissioner Dudley F euerbom lnfrastmcture Technology Institute, grams in ISTEA. 'Flexibility' without of Anderson County, Kansas said, stated, ''The fact that ISTEA has not adequate funding is a regrettably hol "We need help with funding. We low promise." been fully funded in the face of unde have spanned a great period of time niable evidence of the large and Denver City Councilman Ted between when President Eisenhower growing unfunded needs of the Hackworth added, "Flexibility in the enacted the interstate transportation nation's highway and transit systems use of funds won't occur until the system that brought the farmers out of in your Department's own annual backlog of projects is taken care of. the mud and onto the black top and assessment, is not only a betrayal of It isn't inequity in the use of money. then onto the interstate system. ISTEA's bright promise, but itself It's that there isn't enough money." In Today the roads in my county are 30 poses a significant hurdle to the new Chicago, Michael Bolton of the Ann to 40 years older. There has been no intermodal spirit which ISTEA pro Arbor, Michigan Transit Authority ongoing maintenance program for the motes." concluded, "We are arguing over a bridges - so now they are coming The issue of flexible funds was small pie. Somebody better figure out due. It is like having several notes at also linked to full funding. Many how to bake a bigger one, because if the bank and they all come due at made the point that the ability to shift we don't, all of our work will have once." funds from a program to meet the been in vain." Washington State DOT Secretary nation's highway needs to a program In Kansas City, Allan Abbott, Sid Morrison concluded, "My bottom that may serve many other kinds of Director of Nebraska's Department of line is that the expectation raised by transportation interests was predicat Roads, put the problem this way: ISTEA is not being matched with the ed on a significant increase in fund "I think a fairer definition of flexible dollars. We need to follow through ing. In Seattle, Doug Sutherland, funding is 'we fooled you. We told with the funding to make sure that the Pierce County Executive, comment you, you were going to get this much, projects communities have now ed, ''To begin to deliver on the poten but we fooled you and flexed it back dreamed of and built into their priori tial of ISTEA, we must recognize the to this much.' We promised many ties can, in fact, be funded." 5 2. SIMPLIFYING PROCESSES ------ The need to simplify the TSTEA California, suggested that "(STP and HThe flexibility project approval process was a CMAQ) funds transferred to FTA built into the widely expressed theme throughout from FHWA be accessible on a con the 10 regional meetings. In part, tinuing basis rather than quarterly." ISTEA has not the problem described was that fed Several other comm entors echoed filtered its wav eral agencies had not updated their thi s request. review procedures to deal with the In New York, Janet Sadik-Khan down to the non-traditional projects authorized from the New York City Mayor's acln1inistrative rules by lSTEA. office, asked that a way be found to As Mayor Bixler explained dur reduce "the eight levels of review an(l regu 1at1ons . yet. " ing the San Jose meeting, "The now required." If reviews cannot be same guidelines and manuals used consolidated or eliminated, perhaps - Mayor Mike Bixler of to govern the building of new free they could be done concurrently, she Imperial Beach, California ways and major rail projects are recommended. Los Angeles MPO being applied to small air quality Director Mark Pisano repeated that and enhancement programs with the request. He asked that the environ result of slowing down the imple-. mental reviews required under the mentation of these projects. We California Environmental Quality need to look for measures to speed Act and the National Environment up the process and perhaps exempt Protection Act be done concurrently. small projects from some require Local frustrations were perhaps ments." expressed best by Lloyd Berry, In part the problem is simply fed Public Works Director, Chelan eral regulatory overkill. In San County, Washington, whose grandfa Jose, participant Lorie Garcia ther served as Chelan County expressed her frustration at having Engineer beginning in 1908. Berry to fill out federal compliance forms contrasted the "red tape" require "two inches deep" for a $37,000 ments under ISTEA with two major urban beautification project. A rec sources of outside funds that his ommendation made in nearly every road program depends on - the region was to exempt low-dollar almost "no strings attached" U.S. enhancement projects from federal Forest Service "Timber Receipts requirements. Program" and Washington State's The California State Association fuel tax matching funds. He con of Counties sent a letter to DOT and cluded by saying, "Let's pass down recommended that "there should be some trust. Along with the dollars, a threshold of federal participation let's put some trust into it. (as a percentage of total project or Responsibility goes with it too. program cost) below which federal Local agencies don't want to shirk requirements would not apply." that responsibility. Just give it Larry Reuter of Santa Clara County, to us." 6 ______3. DOT MONITORING The two statements above made Larry Kenny, Milwaukee, by Mayor Abramson and Director Wisconsin County Supervisor, ""When it gets down Berry exemplify the broad spec "to sit down with their local gov to prognun111ing, it trum of opinion and experience by ernments and provide the funding local officials with regard to the that was promised to them." is still don<:-\ degree to which states have includ Perhaps the strongest remedy for the n1osl part, ed them in the decisionmaking suggested was that DOT withhold process. approval of Statewide Transpor 111 state capitals." At many of the regional meet tation Improvement Programs ings, DOT was encouraged to care (STIPs) in cases where the differ - Jerry Abramson, fully monitor the ISTEA planning ences between a state and its M1:1yor, City of Louisville and funding allocation process to MPOs or local governments are assure they are being carried out substantial and unresolved. "Shortl v after the as intended. For the most part, we Local officials also raised spe observed that state and local gov cific objections to some state DOT ISTEA legislation ernments are all making a good policies. Jerry Lasker, Executive became a fact, a faith effort to make the new system Director of IN COG, Tulsa, work. The fact that we convened Oklahoma, expressed his concerns broad representation these meetings and asked for the this way: "ODOT has unofficially of interests candid assessment by all parties on followed a policy that outside the how the program could be metropolitan areas, federal funds throughout the state improved however, opened the door will only be spent on state high convened. l Jwl ieve for local governments, especially, to ways ... This has frustrated cities air their differences with their outside of urbanized areas as they there is a good basis States and to a degree with their no longer have access to any feder for believing \\e are MPOs. al transportation assistance except An urgent appeal was made by for projects on state/federal high being treated fairly." many local officials for stronger ways." Some local officials stated DOT oversight to encourage state their belief that state DOTs focus - Lloyd Berry, DOTs to be more cooperative. too much on road construction Public Works Director ISTEA was intended to empower while neglecting other forms of Chelan Count~·, \\'ashington local governments, but instead transpo1tation. City Councilman "pits states' policies and goals Dan Cofran, Kansas City, Missouri, against the local priorities that summarized the issue by stating, have been established in the "I think there is still some tension MPOs' planning process," said and difference of opinion between Brian Shorten, Executive Director, people in local government and Fargo-Moorhead Metro Council of people in the state highway com Governments. mission. It boils down to the con Shorten's request for interven tinuing mentality and predisposi tion by DOT through FTA and tion for highways as opposed to FHWA was echoed by other partic transit ... we have a culture within ipants. "We ask the federal govern that industry that thinks only about ment to encourage (state) paving highways." Departments of Transportation It must be noted that while state across the country," commented DOTs were criticized, participants 7 in many slates applauded their Janette SadikKahn, former efforts. Richard Simonetta, Director, ew York City Mayor's General Manager, Central Ohio Office of Transportation. "This Transit Authority explained, means that Rockland County has "ISTEA has actually legitimized the same representation as the cooperative relationships that much larger Suffolk County. Even existed, between the Ohio with two votes, ew York City is Department of Transportation, our woefully under represented. Equal county, our city, the MPO and the representation, determined by transit authority." Even when dif need and population, must ferences exist, state DOTs are not become the basis of the planning exclusively to blame, as Peter process." This specific request for Stangl, Chairman and CEO of the proportional representation came Metropolitan Transportation from central cities, but they were Authority for New York testified: not alone. Entities such as transit "We have already demonstrated officials, freight operators, envi we can make changes in long ronmental groups and others each standing practices ... some changes requested they be considered for may have to happen at a local or inclusion in an MPO. There was regional level..." However, testi considerable discussion in several mony also included language that regional meetings about including sums up the overall desires of a variety of interests in the MPO, most local participants: while limiting policy making to a "Additional guidance from the smaller group. As Jacky Grimshaw federal government will be essen from the Center for Neighborhood tial if the principles associated Technology in Chicago concluded, with the full promise of ISTEA are " .. .ISTEA mandates new levels of to be realized." public involvement and elected The final issue raised was not official involvement. We hope that about states but about the voting DOT will work with the states and representation on MPOs. "MPO metropolitan planning organiza membership in New York gives tions to take the decisions about virtually equal status to counties transportation funding out of the regardless of population," noted back room ... " ••• 8 ______4_ REGULATORY COMPLEXITY A conc·ern heard al several James Duane, ExeC'ulive rouncltable meetings was that Director of the Ohio, Kentucky, "The regulations to excessive and rigid regulations and Indiana (OKI) Council of have the potential of limiting the GoYernmenls in Cincinnati, Ohio, date are too much, too flexibility and vision ISTEA expressed his concern with the detailed, overly promised. "stringency" of the "fiscal con Instead of using limited straint" component of long-range prescriptive, not resources to plan intermodal trans planning efforts al the MPO level. real is tic, son1eti1nes portation sy tems for the next cen "To constrain the plan lo do only tury, many transportation profes what we have been able to do in extending far beyond sionals feel as though they are the past - 10 ______5. MORE FLEXIBILITY FROM EPA A central issue raised throughout "found a new willingness on the the country by representatives from Administrator's part Lo be f-lexible ·"Part of what \\e are attainment as well as nonaLLainment and t1y to work out some of these areas, was the need for greater flexi problems." He explained that after hen· in tenns of bility and cooperation by the California's already depressed econ clean air and shifting Environmental Protection Agency omy risked a massive loss of jobs if (EPA) in helping local governments EPA sanctions cut off $700 million to other 1nodes is a achieve compliance with the Clean in federal transportation funds. He change in human Air Act mandates. During the first added that 9,000 small businesses roundtable in Hartford, Connecticut, could be closed if EPA insisted on hehc1, ior. I think we New Hampshire Environmental state-run rather than private inspec need lo njcognize that Commissioner Bob Varney said, "It tion and maintenance services. is critical that we get environmental Assemblyman Katz also said he putting systen1s in and transportation agencies at the "found this new Administration place in fact is the state, regional and federal level to understands that the need to fix the sit at the same table to improve air and the need to fix the economy eas~ part. Changing communication and coordination." don't have to be mutually exclu- hu1nan behavior is In Tulsa, Dallas City s1ve.. " Councilmember Donna Halstead In Louisville, Mayor Jerry 1nuch more difficult said, "Although the expenditures Abramson, President of the U.S. and takes much related to conversions and ozone Conference of Mayors, echoed alert days have resulted in reduced Assemblyman Katz's plea that EPA longer ... so we air emissions, EPA has refused to work more cooperatively with state would ask for a credit these reductions in emissions and local governments. Mayor towards compliance with the Abramson's advice to both EPA and reasoned approach:· requirements of the Clean Air Act. DOT was to "get together on cross This EPA position is counter-pro culturing" with each other and with - Oregon State ductive to the region's efforts to curb the local officials who will have to DOT Director Don Forbes emissions in our nonattainment make the Clean Air Act work. area, frustrates innovative approach In Seattle, Preston Schiller, of es to reducing emissions and the Sierra Club, commented on poli ignores the link between transporta cy options which could help reduce tion-related emissions sources and air pollution, such as President the air pollution found in nonattain Clinton's tax policy proposal to give ment areas." commuters the choice between an In San Jose, Assemblyman employer-paid transit subsidy or a Richard Katz, who chairs the parking subsidy. Schiller suggested California Assembly Transportation "putting the 'E' back in 'efficiency' Committee, reported how pleased he by promoting employee parking was with a meeting he had just had pricing strategies such as the 'win with EPA Administrator Carol win' cash-out parking option that Browner. Reviewing the differences could do so much to promote a shift that had existed with EPA over to non-motorized transportation and California's preferred approach to ridesharing." vehicle emissions inspection, Many speakers urged that local Assemblyman Katz said that he governments be given the flexibility 11 to opt for solutions that worked the year 2010 and exceed the and wen:' cost-effective rather than three percent per year reduction in the mon"' prescri pli ve pa I h they on-road vehicle emissions needed must now follow. Mayor Mike lo meet the Clean Air Act require Bixler of Imperial Beach, ments." California, offered San Diego as an The loss of eligibility for CMAQ example. "The slate and federal funds was discussed in several mandates for a proposed employer regions. Larry Dahms, Executive trip reduction program would Director of the San Francisco Bay improve overall air quality by less Area Metropolitan Planning than 0.5 percent through the year Commission, commented, "As a 2010 and would cost San Diego number of areas around the coun businesses more than $100 million try, including the Bay Area, per year to implement. Programs approach attainment status under that cost a lot of money and do lit the federal Clean Air Act, it is rel tle to clean up the air are all but evant to consider changes lo impossible to sell to our business ISTEA's CMAQ program. In community. . . It is important that achieving the attainment designa we concentrate on cleaning up the tion these areas will lose their air, but we must use the most effi qualification for CMAQ program cient means possible to do so. funds. This does not mean, how Transportation plans must be ever, that any of these areas must developed to include actions be any less diligent in maintaining which will substantially improve their newly achieved status. In air quality. We believe these many cases, CMAQ funds were or actions are related to technological are being used to fund those pro improvements rather than behavior jects or programs that, in fact led modification." Mayor Bixler went or will lead lo attainment. The on to cite several examples, such CMAQ programs should be as the California Air Resources amended to ensure that new attain Board vehicle emissions standards ment areas are able to adequately for the future vehicle fleet. "These maintain that status and continue standards will reduce San Diego's pursuing both clean air objectives on-road vehicle emissions from and the air quality-transportation 159 tons/day (or 57 percent of connection embodied in !STEA." total emissions) in 1987 to 38 As Brian Smith, Planning tons/day (or 17 percent of total Director for Pinellas County emissions) in 2010. This one Florida concluded, "There is an action will reduce San Diego's incentive to stay polluted to keep overall emissions by 40 percent by the dollars coming in." 12 6. PLANNING Broad support was voiced transportation investments throughout the co untry for the designed to retain the area's manu "ISTEA calls for a emphasis ISTEA places on trans facturing and industrial base, pre portation planning. Local officials, vent sprawl and promote sustain planning partnership especially, expressed appreciation able development. ... benefitting our for the strengthened role in trans At that same Seattle meeting, portation planning that they have Earl Blumenauer, Commissioner of cities and towns, our been given under JSTEA. They also Public Works for the City of economy and our expressed hope that the combina Portland, Oregon, spoke forcefully tion of local empowerment and flex of the need for planning to heller quality of life." ibility would result in allocating manage the resources we already dollars in ways that best meet local have. "We have made tremendous - Steven Boudreau, President, needs and make the most sense in infrastructure investment but it Massachusetts Association of terms of system efficiency. isn't being properly utilized," he Regional Planning Agencies Stale transportation planners said. "For example, in road capac also spoke in positive terms about ity, we have the 'day after ISTEA's emphasis on planning and Thanksgiving' syndrome where their hope that this could lead to parking lots are built to deal with better allocation of resources. the peak shopping day of the year. Lloyd Robinson, Deputy Secretary As a result, we have a sea of of Transportation for Vermont, drew asphalt and concrete unused 95 a distinction between transporta percent of the time with the atten tion planning and project program dant run off storm water, air quality ming. "Planning is not a list of and whatnot. ff we manage the sys projects, nor is it design or broad tem we have now more wisely, that policy statements," he said. He would solve more than 50 percent went on to explain how planning in of the problem." Vermont connected a vision of the Commissioner Blumenauer was state's economic future with a sys among several who spoke about the tematic program of transportation improvements in mobility that investment designed to support changes in land use planning can their overall development strategy. produce. He said, "Looking at Seattle's Mayor Norm Rice out land use as a way to solve trans lined several ways in which trans portation problems, we find that portation planning plays an impor when people for example, have tant role in his region. The first good pedestrian systems, you was developing a mobility strategy reduce vehicle miles traveled. which encouraged alternatives to People will make choices if they the area's historic dependence on have the right kind of housing near the automobile. Fundamental to where they work." this concept was the Mayor's com David Soule, Executive Director bined land use and transportation of Boston's MPO, made a similar plan which focuses new develop observation. "The linkage between ment in key transit corridors. The land use and transportation - second role of planning in the where infrastructure money gets Seattle region was a program of spent - has more to do with how 13 land gets used than any zoning ordinance." From Philadelphia to San Jose, DOT was urged to press state and local governments to seek out and assure strong citizen participation in the planning process, especially within minority communities. Jim Altenstadter from Tucson outlined how the enhancement program was working to attract and involve new players. "Already we can see, in just the brief experience with the solicitation and review of potential enhance ment projects, a widening of the involvement of the public. We learned that it takes time and patience to bring new participants into the process. But on the whole and for the long term, the benefits of wider public involvement will be a contribution of the ISTEA." The final point on planning heard at several of the regional roundtables dealt with the National Highway System. As supportive as many were of the need for the NHS and the planning that had gone into its submission, DOT was urged to broaden its scope to include all modes of transportation in the system. As Richard Simonetta, Director of the Central Ohio Transit Authority recommended in Louisville, "Our nation would be better served if we had a national transportation system map that focused on all modes and really began to promote the spirit of intermodalism as reflected in ISTEA." ______7. OUTR ACH AND TRAINING At each and every nwt'ling MPO, mentioned some successes there \ms a request, if not a plea, he had in this regard. '"When we "I ferventlv belieYe for more DOT assistance in the saw what was happening with that if ISTEA is to lw form of outreach and training for ISTEA and the Clean Air Act elected officials, planners, and Amendments we looked al our a viable instru111ent of MPO staff working on ISTEA. strengths and weaknesses at the power sharing Oklahoma County Commis staff level. We decided on what we sioner Shirley Darrell slate 15 8. FREIGHT PROJECTS While a good portion of the dis spe('ifically recognizecl. Several "O ur transportation. cussion in each of the l O regional people noted that the purpose of syslPm tnust carry meetings focused on the movement the Act is to develop a system that of people, DOT was reminded that will move people and goods. The frt>ight as \\ Pll the other half of the transportation freight side of the transportation as peop It>."" equation to be addressed is freight. equation provides jobs, stimulates Throughout the country, the mes our economy and, as Anne Aylward sage was clear: freight movement of Massport phrased it, "If freight - Kirk Brown, Illinois must be given a higher priority in doesn't move, international trade Department of Transportation the planning and funding alloca stops." Aylward went on to say, tion process under !STEA. "There is no such thing as the Don Fleming, managing direc immaculate conception of Cheerios tor, Marine Division, Port of on a grocery store shelf. Someone Seattle, stated, "A key issue must transport that box of cereal to regarding ISTEA is that while bus, the supermarket. This is usually transit, passenger rail, bicycle accomplished by truck, rail, ship, ways and pedestrian facilities have air, etc." Dan O'Neal, president of guaranteed funding allocations pro the Greenbrier Development vided by the ISTEA legislation, Corporation, commented, "In the there is no similarly designated highly competitive world that we funding for maintaining or enhanc live in both domestically and inter ing freight mobility." nationally, more and more industry Speakers in each region pointed is relying on less and less invento out that freight is a key ingredient ry. And that means that they need in the success of our economy - to have goods moved on time and something the language of ISTEA they need to be where they need 16 th em, wh en th ey need th em." sus national interests. We as ports Parti cipants noted that port access, During th e Hartford meeting, are asking state and local trans rai I access, air access - all form s thi s qut'slion was posed: " Who is portation agencies Lo give priority of freight transportation - must be responsible for freight movement to intermoclal transportation pro taken into account wh en states and in the Northeast?" There was no jects even th ough the benefici ari es local governments develop inter response. However, in of those projects are consum ers modal plans for the move ment of Philadelphia, Delaware Secretary and producers elsewhere in th e peopl e as well as goods. of Transportation Anne Canby nation. At the same time, local In conclusion, Brian Sweeney, noted that representati ves of th e officials have pressures placed on of Burlington Northern , pointed freight industry in Delaware are th em by th eir constituencies who out how modes such as rail, whi ch included as partners at th e MPO have immediate and local needs. up until now had generally been as well as at the stale planning The result is a decisionmaking excluded from the transportation level. Each area, th erefore, process for investm ents in which planning process, were now being appears to differ as to how th e national priorities are either not offered a seat at the table. "It's freight equation of transportation is considered at all or not given kind of like Thanksgiving dinner. factored into the overall planning enough weight." The adults are seated in th e dining process. In the San Jose meeting, In order to increase national as room and all of the kids are sitting Geraldine Knatz, Director of well as regional effi ciency and eco at the card tables in the living Planning for the Port of Long nomic competitiveness, several room. That's kind of where th e Beach, California, expanded on participants offered suggestions for railroads have been for th e last this issue: "If freight issues are not incorporating freight movement several decades of transportation adequately addressed in the plan into th e transportation planning planning in this country. We're ning process, there is no hope at process. "Major remaining obsta at the card table waiting for an all for addressing freight issues in cles to improving intermodal effi opening in the dining room. the funding process. The crux of ciency are access barriers," said Well, with ISTEA that opening the problem seems to be local ver- Don Fleming, Port of Seattle. is perhaps there." 17 9. RURAL ISSUES Across the country, representa to economic stability. Adoption of, "'ISTEA was wri llen ti v<:>s from rural areas t'X pressed and funding for the National \\ ith the coastal and th<:>ir frustrations with ISTEA. The Highway System are therefore major grieYance th<:>y identified was pressing concerns in many rural urban areas in n1ind, that whilt' ISTEA may work to communities. As Commission<:>r hut it in1paC'ls rural <:>mpower local governments in Barbara Kirknwyer of Weld County, major urbanized art'as, some rural Colorado, said. "You may talk areas as well.'' areas feel shut out of the planning about mass transportation, but the and project selection process. As a fact is, our people travel by car and - Barbara Kirkmeyer, result, many of tlwse representa our bottom Ii ne is good roads." County Commissioner, tives believe JSTEA has decreased Dave Sn icier, of the Missouri State Weld County, Colorado funding available for rural areas. Highway Department, noted, "We As Robert Korba, Commissioner continually see ourselves being of Public Works, Tioga County, thrown into the generic aspect of New York, pointed out. "ISTEA has what happens in our eastern and enhanc<:>d the role of MPOs in far western states. We are mid developing transportation pol icy, western ... Basically, our states affecting approximately 15 urban thrive on the ability to move goods counties in New York. ln the 42 and people across our nation. If it counties that do not have MPOs, wasn't for our highway systems - the State Department of that are rural in nature - people on Transportation's regional office the east coast and west coast would plays the role of planner. We quickly starve." believe that under ISTEA, the The need for rural jurisdictions absence of an MPO will cost rural to be included in the transportation counties ISTEA money. We ask for planning and project selection greater participation and an equi process was also stressed. It was table distribution [of funds]." In pointed out that rural and small order to ensure that the voice of a MPO areas often do not have medium-sized MPO is heard, it was access to their state DOTs and can recommended that the population not get information about the threshold for federal designation as amount of federal funds available a Transportation Management or the state priorities for use of Agency be lowered from 200,000 those funds. Several speakers to 100,000. noted that state DOTs do not have Dudley Feuerborn, Commis the "hands on" experience in deal sioner in Anderson County, ing with local problems and are not Kansas, explained the need for an in touch on a day-to-day basis with effective road system in rural citizens. Brian Shorten of the areas. "Our major concern is the Fargo-Moorhead, (North Dakota) movement of goods and freight, Council of Governments, observed more than people," he commented. that, "Serious questions arise as to Feuerborn and others explained whether the MPO role in planning that in rural areas, a good and well has been truly strengthened or if maintained road system is essential conversely, the TIP is only meant 18 lo reOect decisions made by th e and th e public whipping post for Oklahoma. Mass transit programs state .. , eve ry citizen or attorney that feels in rural areas are severelv needed. In addition, participants com there is something wrong with the Roads and bridges that were built mented that ISTEA regulations, roads in Alcoma County. I operate by th t' Bureau of Indian Affairs while cons idered cumbersonw for without the be nefit of any technical ha ve ht>e n turned over to the coun urbanized areas, can be deadl y lo support staff. To try to deal ,rith ty commissioners for maintenance rural areas. " Regulations are chok the constant changing of regula because most Tribes have no lax ing rural transportation opera tions and guid t> lines is ex tremel y base. Those roads are in t'X lreme tions," said Don Dillar, Director of fru strali ng and very difficu I I." need of repair and th ey are on a the Wyoming Department of During the Tulsa, Denver and priority li st six years away because Transportation. MPOs in rural Seattle meetings, Native American of lack of adequate funds in th t> areas also face staffing and training represenlalivt's di scussed the county budgets." problems which differ from the transportation problems facing the Finally, th e need for improved concerns of urban areas. Ronald Tribes and tlw nt> ed for improved access to ht> alth care in rural a reas Young from Alcoma County, relati ons between DOT, Tribes, and was also expressed in several Mi chi gan, remarked, "My duties. slate and local officials. J.B. regions. In thi s regard, U.S. as in many rural counties, include Dreadfulwater of the Cherokee Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders was serving as the county highway Nation and a member of th e recently quoted as saying, "It is far engineer, the drain commissioner, Oklahoma Tribal Transportation easier and cheaper to train bus dri the soil erosion agent, the public Council, said, "Transportation vers than it is to train doctors." works director, labor negotiator, issues are important Lo Tribes in 19 1 0. PRESERVE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE From Hartford to Seattle, DOT older urban cities' maintenance set "It does 1ne little good was reminded that it will do little aside Lo reflect the added costs of to have transit buses good to develop a world class trans maintaining our aging transporta portation system if we cannot main tion infrastructure." running if I can "t tain what we already have. As Ray Many people echoed the sugges keep the roads 111ain Chamberlain from the Colorado tion that DOT set aside money for Department of Transportation asked preservation as well as new con tained and surfaced in Denver, "Can we afford enhance struction. Sid Morrison from for those ]luses to ment projects when our basic needs Washington State said, "There is for maintaining the present system relative inattention within ISTEA operate on." aren't fully met?" to preservation. Frankly, we spend DOT officials were told that a tremendous amount of money - Ronald Young, existing infrastructure is in dire preserving the infrastructure you Road Commissioner, need of repair and that this prob helped us build. We need Lo have Alcoma County, Michigan lem affects every township and that realized as a need." As Dallas county in the nation. City leaders City Councilmember Donna pointed out that the problem of Halstead remarked, "The City infrastructure deterioration is par urges that favorable consideration ticularly acute in older urban and adequate funding be provided areas. According to Gurnie Gunter, for the reconstruction of deteriorat City Engineer for Kansas City, ed transportation system infrastruc Missouri, "We are on a descending ture that has met or exceeded its curve as far as being able to take design life. Currently, ranking cri care of our infrastrncture. We need teria for ISTEA funding in Texas all the help that we can get. The favors new construction. These federal money we get has very little criteria benefit newer and more impact on that curve. Big city rapidly growing areas and work to infrastrnctures need a lot of help." the disadvantage of more mature, Elihu Harris, the Mayor of already established areas, such as Oakland, told DOT: "We believe the City of Dallas." that special consideration should The point was also made that be given at the federal level for an mandates such as congestion man- 20 i:l!,'J'lll<'llt and C'it',111 air Hllai1111w11t ,,l1il<· to addn-:ss thost' net->ds." an-- , t'n difficult in urban areas \ 11d Crn11111issio1wr \ndv ~ 'mTt'n 11 itlwut pa yinµ; Httention lo e,ist inµ; from Bu('ks Count~. Pt>trnsylrnnia. infrastnl<'ture. Peter Stangl. said. ··\\e need to set up a priority Chain11a11 and CEO of tlw pro('ess so that tlw first priority for Mt'lropolita11 Transportation funding should go to <•,isling trans \uthorit~ i11 \le11 )ork. remarked. portation upgrades." "Ernplt.isis 011 in 110, atio11 in lSTE .\ A final point 111ad<· ,,as that tlw should r<·<·ognizt· tlwt in older maintt'nan<·e of our existing infra C'ities. su('h as !\<--·~, )ork. replacing structtirt' is ('rili('al to tlw e<·onrnnic infrastru('tLm· is just as niti('al and Yitality of tht' Lnitt'd States. just as 'innmati,<.- i11 n-- du('i11µ; St'vf-'ral spea kt'rs pointed ou I t hHt congestion and promoting ('lean air tlw f'fficiPnt mmt->nwnt of 1wople as somt' llt'\r teC'hnology irnprove all'! goods is essential to our P<·o rnents. For t'.x.arnplt'. rcliuildi11g no111ic wf-'11 lwing. Da,·e Schulz. projects that address st'n i('e quali l•~xecutivt' Director of the ty issues :-uch as reliability, nm,d Infrastructure Tt'chnology Institute ing and security help MTA and al Northwt'slt'rn Cni,·f'rsily, noted otht'r transit systems retain current al Llw Chicago roundtable, "The users and attrad new customt'rs. infrastructure 1H·eds of our cities both of which promote cleaner air:· are staggPring. And most cities As nwntioned earlier. infra bad! y 1wed the f-'<•onomic stimula- structure problems affect all areas. li YP efforts that rebuilding that not just cilit's. Bob Ctwllar from infrastructurt' c·an providP - both Texas DOT said, "We t'stimate that short and long term." Donna it would takt' probably cl\"er S2 bil Halstead from Dallas added, "This lion lo takt' cart' of all the structur reinvestment is essential for oldPr al needs of Lht' hridgt's that we urban areas to compete for f'c•o• have in Texas. Considering that nomic development with rwwer we're averaging about $200 million areas and to providP for more bal per year. ifs going to takt' quite a anced regional growth:· 21 OBSERVATIONS .A\NIIJ) CC ((J) N CCIL ID§ II ((J) N § "Effective governments listen carefully to their customers and restructure basic operations to meet customer needs." - Vice President Al Gore Report of' the National Performance Review (fall 1993) The Secretary's decision to ask top admin The program's passage raised expectations istrators to travel to each region of the coun that not only would the needs of highways be try to listen to our customers received an met, but that sufficient resources would also overwhelmingly positive response. be available to satisfy new players included Participants repeatedly expressed their at the table - transit, freight and enhance appreciation for the opportunity to tell offi ment advocates. cials at the highest level in DOT how well At each roundtable we heard a com ISTEA is working and how it can be pelling case on the need for increased improved. For us, it proved to be an invalu investment in our basic transportation sys able opportunity, as well, for direct contact tems. This was underscored by the with practitioners who could give us a "reali Congressional Budget Office study outlined ty check" on program performance. It is a by Congressman Norman Mineta. Across process we intend to repeat. the nation, there is a significant backlog of The overall message we heard is that needed maintenance on deteriorating high "ISTEA is working," and there is strong sup ways, bridges and transit facilities. In areas port for the program across the country. experiencing growth there is a need for new State and local officials stressed how vital capacity. And with the increasing role inter transportation investments are to the econo national trade is playing in our economy, we my. They expressed their hope that the Act's must be prepared Lo respond to the need for promise of increased federal assistance, the increased capacity at our airports, sea more funding flexibility and greater control ports and border corridors. The roundtables at the local level would be realized. And, left no question in our minds as to the need they urged us to give the process time to for more resources. In addition, these meet make adjustments and achieve its potential ings underscored that there is a fundamental before proposing major changes. They also conflict between new players and old priori made it clear that there is room for improve ties. Greater options for securing these ment. resources, from both the public and private Full funding of !STEA was consistently sectors must be determined. More money to the highest priority issue for state and local share may ease some of the tensions, but it officials. Many expressed the view that the will not be a cure for the basic conflicts cre promise of !STEA could only be realized ated by the Act's flexibility and the eligibili with funding at the full level authorized. ty of the new players. 22 Assist in the Process of Change Whal ISTEA really involves is a the flexibility of the program work, cultural change - new relationships, especially non-traditional projects new sharing of power and new lines funded under the Smface of authority and accountability. Transportation Program (STP) such Programmatically, ISTEA is about as transportation enhancements, and reprioritizing how we spend money. the Congestion Mitigation Air Structurally, it changes how and by Quality Improvement (CMAQ) pro whom decisions are made and signif grams. icantly broadens the range of choice. There is no doubt that more tech Implementing all of these changes nical assistance would be welcome will require time. in all areas. Our field offices could In general, we observed that both play a significant role in providing state and local officials are making a this technical assistance because good faith effort to make this new their people are closest to the MPOs system work. The fact that ISTEA is and the states. working well in some places and not in others means that the prob lem is not in the program's design, "It's time to shift from top down but in its implementation. bureaucracy to entrepreneurial Therefore, the role DOT can play is to help by sharing information - government that empowers citizens and sharing examples of "best prac tices" and bringing peers together communities to change our country to exchange experiences on better ways to structure the decisionmak from the bottom up." ing process. This can also involve - Vice President Al Gore, NPR Report sharing examples of how to make Simplify the Regulatory Process A second area where DOT clearly needs to respond is in simplifying the project approval process and our regulatory approach in general. What we heard from roundtable speakers was a message similar to our charge from the Vice President's Reinventing Government process: "Cut red tape ... Decentralize decisionmaking ... Empower state and local govern ments .. .Increase their flexibility ... And waive rules and regulations when they conflict with results." The National Performance Review process has us looking inside DOT to see where unnecessary processes, rules and layers of bureaucracy can be 23 t' liminalt'd b~ dt"l't'n Lral izing authori l y and t'lll pm, eri11g t-'lll plo~ t-'t'S. It Illa\ Iw l i nw lo e,a111 i ,w IST~~ \ grant-in-aid programs lo st't' hm, similar irn1wdinw11h l'an lw re1110, ed and li111ited dol lars slrt-'lclwd further by elin1i11ati11g LtlllH'<'<'Sscm la~t>rs of' gmerntllt' lll and <·nq><>\\t·ring our granlt-'es. \\ lwt our stale and local <·ountnpart:-; ar<' asking is .. Can \\e t-'tllt'r i11to a ,ww parlncr,.,hip \\ith the fed<·ral gmt·rnnwnt'!'' Tlwy ar<' telling us that \\t· do not ha,t· lo 111onitor Pvnything tilt-'\' do lo <·11sun· it nw<·ls sonH· slctndanl. Tlw fact is. for th<' 1110s! part, they are highl) sophis ticated pul>liC' entitit>s in their m,11 right. held alTountablt• I>~ the cll'doralt-', as ,,ell as <·011- slituen(·~ groups. tht-· prt>ss and slalt-' 1,rn. lo t>llSLlrt' that wquin·nwnls suC'h as C'ivil rights. envi ronnwntal safeguards and labor prolel'lions an· nwl. The~ are asking. ··Can't thne lw a nwch anism b~· \\hich granlet>s C'an l'Pl'tif) lo tlw federal gmernnwnl that necessary standards ,\ill lw met/ Send them tlw dollars and hold tlwrn accountable for results, hut dPlegate lo them the responsibility for Lilt' process they go through lo achie,·e those results." \'re may ,rnnl lo convene a federal/slate/local working group or commission lo wrestle with the broader public policy implications of this kind of approach. Meanwhile, we will proceed as swiftly as possible with some of the more targeted, problem-solving initiatives listed in the Secretarv's Action Plan. Monitoring \:\'e heard a laundry list of concerns in ,~ hat we conside r lo be good models. The which aggrit'ved parties wanted DOT lo best point ,vhere DOT l'an intervene direC'tly interYene in the !STEA funding alloC'alion lo enC'ouragc C'OmplianC'e with program and planning process. Many central cities, ohje<·Liw•s may be in th<" Statewide rural arpas, transit and freight interests fell Transportation Improvement they were not treated fairly in the stale fund Program/Transportation Improvement ing allocation process. Some wanted us to Program (STI P/TIP) approval and TMA plan intervene Lo assure fairer representation ning certification process. within MPOs. Many felt left oul of the plan Although the MPO and local government mng process. perspectives were well aired during the Our view is that we should carerully limit Roundtable sessions (and in this report), the when and how we intervene. The thrust of state message may need to be reiterated. ISTEA is lo delegate these matters lo be States say they feel caught in a box because, decided through the political process at the ultimately, they are the ones held account state and local levels. To mandate special able for how federal dollars are expended. set-asides for central cities, rural areas, Since the states have all the accountability, ports and infrastructure maintenance, as their incentive is to be as conservative as requested, would take away the very flexibil possible. Whereas the MPOs might be dri ity intended for the program. Therefore, lo ven by the need lo satisfy local constituents, the extent possible, we should encourage the states have that same need on a broader state and local parties lo resolve these differ statewide level. We need to give states an ences on their own. There is a great deal we incentive lo be creative, not just a directive can do lo help this happen through educa to do so. At the same time, we need to tion and outreach and especially by insisting define what we at the federal level are pre that information be made available on a pared Lo do differently. timely basis. For example, notifying local We must Lake a more balanced approach in and state officials in advance of the dollars understanding what the original purposes of the state will have available each year for our regulations and processes were and identi allocation in each category. DOT can clarify fy how we can carry out the objectives of fed 24 how we interpret program requirements and eral oversight in a way that is less complex. Cooperation with EPA We heard general frus to develop a more long conflict. Under the direc tration from state and local term, strategic view of the tives of the Clean Air Act agencies over the difficul positive rolt> increased tran Amendments and ISTEA, ties of meeting Clean Air sit ridership can have on many areas have made Act mandates. We should both mobility and achieving progress in integrating air try to work with EPA to air quality goals We may quality and transportation resolve some of these prob need to do the same regard planning. Still more coop lems. In addition to the ing the role freight rail can eration is needed to achieve challenges posed by play in the net reduction of the degree of integration "Conformity" rules, CMAQ air pollution. necessary. To be effective, eligibility appeared Lo be a But on an even broader this process must be more core issue. We need to scale, we need Lo encourage inclusive and involve all analyze how to he] p metro tht' integration of air quality levels of government, politan areas that come into planning with transporta including clean air and attainment maintain that tion planning. Historically, transportation advocacy status. It has also been they have been undertaken groups and those parties noted that from federal separately by different not always invited lo the region Lo region there needs staffs responding to differ table, such as representa to bt> more consistency in ent constituencies, with tlw tives of Trilws, and port, EPA's approach to transit. result that their strategies rail, trucking, business and We need lo work with EPA often come into needless environmental interests. Higher Priority for Freight Another reason was given for including freight interests in the transportation planning process. When a system is planned without freight interests present, the inevitable result is the ineffi cient movement of goods, with an almost total focus on the movement of people. At a time when the "just in time" delivery of freight has come lo play such a critical role in the American economy, it is clear that this inefficiency is no longer tolerable. DOT was enc·our aged to facilitate the inclusion of airports, trucking, rail and seaports in MPO and statewide planning. Also, as we move ahead toward the development of a National Transportation System (NTS), with its emphasis on international trade, it is important Lo help MPOs and states increasingly think nationally and internationally while acting regionally and locally. Funding Infrastructure Preservation The final area of concern is how to meet our needs for the repair and preservation of trans portation infrastructure. We heard from urhan and rural areas alike how seriously our system of roads and bridges has deteriorated and how badly the scheduled maintenance and rehabili tation has fallen behind. The best explanation of this problem came from the Chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee, Congressman Norman Mineta. At the roundtable session in San Jose, he told us that over the last quarter century, infrastructure spending has been cut by half as a share of total federal spending - from 6.3 percent in 1965 to 3 percent in 1992. The National Council on Public Works Improvement reported that as a percentage of the GNP, infrastructure spending by all levels of government in America has dropped from 3 percent to less than l percent in a similar period. And DOT's 1993 report titled, "The Status of the Nation's Highways, Bridges and Transit," pointed out the need to spend an additional $15.5 billion annually just to maintain roads and bridges at cun-ent condi- 25 tions. According to the CBO Study outlined by Chairman Mineta, the needs of transit and airports are serious as well. What the facts show is that we are losing ground in maintaining our basic facilities because we simply are not committing sufficient resources. How to meet national infrastructure investment needs is a question the department must continue to address in consultation and collaboration with our partners at the state and local level and the private sector. The Dedication of Transportation Professionals One of the most gratifying outcomes of these regional roundtables was the opportunity it afforded top DOT Administrators to meet with the people actu ally involved in implementing ISTEA. We were impressed with the profes sionalism and responsiveness of the FHWA and FTA Regional Administrators and other DOT field staff. We were also greatly impressed with the calibre of the state and local transportation professionals who appeared as panelists or joined in discussions. While there are clearly differences to work out, the country is well served by the quality of the people working to make a success of the ISTEA program. 26 ACT!ON PLAN "Cut red tape ... empower state and local governments ... waive rules and regulations when they conflict with results." - Vice President Al Gore, Report of the ational Performance Review. At the close of the last ISTEA round table in Denver, DOT completed phase one of this effort, which was to "listen carefully to our customers." Now that we have reviewed the recommendations made during all 10 ses sions, we are ready for phase two, which is to initiate a plan of action to respond to what we heard. Outlined here are the actions DOT intends to take, a designation of the agencies responsible for each task, and a timeline for completion: Action: 1. Increase a. Promote and support President Clinton's FY95 Budget that proposes full Investment in funding of ISTEA formula capital programs for highways and transit. Transportation b. Create a USDOT Task Force on Innovative Financing, led by the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs, FHWA and FTA. (winter 1994) c. Consult with state and local governments to advance viable innovative financing techniques. (Budget, Operating Administrations and Governmental Affairs - spring and summer 1994) Action: 2. Simplify a. Initiate field reviews in each of the federal regions to identify the prob Enhancement lems affecting the enhancement program and solutions which may sim Project plify and expedite meeting cross-cutting federal requirements. Implementation (FHWA - early summer 1994) b. Hold a national conference in Washington, D.C., on June 2-4, 1994, with federal, state, local and interest group representatives to discuss program implementation issues and to share information on solutions for simplifying the processing of enhancement projects. (FHWA) c. Revise guidelines for field staff regarding transportation enhancement projects. (FHWA September 1994) 27 3. Expand Action: Education and a. Convene a national ISTEA Training Summit, scheduled for March 16-17 Outreach 1994 in Washington, D.C., sponsored by FTA and FHWA with support from the National Transit [nstitute. Participants will include federal, state, MPO, city, county, transit officials and others involved in program implementation. The product of the Summit will be the outline of a National ISTEA "Training Agenda," which DOT will then help fund and implement. (FTA and FHWA - spring ] 994) b. Ongoing efforts lo: • Develop and conduct the following courses: "Public Participation and Transportation Planning," "ISTEA's Management Systems Requirements: A Course for Managers," "Major Investment Studies." ·'Systems Planning," "Congestion Management Systems," and "lntermodal Management Systems." • Prepare a video on ISTEA planning for MPO policy officials. • Prepare a seminar on ISTEA planning for local elected officials and senior staff for presentation at National League of Cities, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Counties and National Association of Regional Councils annual met'tings. (FHWA - summer 1994) • Prepare a catalogue of DOT supported training and outreach on transportation planning and programming. (Office of lntermodalism - autumn 1994) • Provide all training materials to the local Transportation Assistance Program Centers and identify these Centers as a resource for local officials. (FHWA - summer 1994) 4. Develop a Action: National a. Promote enactment of the National Highway System Transportation (Office of the Secretary, FHWA - 1994) System b. Designate National Transportation System Working Groups within DOT to pursue "Policy Development," "Outreach'' and '·Analysis of Data" to refine the NTS concept. (Policy, Office of lntermodalism, Governmental Affairs, Bureau of Transportation Statistics - spring to fall 1994) c. Conduct a nationwide NTS Outreach Program to consult with affected parties, solicit input, broaden understanding and mobilize support. (Office of Intermodalism and Governmental Affairs - spring to fall, 1994) 28 Action: 5. Closer Conn'Jlt' a joint rnet'ling with 1,:PA Adrninistrator Carol Brow1wr and lead Cooperation ership of national organizations wpresenting stale and local governnwnts. with EPA Discuss how cooperation, flexibility and comrnunication can be improved hel\veen EPA. DOT and our mutual custolllers (Office of the Secretary - March 1994) Action: 6. Carefully a. lssue guidance on the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program Monitor ISTEA (STI P) "approval process" and metropolitan transportation planning process ''certification:· Develop guidelines to ensure that public com ment regarding state and/or MPO planning processes and products are considered by federal agencies. (FHWA, FTA - spring to summer 1994) b. Annually provide advance notice of the funds to be available from FHWA and FTA programs for each state. Work with states to provide on a timely basis information Lo their MPOs, cities, counties, transit agencies and the public regarding the availability of ISTEA funds by category. c. Issue the "FTA Flexible Funding Handbook" as a joint FTA/FHWA publication. This will outline planning/programming procedures, program descriptions, case studies in the use of flexible funds, annual state and metropolitan area program apportionments and state obligation ceilings. (FTA - beginning January 1995) d. FHWA and FTA field offices will be encouraged to be proactive leaders working in partnership with states, MPOs and local governments on ISTEA planning and implementation. DOT guidance will be developed encouraging regional offices to assist in resolving conflicts by providing technical assistance and clarification of federal requirements. When appropriate, states and MPOs will be encouraged to use mediation ser vices to resolve conflicts. Additionally, mediation and conflict resolu tion training will be explored for FHWA/FTA field staff to better prepare them for this role. (FTA, FHWA - spring 1994) 29 7. Simplify Action: Regulations Convene an ISTF:A Regulation Review Task Force involving federal, state, and lo('al governments to ex plore how ISTEA regulations can he simplified and made "end product" oriented and less prescriptive. The task force will be a part of DOT efforts under Presidential Executive Order 12866 to review existing significant regulations Lo determine whether any should he modified or eliminated. The task force will also address appro priate roles between the federal government and its state and local part ners as well as th e original purpose of the regulations and whether the need for them still exists. In addition, the task force will determine areas where multiple purposes might be served by individual regulations. The task force assumes that the recommendations of the National Performance Review, concerning improved internal and external (outreach and public participation) procedures for the regulatory process, are being followed with respect to ISTEA regulations. Finally, the task force will address how the regulations can be laid out to make them more readable and easier to understand. 8. Improve Action: Access to Request the FTA to explore with the Department of Health and Human Health Care in Services (HHS), as part of the ongoing DOT/HHS Coordinating Council Rural Areas work plan, the issues concerned with rural health care access, including tribal needs. Identify regulatory, administrative and legislative impedi ments to the integration of health care transportation needs into existing rural and tribal transportation programs. In particular, explore impedi ments to the integration of HHS Title 19 (Medication) funds for health care transportation with FTA Section 18 funded rural public transit services, and the problems of providing health care access for the working poor who are not eligible for the Title 19 services. The Coordinating Council should document best practices in this area and, if necessary, implement a series of projects to demonstrate exemplary solutions. 30 Action: 9. Encourage Convene a "Liveablt> Communities" joint action group with HUD, state Supportive and local governments and the design and planning community Lo encour Land Use age land use policies. prac:tices and designs that discourage sprawl, con Policy centrate new development in patterns that support travel on foot, bicycle or by transit and/or which revitalize areas through people-oriented rather than auto-oriented design. In addition, incorporation of quality design and architecture into transportation systems and projec-Ls themselves should be endorsed, so that aesthetics as well as func-Lions are enhanced and the whole and its parts are well integrated with the surrounding community. The following options should be considered: a. Planning Challenge Grants; b. Implementation Incentive Grants; c. Awards for Achievement. For example, DOT plans to establish a departmental design awards program. The Secretary will give awards for well-designed and architecturally significant bridges, highways, stations, terminals and other transportation facilities; d. Funding a national seminar series by leaders in the design field; and e. FTA Station area planning, intermodal terminals, and FHWA road design standards. Action: 10. Raise Priority a. Increase awareness of the contribution that the movement of freight for Freight makes Lo the national economy and the importance of including rep resentatives of trucking, rail, air cargo, ports and shipping in the MPO planning process. Specifically: • Join with Transportation Research Board (TRB) to sponsor a national conference on interrnodal transportation which includes freight issues, to be held in New Orleans December 7-9, 1994. • Join with Puget Sound Regional Council and Washington State Depaitment of Transportation to sponsor a regional conference on the role of freight in the ISTEA planning process. • Strengthen DOT outreach and training programs which support the inclusion of freight in the ISTEA planning process at the state and local level. • Establish peer teams to provide assistance to states and MPOs on freight issues. (Office oflntermodalism, MARAD, FRA, FHWA - spring to end of 1994) b. Request that the National Commission on lntermodal Transportation examme: • The potential to broaden the eligibility of freight projects under key ISTEA programs. • Potential ways to finance freight projects of national significance. (Office of lntermodalism, MARAD, FRA, FHWA - spring 1995) 31 11. Simplify Action: Transit a. Df'('entralizf' de('isionmaking and simplify the FTA grant apprO\'al Approval proc-ess wlwnever possiblt'. This involn's t'mpowf-'ring regional adminis Procedures trators with more of the dec-isionmaking jH)Wt'r that ('Urrently rf-'quires DOT lwadquartns action. (FT/\ - September 1994) h. A pilot project involving major grantees lo in('lude electronil" filing of grant requests and monitoring of grants hy E-Mail in c-onju11dio11 with FTA's l"Urrenl ~>Mail svstt'm. (FTA - September 1994) l'. Change to a more flexible, continuous grant release procf'ss under the current quarterly grant approval cycle. allowing funds to he released as soon as grants are approved. (FTA - September 1994) cl. Explore ways to amend the current federal acquisition and asset man agement requirements to apply at a higher spending level in the transit art'a. (FTA - Novt>mbt>r 1994) e. Explort' with FHWA how to improve the rdease of funds transferred for projects expected to receive FTA approval. Identify and eliminate impediments to FTA implementation of STP and CMAQ transfers. (FTA - August 1994) f. Include wording that explains am! clarifit>s the soft match provision (toll revenue financing) in the next FTA Federal Register announcement of apportionments. (FTA - November 1994) 12. Review Action: Congestion Convene a CMAQ eligibility DOT and EPA review team, and seek input Mitigation/ Air from state transportation and air quality agencies as well as cities and Quality counties to explore solutions that would allow areas redesignated as attain Improvement ment areas to be eligible for some form of continuing funding assistance. a. Review whether changes in law would be required and desirable or whether resources from other federal sources such as ISTEA hold harmless funds or STP funds could solve the problem. b. Review whether local agencies should rely on federal funds to con tinue during the long-term period of maintenance, or whether main tenance would have to be funded from state or local resources. 32 (FHWA, Policy, Office of the Secretary - fall 1994) Action: 13. Clarify Fiscal FHWA and FTA will expedite current efforts to develop joint guidance for field Constraint staff to the field offices on fiscal constraint procedures and requirements. As Guidelines part of these efforts, FHWA and FTA will clarify that the joint planning regula tions encourage the use of innovative financing for projects. (FHWA and FTA - fall 1994) Action: 14. Include Tribes a. Send a joint letter with Interior Secretary Babbitt to each Governor out in the ISTEA lining the importance of including the Depaitment of Interior and its Process agencies, such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs, in the ISTEA process. (DOT, Department of Interior - March 1994) b. Request FHWA, FTA and BIA to convene a meeting with representa tives of Tribes, representatives of both Secretaries, NGA, AASHTO, NA Co and NARC to discuss how the involvement of Tribes in the ISTEA process can be improved. (FHWA, FTA, Governmental Affairs - summer 1994) c. Request the FHWA, FTA and BIA to develop clear guidelines for their regional and state-level offices, which in turn can be conveyed to states, MPOs and Tribes to make clear that Tribes are to be directly included in the ISTEA planning process and especially in programming funds from the Federal-aid Highway Program. (FHWA, FTA - fall 1994) Action: 15. Improve Convene an Environmental Review Team including DOT, EPA, representa Environmental tives of states and local governments and national environmental organiza Review tions. Find ways to reduce procedural delays and duplication without Process adversely affecting the quality of information developed. Specifically con sider how environmental reviews required by federal and state law can be done concurrently. (Office of the Secretary and all operating administrations - winter 1994) 33 REGION I HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT NOVEMBER 5 , 1993 Region 1 includes Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont. The meeting was chaired by DOT Deputy Secretary Mortimer Downey and included Deputy FHWA Administrator Jane Garvey, Deputy FTA Administrator Grace Crunican, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Governnwntal Affairs John Horsley, and representatives from th e Environmental Protection AgenC'y. Also attending were staff from DOT's Federal Railroad and Maritime administrations. Over 140 people were in allendance and many expressed their appreciation to Secretary Pena for initiating these important discussions. There was great diversity between the states represented in Region 1 concerning the role of stale DOTs, the composition and effectiveness of MPOs and tl1e working relationships between states, cities, counties and rural areas. Full Funding of iSTEA C'omplex regulations. "It is critical that we get envi ronmental and transportation agencies at the state, A central point of discussion throughout the day regional and federal levels to sit at the same table to was the need to fullyfund ISTEA. Many participants improve communications and coordination,'· said Bob noted that in order to maintain existing infrastruc Varney, the Environmental Commissioner for the ture, as well as fund new projects for rural and urban State of New Hampshire. communities, the Congress must fund ISTEA al the amount authorized in the legislation. While partici pants recognized the importance of reducing the Planning deficit, they also recognized the economic benefits, Several participants slated their belief that trans such as the creation of jobs, associated with the full portation planning in New England has been too nar funding of ISTEA. Marlene Connor, Administrator of rowly focused on specific projects and called for a the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority in Springfield, more integrated approach to land use planning utiliz Massachsetts, said, "We have over 250 vehicles. The ing intermodal freight and passenger facilities. As average bus is over 14 years old. How can we get Steve Boudreau, member of a Massachusetts MPO cars off the road and how can we address the Clean said, "What we want and need - and what ISTEA Air Act? Without federal funding ... I can't do my calls for - is a strong and mutually supportive multi job." jurisdictional planning partnership and decisionmak ing process capable of delivering the best possible system. This type of partnership will greatly benefit Clean Air our cities, towns, economy and quality of life." Several state and local officials, while noting the Anne Aylward, former director of Massport, value of the Clean Air Act Amendments, also reminded the attendees that the bulk of domestic as described some problem areas. Tom Maziarz, Clean well as international trade moves through ports, yet Air Specialist for the Greater Hartford COG said, port accessibility is often not included in the plan "The impact of ISTEA and the Clean Air Act on us in nmg process. the past year has been dramatic. We need technical David Carol of Amtrak noted that Congress specif assistance. The state has been helpful but that is not ically excluded passenger rail funding from ISTEA. enough." Several participants stated that given the "Yet passenger rail is energy efficient and environ complexity of the regulations, EPA needed to provide mentally benign," he said. "We have become the better technical assistance so that local governments mode of choice between New York and Washington ' can efficiently and effectively implement new and with some 40 percent of travelers riding Amtrak." 34 Simplify the Process Another area of agreement between state and local officials was a call Lo simplify th e ISTEA approval process, especially for smaller enhance ment projects. Connecticut's DOT Commissioner Emil Frankel asked if there was a possibility that state DOTs could act as a conduit on local enhancements projects. "The Connecticut DOT spends a tremendous amount of time and money on the approval process - about as much money as there is to hand out," he said. In addition, Sally Spadaro, a citizen activist from Pawtucket, Rhode Island stated that the application and approval process for transit grants left transit projects at a disadvantage. "The cost benefit analysis required of transit projects is not required of highway projects. This greatly inhibits the flexing of funding." Panelists Steven C. Boudreau, President, Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies Michael Meotti, State Senator, Glastonbury, Connecticut Lloyd Robinson, Deputy Secretary, Vermont Department of Transportation Richard Goodman, Member, Hartford Council of Governments, Transportation Committee Emil Frankel, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation Connie Garber, Transportation Director, York County Community Action Corp., Sanford, Maine Robert Varney, Commissioner of Environmental Services, Concord, New Hampshire Ann Aylward, Former Director, Massport, Boston, Massachusetts David Carol, Director, Northeast Corridor Improvement Program, AMTRAK, Old Saybrook, Connecticut Marlene Connor, Administrator, Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, Springfield, Massachusetts Tom Maziarz, Principal Planner, Capitol Region Council of Governments, Hartford, Connecticut Sally Spadaro, Citizen Activist, Pawtucket, Rhode Island REGION 2 NEW YORK, NEW YORK NOVEMBER 17, 1993 Region 2 includes the slates of Lt. Governor Lundine addressed riders, which translates into 6,000 New York and ew Jersey. The th e attendees and challenged subway cars, 4,000 buses, two meeting was held at th e World everyone to think globally as he large commuter railroads, and Trade Center, chaired by Deputy noted that the United States 800,000 passenger cars each day Secretary Mortimer Downey and spends only 2 percent of its gross traveling in and around ew York included Federal Transit domestic product on infrastructure, City." In addition to the commut Administrator Gordon Linton and whereas Japan and Germany both ing population, Richard Roberts, Deputy Federal Highway exceed 7 percent annually. Chief of Transportation Planning Administrator Jane Garvey. Also The New York metropolitan area and Policy for the Port Authority of attending were staff from DOT's faces unique transportation chal New York and New Jersey noted Federal Railroad and Maritime lenges. In order to understand the that, "This is a major intermodal administrations and the Bureau of magnitude of these challenges, area with ports, trucking terminals, Transportation Statistics. Lt. Peter Stangl, Chairman and CEO rail yards and three major commer Governor Stanley Lundine provid of the Metropolitan Transportation cial airports. Although thi s creates ed welcoming remarks and com Authority (MTA) described the size many opportunities, it also creates mented on the State of New York's and capacity of the MTA fleet. many problems such as a decaying transportation concerns. "There are six million daily transit infrastructure and an aging fleet." Full Funding of ISTEA Flexibility Many participants urged the Department of There were strong and differing opinions on how Transportation to support full funding of ISTEA. ISTEA was working to date. Janette Sadik-Khan, former Director of the Mayor's Robert Korba, Director of Public Works for Tioga Office of Transportation for the City of New York, said, County, New York said, "Numerous counties have com "The lack of full funding is compounded by the fact plained they are not privy to the selection process that that cities have had to absorb the cost of new federal New York DOT utilizes. We believe ISTEA was intended mandates such as the Clean Air Act and the to involve local governments, not exclude them. In addi Americans with Disabilities Act." Commissioner John tion, we believe the absence of an MPO will cost rural Egan, New York State DOT, added, ''The federal share counties money." of transportation funding in New York decreased There also appeared to be a significant difference of almost 15 percent within the last year. [Therefore, in opinion over the amount of resources being flexed from order to finance transportation projects] the State of highway projects to transit projects. Representatives of New York recently had to pass a $21 billion trans the MTA complained that the level of transit funding is portation financing package for the state's highways insufficient, noting that the only way they believed suffi and transit programs." cient federal funds would be made available was through As Lou Riccio, former Commissioner of New York direct funding from DOT to local transit operators. New City's DOT commented, "Because ISTEA has not been York State DOT Commissioner John Egan disagreed and fully funded, more people are just grabbing at small pointed out that one third of all federal funds flexed to pieces of the funding pie. There is a crisis in New transit throughout the country occurred in New York State. York. There are not enough dollars to maintain the New Jersey's former DOT Commissioner Thomas Downs bridges and roads that support the entire metropolitan held a similar opinion, noting that, "New Jersey has been area." steadily transferring funds from highways to transit, which 36 benefits the whole region." lntermodal and Freight Needs Commissioner Egan had five specific suggestions The importance of ISTEA funding for freight move for DOT as to how flexible funding mechanisms might ment was a focal point of discussion. Richard Roberts, be improved: Chief of Policy and Planning for the New York and 1) Transferring funding for transit use should not be New Jersey Port Authority, made three key points in made mandatory; thi s regard. First, he believes that because of the 2) Obligation authority should not be allocated to growing importance of international trade, major port individual programs; infrastructure projects of national significance should 3) A cooperative process such as the one proposed be identified. Second, federal dollars available to fund in the FHWA/FTA Guidance should be adopted; intermodal and freight facilities should be increased 4) FHWA/FTA program administrative procedures and expanded to include rail freight. Third, he should be reviewed and improved; and believes that ports and freight businesses should be 5) Federal highway and transit laws should be partners with MPOs in both the planning and project amended to allow for advance funding of trans selection process at the local level. Several speakers ferred monies. suggested that a separate category of funding be creat ed within ISTEA to fund freight-related projects. smrQEI 8B31EIE Ea B:3 IE I I I .. la 8:1 cu '' \ I I I 11 a, EB I I I I \ ' . ' ' Panelists Peter Stangl, Chairman and CEO, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York Raymond R. Ruggieri, Director, New York Metropolitan Transportation Council Chester Mattson, Director of Planning and Economic Development, Bergen County, New Jersey Norman Schneider, New York State Department of Transportation Janette Sadik-Khan, former Director, Mayor's Office of Transportation, New York City Thomas Downs, former Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Transpo1tation Lucius J. Riccio, former Commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation Edward Plotkin, Commissioner of Public Works, Westchester County, New York Robert Korba, Commissioner of Public Works, Tioga County, New York Shirley Dilibero, Executive Director, New Jersey Transit Richard Roberts, Chief, Transportation Planning and Policy, Interstate Transportation, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey James Tripp, Chairman, Tri-State Transportation Campaign Joel Weiner, Executive Director, North Jersey Transportation Coordinating Council REGION 3 PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA NOVEMBER 18, 1993 Region 3 includes Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, West Virginia and Delaware. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Secretary Mortimer Downey and included Federal Transit Administrator Gordon Linton, Federal Highway Administrator Rodney Slater, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for GoYernment Affairs John Horsley. The meeting was hosted by Mayor Edward Rendell, City of Philadelphia and James Hagen, President, Consolidated Rail Corporation. Full Funding of ISTEA Deadlines Many panelists as well as meeting participants "I would hope that there would be some flexibility expressed the feeling that the success of ISTEA would in terms of meeting deadlines (under ISTEA and the be significantly enhanced if the Congress fully funded Clean Air Act). I would rather do a job right and gel ISTEA to its authorized levels. As Howard Yerusalim, the kind of public participation that is vital to the suc Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation cess of what we are trying to do, than try to rush and and president of American Association of State not get adequate public participation, " said Secretary Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) noted, Anne Canby, Delaware Department of Transportation. "ISTEA is very important to the future of our transporta Washington, D.C. Councilman James Nathanson, tion system and the future of our economy... I am dis Chairman of the National Capitol Regional appointed that Congress has not fully funded ISTEA ... Transportation Planning Board noted, "The deadlines Without full funding, we will not realize the full benefits prevent us from going through the appropriate public of ISTEA." Bill Millar, Executive Director of the Port and discussive process that we must do if this process Authority of Allegheny County commented, "Although is to be as open-ended as I see the legislation and reg public transportation is receiving increased funding lev ulations directing." With respect to how the deadlines els in FY94, after more than a decade of decline, the are affecting MPOs, Robert Kochanowski, Executive simple fact is that this is the bare minimum needed for Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional transportation providers to do their job." Planning Commission stated, "Have patience ...You can not be too harsh with your deadlines .. .It is criti Public Participation cal that the Federal Government give us guidance and DOT was urged to recognize the need for a more resolve but it should not be done in a way that is going focused effort to involve the public in the transportation to kill the MPO's that are going to deliver the kinds of planning and implementation process. Paiticipants in programs envisioned under ISTEA. You must be sup the afternoon breakout sessions summarized their dis portive of MPO's and encourage them, give them cussions in writing noting, ''The transportation deci patience, but at the same time, help them through this sionmaking process is becoming more and more tied to very difficult process." decisions affecting the environment, land use, social concerns and the economy. The public, especially the Research and Data Collection minority community, needs to be more actively Bill Millar, (Port Authority, Allegheny County) involved throughout the planning process." Al reminded U.S. DOT that, "ISTEA directed 3 percent Eisenberg, Member of the Arlington County, Virginia, of the overall transit program go to planning and Board of Supervisors concluded, "Public participation research. Making good on this commitment will has yet to be particularly effective and we have a lot of enable transit providers to develop more efficient work to be done in this regard." methods and will assist the domestic supply industry in developing better and cleaner products." In addi Pennsylvania's current situation, "We have estimated tion, Bruce Smith of the Environmental Protection that Pennsylvania would need to spend approximately Agency suggested that collecting data which showed $250 million each year to address restoration require projects in terms of benefits such as vehicle reduc ments ... Simply stated, our preservation needs are tions, would be beneficial. Anne Canby (Delaware great and do impact on flexibility funding decisions DOT) remarked, "We are no longer only in the trans relating to the HS and Surface Transportation portation business. We are in the behavioral sciences Program (STP) funds." business. Research from all areas helps support the change in mindset that ISTEA calls for." Enhancements Several panelists noted and participants in break Preservation and Prioritization out groups agreed that environmental regulations are of Funds too cumbersome when applied to small ISTEA pro Commissioner Andrew Warren, Bucks County, jects. Consideration should be given to streamlining Pennsylvania provided the following insight into the these regulations so good small projects can be prioritization of funding: "Either at the state or federal implemented. It was felt that Congress should con level, a prioritization process needs to be designed so sider technical amendments to ISTEA which either that the first priority for funding should go to existing have the impact of exempting small projects from the transportation upgrades - or when it comes down to normal environmental oversight process or flexing bike path versus tum lane, the decision should be the regulations to accommodate the implementation based on where the benefit for the largest number of of small projects that have negligible environmental people lies." Secretary Yerusalim expanded on impact. PANELISTS William Millar, Executive Director, Port Authority of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Sara Nichols, Attorney, Clean Air Council, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania John Coscia, Executive Director, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Gery M. Williams, Vice President State and Local Affairs, Consolidated Rail Anthony Hardy Williams, Representative, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Anne P. Canby, Secretary, Delaware Department of Transportation Robert Kochanowski, Executive Director, Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Planning Commission James Nathanson, Councilman, District of Columbia and Chair, National Capitol Regional Transportation Planning Board Albert Eisenberg, Member, Arlington County, Virginia Board of Supervisors Eric Shnurer, Chief of Staff for Lt. Governor Mark Singel, Pennsylvania Howard Yerusalim, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Andrew Warren, Commissioner, Bucks County, Pennsylvania Frank Mascara, Commissioner, Washington County, Pennsylvania REGION 4 LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY NOVEMBER 16, 1993 Region 4 includes the stales of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Mississippi. The meeting was chaired by Associate Deputy Secretary Midiael Huerta and included Deputy FTA Administrator Grace Crunican, Deputy FHWA Administrator Jane Garvey and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs John Horsley. The meeting was hosted by Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson with approximately ] 50 participants. Attendees strongly supported lSTEA and pointed to the need for it to continue. Major topics of discussion during the Region 4 meeting focused on the following issues: Full funding of ISTEA; the possibility of direct funding to local governments or MPOs; DOT's possible role as facilitator in con flict resolution between MPOs and state DOTs; greater emphasis on multi-modal needs; better balance between clean air and transportation needs, including incentives for remaining in attainment; transit priorities, and dis tinction between rural and urbanized areas. Full Funding ships that have existed between our Ohio Department While ISTEA was lauded for improving cooperation of Transportation, our county, our city, the MPO and and increasing hope at the local level, Richard the transit authority." Simonetta, General Manager for the Central Ohio Transit Authority, summed up concerns regarding Focus on lntermodalism funding needs: "Without adequate funding levels, and ISTEA was recognized for promoting inlermodal easier access to intermodal funds, the restored hope ism. Concern was expressed, however, that there was [which ISTEA created] will quickly fade away." This not enough emphasis on intermodal planning. Ben comment reflected the overwhelming feeling in the Watts, Secretary of the Florida Department of region that funds are the most critical element to the Transportation, focused his remarks on intermodalism: success of ISTEA. "If we truly are after the seamless transportation sys tem that ISTEA said we must have in America, then Jurisdictional Concerns we must recognize the very key focus of that is the Perhaps the most consistent request was the need transfer points where it all happens." for DOT to take a stronger role in mediating between Other speakers stressed the need for a National local MPOs and state DOTs. Many participants voiced Transportation System that would encourage all forms strong concerns about the lack of communication from of transpo1tation - from walking and bicycling to the State DOT to the MPOs and problems with having autos, trains and planes. "Our nation would be better local Transportation Improvement Plans (TIPs) and the served," said Simonetta, "if we had a national trans MPO priorities accepted by the state. As Mayor portation system map that focused on all modes and Abramson noted, "When it gets down to programming, really began to promote the spirit of ISTEA .... " it is still done, for the most pa1t, in state capitols." A Audience participant John Wright added, "The new specific recommendation presented by a number of freedom we should be talking about - the freedom of people included having a separate allocation of funds accessibility - is the right to go where you want to or which would go directly to MPOs. This funding could need to if you do not have an automobile." be based on a formula using population, road mileage or other data as a base for distribution. It must also be Clean Air noted that while this was a concern of many local par Several participants expressed concern over EPA's ticipants, Simonetta expressed the opposite, saying, clean air requirements and enforcement regulations. "ISTEA has actually legitimized cooperative relation- Many speakers urged DOT to work with EPA for a bet- EPA requirements may prevent or Funding for Transit at least discourage communities Along with the need for full from providing mass transportation funding, support was expressed for within the central city. greater funding for mass transit. In particular, a concern was raised that Rural Needs there are not enough basic operat Another theme at the round ing funds for mass transit. An table was the need to distinguish example was given that transit between urbanized and rural areas. prices have had to increase, while Speakers from rural areas told us gasoline and parking fees have they do not have a strong voice decreased, thus encouraging more since they are not represented single occupancy use of cars. In through MPOs. Some participants addition to the general desire for expressed a belief that rural areas transit funding, it was fu1ther noted ter understanding of transportation were better off in terms of funding that transit overall needs to receive and community needs. It was and project selection prior to the greater attention. Urban mass tran pointed out by Brian Smith, enactment of !STEA. Under sit is often bypassed in favor of road Planning Director of Pinellas ISTEA the states have total discre improvements. Thus, often times, County, Florida, "That areas which tion about where to expend funds planning for transit takes a back achieve clean air attainment status and what projects to select. seat. "We are now being given lose their eligibility for CMAQ Several participants noted that three years," Alderman Barbara funds as a consequence, so that rural areas need a greater voice Gregg of Louisville testified, "to there is an incentive to stay pollut with a separate set of rules from overcome 50 years of neglect of our ed to keep the dollars coming in." urbanized Transportation transit system. It's an understate Several participants observed that Management Areas (TMAs). ment to say 'that's not realistic' ... ." Panelists Jerry Abramson, Mayor, Louisville, Kentucky Ben Watts, Secretary, Florida Department of Transportation Brian Smith, Planning Director, Pinellas County, Florida Michael Hightower, Commissioner, Fulton County, Georgia Andrew Jenkins, Director of Public Works and County Road Manager, Hinds County, Mississippi Frank Danchetz, State Highway Engineer, Georgia Department of Transportation Barbara Gregg, Alderwoman, Louisville, Kentucky Robert Jilla, Manager, Public Transpo1tation, Bureau of Multi-Modal Transpo1tation, Alabama Department of Transportation Richard Simonetta, General Manager, Central Ohio Transit Authority Meme Sweets Runyon, Executive Director, Riverfields, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky Jim Duane, Executive Director, Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana Regional Council of Governments Calvin Grayson, Director, Kentucky Transportation Center, Lexington, Kentucky Bill Usher, President, Usher Transport Company, Paducah, Kentucky REGION 5 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS NOVEMBER 8, 1993 Region 5 includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. The meeting was chaired by Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy Frank Kruesi and included Federal Transit Administrator Gordon Linton, Federal Highway Region 5 Administrator Herbert Teets, and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Dick Suisman. Also representing DOT were staff from the Federal Railroad and Maritime administrations and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The meeting was opened by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley who set the tone with some pointed remarks about how central cities fare under ISTEA bridge and highway programs. Jurisdictional Funding Issues population does reside in Chicago, but what if we allo The greatest amount of discussion centered around cated money by population? Eighty six percent of the the relationships of central cities and counties to states population of Illinois lives in municipalities. and MPOs. Mayor Daley believes that his city does not Municipalities have only 18 percent of the roads and receive a fair distribution of ISTEA allocations. "Under six percent of the bridges in the state. There would be ISTEA, the state controls most of the road and bridge no way to get from one town to another with only 14 dollars and Chicago is not getting its fair share," he said. percent of funding. It's not just a central city issue, a Mayor Daley stated that the city contains 24 percent of suburban issue, a state issue. It's all of them working the state's population but only receives 11 percent of together." ISTEA funds. Given its infrastructure needs, the City of With regard to MPO representation, Jack Williams, Chicago requires a more equitable share of funds, Mayor of Franklin Park, Illinois, and Chairman of the according to the Mayor. He recommended that more Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) Council of funds be made available directly to central cities. Mayors countered, "We heard that the City of Chicago In a separate vein, it was noted that county govern represents 38 percent of the population and has one ments need to be included in the planning and funding vote, we represent 264 municipalities in the six county process. Larry Kenny, a supervisor for Milwaukee area or 62 percent of the population and also have one County, Wisconsin, argued for a more direct funding vote. I think the MPO process works." relationship between the federal government and coun Other states had different views. Mayor Pro-tern ties. Anita Ashford of Port Huron, Michigan talked about the cooperative relationship that her MPO has devel MPO Representation oped with all sectors of government. Fred P'Pool, Mayor Daley recommended that central cities be Commissioner of Indiana DOT, remarked that, given equal voting representation on MPOs. He stated "Indiana is also committed to sharing the responsibili that Chicago contains 38 percent of the people repre ty for identifying and selecting transportation projects. sented by the MPO but only has one out of 20 votes on We are developing planning and programming process the MPO Policy Committee. "That is not fair and it es in both urbanized and non-urbanized areas that will has to change," he said. "Our representation on the rely heavily on good data and participation of local board should reflect our relative population or econom officials and interest groups in all facets of project ic importance." selection and development." Kirk Brown, Secretary, Illinois Department of Transportation, countered Mayor Daley's comments. Full Funding Brown responded that outside the cities of Illinois As with all of the regional roundtable meetings, full there are 100,000 miles of roads and 110,000 bridges. funding of ISTEA was a major concern in Chicago. He went on to state that, "Twenty four percent of the Michael Bolton, Executive Director, Ann Arbor Transit Authority said, "We're arguing over a small pie. Someone better figure out how lo hake a bigger one, because if we don't, all of what we do is going to be in va111.. " Simplify the Process DOT was called on to make the grants and project approval process more customer friendly. Dave Schulz, seeks to include people interested in alternative forms of Director of the Infrastructure Technology Institute at transportation such as trails advocates, bicyclists, walk Northwestern University said, "The federal government ers, and the transit-dependent. In doing so, ISTEA ought lo be looking to work with its slate and local part seeks to expand the transportation vision from merely ners to look for ways to reduce the backlog. Spending serving growth to serving communities, the environment money quickly ought to be a priority." and improving the quality of life." Public Participation Clean Air Conformity The need for cooperation between all sectors of soci DOT officials were told that metropolitan areas, ety in transpmtation planning and implementation under specifically the Chicago Metropolitan area, need help ISTEA is an issue that was discussed at length. Jacky and greater flexibility from the federal government if they Grimshaw from the Center for Neighborhood Technology are to comply with the Clean Air Act. Andrew Plummer, said, "Public paiticipation means more than holding a Deputy Director of the Chicago Area Transpmtation public hearing at the end of a process. ISTEA requires Study (CATS), said, "We ai·e now dealing day to day with that states and MPOs must involve all the agencies EPA ... and the flexibility that I think is in ISTEA, and responsible for transportation in the process and more. It asks that the process for planning and project selec was intended in the language does not appear to be com tion be opened up to the public and include people from ing from them." He added, "We need some support for the business, environmental, low income, elderly, and implementing the new, the best, and the most useful minority communities and those with disabilities. It tools as we try to make some of these decisions." Panelists Jack Willi~ms, Mayor, Franklin Park, Illinois Kirk Brown, Secretary, Illinois Department of Transportation Anita Ashford, Mayor Pro Tern, Port Huron, Michigan Fred P'Pool, Secretary, Indiana Department of Transportation Jeff Boyle, Commissioner, City of Chicago Transportation Department, Illinois Larry Kenney, County Supervisor, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin and Vice Chair, National Association of Counties Transportation Committee Ronald Young, Road Commissioner, Alcoma County, Michigan Brian Sweeney, Director of Government Affairs, Burlington Northern Railroad Jacky Grimshaw, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chicago, Illinois Andrew Plummer, Deputy Director, Chicago Area Transportation Study David Schulz, Director, Infrastructure Technology Institute, Northwestern University Michael Bolton, Executive Director, Ann Arbor Transit Authority REGION 6 TULSA, OKLAHOMA DECEMBER 13, 1993 Region 6 includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Secretary Mortimer Downey and included FHWA Deputy Administrator Jane Garvey, FTA Deputy Administrator Grace Crunican and Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs Steve Palmer. The meeting was hosted by Tulsa Mayor Susan Savage. Approximately 250 people allended with diverse rep resentation from each of the states in the region. There was general agreement that overall, ISTEA is working well in this region. The participants seemed appreciative of the opportunity to address their successes and suggested adjustments. Full Funding conformity does is make me hire someone else to do a It was clear that, as in the other roundtable meet lot of paperwork that we don't need to do because we ings, the number one issue on everyone's mind was full are going lo do everything we can to stay in attainment." funding of ISTEA. Jim McKenzie, Executive Director of Metroplan in Little Rock, Arkansas, said of ISTEA, Rural Needs "There is simply not enough porridge in the pot." County Commissioner Ray Luchini from Dona Ana County, New Mexico, spoke extensively about the Transportation and Air Quality unmet needs of rural areas under ISTEA. He called This is the single issue that seemed to receive the for direct funding lo rural counties to offset that need. most attention and discussion. Michael Morris, Director Oklahoma County Commissioner Shirley Darrell of Transportation for the North Central Texas Council of reminded us that particularly in rural areas, it is very Governments and others spoke about efforts to meet the difficult to get people out of their cars. Road and goals of the Clean Air Act. "The Clean Air Act for non bridge construction is just as, if not more, important attainment areas is often more critical than ISTEA in than transit projects in rural areas. "We have a gener our ability to conduct our business," he said. ation, and maybe a generation and a half, that have Many comments were made that centered on greater never been on a train, never seen a passenger train, flexibility and cooperation on the part of EPA and and many of them have never ridden a public bus," DOT. Dallas Councilmember Donna Halstead said, she said. With regard to rural transit, Keith Jones, "The City of Dallas urges that reductions in emissions Executive Director of the Arkansas Transit resulting from the use of ISTEA funds be eligible for Association, said, "Particularly in the rural areas, the credit against Clean Air Act requirements. The city Rural Technical Assistance Program (RTAP) is some further urges DOT to request EPA to review and thing that helps small operators develop their exper reverse its current position refusing such credit." tise. It doesn't provide the local match for real pro Lacey Glascock, Deputy Secretary of the Louisiana jects, but at least it gets them more capable." DOT, said, "It is extremely difficult to do effective and meaningful planning at the state level while requiring Simplify the Process - something so unacceptable to the local government Participants called upon the federal government to and the general public as well." simplify its approval processes to make the complex Jerry Lasker, Executive Director of the Indian project approval process easier. Jack Crowley, Nations Council of Governments (INCOG) in Tulsa, Director of the Oklahoma DOT said, "We have an added, "What everyone is after is to reduce emissions, obsession with the process, and as a result, plans will create a more healthy environment, and help economic use all of the money and we will have nothing left to development. We need help from the federal govern implement." Dan Flowers from Arkansas DOT said, ment in recognizing that an ounce of prevention is worth "In order to develop a transpo1tation enhancement pro more than a pound of cure." He went on to say, "All ject, you have to go through the same process, jump through the same hoops as you do in Oklahoma is to become self-suf MPOs to come up with the appro to build a major bridge or highway. ficient, and the more the BIA and priate prioritization [of funding] to This has caused significant prob other federal agencies are willing take care of these needs is a bit of lems for local governments." to let go, the more the Tribes are a Texas stretch." able to do for themselves, especial Native American ly with the self-governance tribes." Freight Concerns Mike McLaughlin from J. B. Dreadful water from the North American Burlington Northern Railroad Cherokee Nation and the Free Trade spoke of the need to consider the Oklahoma Tribal Transportation Agreement CNAFTA> movement of freight under ISTEA. Council welcomed DOT to "Indian "Historically, railroads have not The impact of increased trade Country," and spoke of tribal trans had a seat at the table in trans on transportation systems resulting portation needs and the relation portation planning issues since we from the NAFTA was an issue of ship between the Tribes, the privately own, maintain, operate Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the discussion. Bob Cuellar from the and pay taxes on our transportation Federal Highway Administration. Texas DOT said, "All of these infrastructure. We have seen sig "The Tribes in Oklahoma are states are going to have increased nificant changes toward railroads appreciative of the work the BIA demands on our transportation sys in recent years, particularly since has done on their behalf," he said. tems as a result of NAITA. the enactment of ISTEA. And that "However,-~ the goal of most Tribes Asking each of these states and is good change." -- - ~ - ~-6_-_____.:: Panelists Sidney Barthelemy, Mayor, New Orleans, Louisiana John Crowley, Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation Jim McKenzie, Executive Director, Metroplan, Little Rock, Arkansas Lacey Glascock, Deputy Secretary, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Donna Halstead, Councilmember, City of Dallas, Texas Robert Cuellar, Deputy Executive Director, Transportation Planning and Development, Texas Department of Transportation Shirley Darrell, County Commissioner, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Ray Luchini, County Commissioner, Dona Ana County, New Mexico Keith Jones, President, Arkansas Transit Association and Executive Director, Central Arkansas Transit Authority Michael Morris, Transportation Director, North Central Texas Council of Governments Keith Franklin, Vice Chair, Transportation Policy Committee, Tulsa Metropolitan Area Transportation Study J. B. Dreadfulwater, Cherokee Nation, Secretary, Oklahoma Tribal Transportation Council Mike McLaughlin, Terminal Superintendent, Burlington Northern Railroad REGION 7 KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI NOVEMBER 9, 1993 Region 7 includes Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and ebraska. The meeting was chaired by Associate Deputy Secretary Michael Huerta and included FTA Administrator Gordon Linton, FHWA Deputy Administrator Jane Garvey, and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Dick Suisman. Region VII includes several large metropolitan areas, although the majority of slates in the region are predom inately rural in nature. The meeting, therefore, provided an opportunity to learn about areas such as Platte County, Missouri which represents a diverse population - 50 percent of the county is rural and 50 percent is within the Kansas City limits. Rural Concerns Missouri explained, "Two months after ISTEA was Speakers throughout the meeting expressed concern enacted, the State of Missouri made a commitment to a over the transportation needs of rural communities. 15 year highway program which essentially emasculat Dave Snider of the Missouri State Highway and ed our planning process." Because of this large fund Transportation Department, discussed the situation: ing commitment, it is difficult for the St. Louis area to "We are continually thrown into the generic aspect of plan for any other transportation projects. what happens in our eastern and far western states. We are midwestern. We are rural in nature, except for Deferred Maintenance specific metropolitan areas. Our states thrive on the The need to address deferred maintenance and ability to move goods and people across our nation." preservation of existing infrastructure in both rural and Commissioner Dudley Feuerborn of Anderson County, urban communities was a theme repeated throughout Kansas, noted that one of the limiting factors for rural the day. "There is lots of deferred maintenance out communities is the inability to generate the 20 percent there in terms of highways, bridges, and roads. We are local match needed to receive ISTEA funding. just playing catch-up and fixing what is broken before we get down to planning new facilities, whether they Full Funding of ISTEA are highways or transit projects," said Councilman "We need to find more money if we are going to Cofran, (Kansas City). Gunter (Kansas City) reiterated meet the needs," said Gurnie Gunter, City Engineer the need for additional funding for maintenance: "We for Kansas City, Missouri. Several speakers noted that are on a descending curve as far as being able to take the "needs," especially with regard to maintaining care of our infrastructure - and we need all the help existing infrastructure, notably bridges, are significant we can get. The federal money we receive has very lit in the Midwest. Allan Abbott, Director, Nebraska tle impact on that curve. Big city infrastructure needs Department of Roads, stated, "ISTEA is great. It a lot of help." allowed states to have a great deal of flexibility to spend money the way it should be spent. It gave peo Enhancement Funding ple opportunities to plan and provide for needed trans Several participants noted that enhancement portation facilities. What it did not do was give the monies had yet to be spent in several States. While financial backing to do what was promised." Kansas has used enhancement monies, Missouri has refused to program any enhancement funds until Planning Issues ISTEA is fully funded. Concern was raised by several members of the Kansas City MPO over the lack of a bonafide planning Flexible Funding Provisions process. As Les Sterman, Executive Director, Missouri's ability to flex fund transit projects has East/West Gateway Coordinating Council, St. Louis, been hindered, according to Councilman Cofran by the "backlog of deferred maintenance Education of highways and bridges. We have Members of a matching fund problem in the Kansas City Missouri. Under state law, gas tax MPO believe that proceeds, which are the principal elected officials matching monies, can only be and those in spent on highways and bridges. charge of imple They cannot be spent on transit." In addition, Richard Davis, menting ISTEA General Manager of the Kansas must be educated as to the working City Area Transit Authority, noted slate legislators. "They need to that transit operating assistance processes of ISTEA. Platte County understand what ISTEA is and must be increased. Commissioner Carol Tomb stated, what you can do with it," he said. "ISTEA was passed and everyone Planning Boundaries started in kindergarten. The peo Freight ISTEA currently states that for ple who were supposed to adminis Several participants mentioned nonattainment areas the planning ter, the people who were doing the the importance of freight and goods boundary should be the same as training, the people who were writ movement to the economy of the mid-west and the country as a the air quality boundary. In order ing the regulations on every level whole. Ed Mulcahy, representing to avoid confusion during the - including the people who were the Kansas City Chamber of establishment of a planning area benefitting from the funding - no Commerce, stated, "It boils down Councilman Cofran suggested one had been educated on ISTEA." to jobs. The utilization of inland ISTEA be amended to include David Eagleton, Missouri ports and intermodal facilities maintenance areas as well as Transportation Alliance, added that would increase national mobility nonattainment areas. educational efforts must extend to and competitiveness." Panelists Marvin Ensworth, Mayor, Lee's Summit, Missouri Dan Cofran, Councilmember, Kansas City, Missouri Carol Tomb, Presiding Commissioner, Platte County, Missouri Dave Snider, Chief Planner, Missouri Highway and Transportation Department Gurnie Gunter, City Engineer, Kansas City, Missouri Dudley Feuerborn, Commissioner, Anderson County, Kansas Allan Abbott, Director/State Engineer, Nebraska Department of Roads Les Sterman, Executive Director, East West Coordinating Council, St. Louis, Missouri Richard Davis, General Manager, Kansas City Transit Authority Ed Mulcahy, Chairman, Surface Transportation Committee, Chamber of Commerce Kansas City, Missouri David Eagleton, Missouri Transportation Alliance, St. Louis, Missouri Bill Maasen, Johnson County Parks and Recreation, Shawnee Mission, Kansas REGION 8 DENVER, COLORADO DECEMBER 14, 1993 Region 8 includes the stales of Colorado, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. The meeting was chaired liy Deputy Secretary M01timer Downey and included ITA Deputy Administrator Grace Crunican, FHWA Deputy Administrator Jane Garvey, and Director of Intergovernmental AHairs Dick Suisman. Welcoming remarks were given by Mayor Wellington Webb of Denver. There were approximately 200 paiticipants in attendance, representing all six states. All expressed support for ISTEA and appreciated the purpose of the roundtables. Major topics of discussion included: Full funding of ISTEA; the need for more local input into the state planning process; recognition of the distinct needs between rural and urbanized areas; technical assistance for MPOs; fiscal con straints; and compliance with the Clean Air Act. Full Funding mise between the MPO and the slate or an arbitrated set All speakers emphasized the need for full funding of tlement which both sides must abide by." The partici ISTEA. Councilman Ted Hackworth of Denver summa pants strongly recommended that DOT take a more active rized this frustration with the following comment: role in facilitating discussions when there is disagreement "Flexibility in the use of funds won't occur until the back between the state and local officials; perhaps even by log of projects is taken care of. It isn't the inequity in the withholding certification. use of money, it's that there isn't enough money." Rural Needs Recognizing that the Denver roundtable was the final in the series of 10, Deputy Secretary Downey noted that full Rural participants expressed a strong concern that funding was clearly the most important issue to all partici ISTEA was not written with an understanding of rural pants at every meeting and that DOT not only understood needs. As County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer of this issue, but respected this position. Weld County, Colorado stated, "Many rural officials feel disenfranchised and believe they may have had better Local Involvement success prior to ISTEA. Rural areas have a severe problem influencing the state on their needs in their Many of the panelists and audience participants localized areas." There may be funds for state high expressed frustration about the lack of local input into the ways, for example, but not for local construction needs. state planning process. Mayor Deedee Corradini of Salt Lake City reminded DOT officials that, "It is often over "In short, the law (for non-urbanized areas), reserves the looked, but local governments generate nearly one third of ultimate project selection authority to states in small all transportation resources ...." Local governments, MPO areas ... ," said Shorten (Fargo-Moorhead). through their MPOs, prepare priority lists and draft TIPs. Rural participants stressed that roads and cars are Often the state does not accept the recommendations from the keys to mobility in rural areas. They also noted that the MPOs and may submit other projects into the STIP. the implementation of the National Highway System is This causes a great deal of frustration at the local level. critical for planning and access in rural areas. It was Brian Shorten, Executive Director of the Fargo-Moorhead noted that staff in rural areas with or without MPOs are (North Dakota) Metro Council of Governments expressed not always highly trained. A request was made for DOT the following concerns: "ISTEA pits state policies and to provide technical assistance for training. In addition, goals against the local priorities that have been established several participants asked that the rules and regulations by the MPO's planning process ... An improvement to the of ISTEA be reviewed so that rural areas with less fund definition (of cooperation) which would accomplish much ing would not be subjected to the same complex more in achieving the 'work together' objective, would be requirements as urbanized areas. for some kind of third party arbitrator to rule on the con Specific consideration was asked to redefine the flict, if neither the state nor MPO can come to terms. TMA to include p9pulations between 100,000 to Possibly FHWA or FTA could play this honest broker role 200,000. It was suggested that by redefining the TMA, which would ensure either true negotiation and compro- MPOs in smaller regions would be given a stronger voice in developing their plans and very few ozone working with their state DOTs. nonattainment areas. Commentors noted that in the origi While the partici nal ISTEA legislation, population pants recognized and was not a factor in determining agreed with the need TMAs; however, that language was to improve air quality added later. as part of the overall quality of life, there Fiscal Constraints was a great deal of Another concern addressed was concern about the that fiscal constraints cause hard ability to comply ships in long-term planning. While with the conformity projects may be prioritized to the requirements. year 2003, there is no ability to Specific concerns request those projects because of raised included the issue of attain beginning, most state governments the fiscal constraint rules. While all ment areas being subject to some do not recognize tribal sovereignty participants understood the need for nonattainment requirements and the and do not deal directly with tribal this requirement, they Panelists Deedee Corradini, Mayor, Salt Lake City, Utah Ray Chamberlain, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Transportation Brian Shorten, Executive Director, Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments, Fargo, North Dakota Don Diller, Executive Director, Wyoming Department of Transportation Cynthia Erker, Chair, CCI Transportation Committee, Morgan County, Colorado Paul Schauer, State Representative, Colorado Norma Anderson, State Representative, Colorado Ted Hackworth, Councilman, Denver, Colorado Barbara Kirkmeyer, Commissioner, Weld County, Colorado David Pampu, Deputy Director, Denver Regional Council of Governments John Pingree, General Manager, Utah Transit Authority Michael Courtney, Colorado Environmental Coalition Sierra Club, Urban Environment Committee Skip Curley, lnterTrihal Transportation Association Steve Richard, Yellow Corporation REGION 9 SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA NOVEMBER 30, 1993 Region 9 includes the states of Clara County Supervisor Ro "Terrible Twos" technologies in southern California could become a new One of the most colorful metaphors heard during economic base for the area. the 10 roundtables came from Harry Reed, Assistant Along similar lines, James Van Loben Sels, Director Director of the Arizona Department of Transportation. of California's Department of Transportation, observed He described ISTEA as the "child of a shotgun wed that "First and foremost on our minds in California, ding" with a "bad case of the terrible twos." He where the recession continues to linger, is the lack of full expressed confidence that with "a lot of nurturing from funding for !STEA. One of the most efficient ways to family and friends, ISTEA will grow up to be a positive create jobs and to revitalize the California economy is and productive member of society we'll be proud of." through the construction of needed transportation pro jects." Economic Recovery Melinda Luedtke, Vice President of J. P. Morgan One of the major themes DOT heard in California was Securities in San Francisco, outlined why additional out the need to expedite "process" so that transportation side revenue was so important to the state. "Due to a investment could be used to facilitate needed economic projected $3.3 billion shortfall in revenues, construction recovery. There was evidence of a good working rela of new state-financed highway and rail transit projects tionship between MPOs and the state. In part, progres will begin to diminish after 1995 and no projects will be sive state legislation which complemented ISTEA helped programmed for funding after 1999, without additional bring this about through the MPO planning and funding revenues." distribution. In addition, hard times seemed to unite Finally, Assemblyman Richard Katz, Chairman of the state and local governments in working toward solutions California Assembly's Transportation Committee, to help their economy. expressed his view that local, state and federal officials Mark Pisano, Executive Director of the Southern all were committed to clean air and urged that we not California Association of Governments from Los Angeles, think in terms of clean air or jobs, but to press for both. outlined several ways he believed transportation could help his area recover from job losses which he said Bay Area Partnership - accounted for "25 percent of those lost nationally since Success Story 1990." He urged DOT to work toward ways to overcome Larry Dahms, Executive Director of the Metropolitan procedural hurdles in the form of the Endangered Transportation Commission described a major success Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act, story his San Francisco "Bay Area Partnership" has been which stood in the way of using traditional infrastructure able to achieve. "Launched almost immediately on the investment as a tool to stimulate recovery. He also out heels of the President's signing of ISTEA, the 36 govern lined how the development of advanced transportation mental agencies comprising this ·'Partnership' ... covers the spectrum of local to federal sion. He also commented on the approval process and regulations agencies - transportation and envi widening scope of public participa could be improved. For example, ronment - and multiple modes. Its tion in the planning process which the California State Association of goals are improved mobility and ISTEA has already achieved. Counties urged a "threshold of fed cleaner air. eral participation below which fed "The Partnership's initial burst of Needs Not Met eral requirements will not apply." energy was signaled by adoption of a Three groups spoke to needs Larry Reuter of the Santa Clara regional Joint Urban Mobility currently unmet under the !STEA County Transportation Agency, for Program, better known as 'JUMP process. Oakland's Mayor Elihu example, explained that only 3.4 Start'. It consists of 21 multiagency Harris commented, "It is difficult percent of his agency's annual projects designed to demonstrate an to secure pure maintenance funds $177 million program comes from immediate ISTEA benefit - effective through the competitive federal assistance, yet "existing projects on the street and/or more process ... We believe special con FTA guidelines federalize the understandable planning and deci sideration should be given at the entire operating budget." He rec sion processes. Some of both have federal level for an older urban om,mended that a way be found to been achieved already. Electronic cities' maintenance set aside." isolate the application of federal toll collection, a freeway traffic oper The California Association of rules only to the specific activity ation system, initiation of free tow Counties urged DOT to "take steps funded with federal dollars. truck service on congested freeways, to assure that counties, particularly Other ideas included more a regional transit ticket and even a rural counties, receive a minimal decentralization of decisionmaking telecommuting demonstration pro- 'lifeline' level of funding to main by FTA and FHWA at the regional gram. " tain the old 'federal aid' system." level, allowing the California Geraldine Knatz, Director of Environmental Quality Act process Tucson Bicycle Planning for the Port of Long to meet the requirements of the System - Success Beach, added that "federal guid National Environmental Protection Story ance establishing criteria for priori Act, and revising CMAQ rules for areas achieving attainment status. Jim Altenstadter, Director of the tizing projects involving goods There was strong consensus that Pima Association of Governments, movement is desperately needed." low-cost enhancement projects told of Tucson, Arizona's success in should be exempted from federal launching an extensive 280 mile Simplifying the paperwork requirements. regional bicycle system, and their Process hopes for the role ISTEA enhance Many recommendations were ment funding will play in its expan- made on how the !STEA project Panelists Harry Reed, Assistant Director, Transportation Planning Division, Arizona Department of Transportation Mark Pisano, Executive Director, Southern California Association of Governments Mike Bixler, Mayor, Imperial Beach, California Dr. Geraldine Knatz, Director of Planning, Port of Long Beach, California Arabella Martinez, CEO, Spanish Speaking Unity Council, Oakland, California James van Loben Sels, Director, California Department of Transportation Scot Chadd, Director of Transportation, El Dorado County, California Lawrence Dahms, Executive Director, Metropolitan Transportation Commission Melinda Luedtke, Vice President, J. P. Morgan Securities, Inc., San Francisco, California Lawrence Rueter, Director, Santa Clara County Transportation Agency Richard Katz, Chair, Transportation Committee, California State Assembly · James Altenstater, Director, Transportation Planning Division, Pima Association of Governments REGION 10 SEATTLE, WASHINGTON DECEMBER 2 , 1993 Region 10 includes the northwest states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. The meeting was chaired by Associate Deputy Secretary Michael Huerta and included FHWA Administrator Rodney Slater, FTA Deputy Administrator Grace Crunican, Maritime Deputy Administrator Joan Yim, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs John Horsley, and members of DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics staff. Welcoming remarks were made by Congresswoman Maria Cantwell, First District, Washington, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Public Works and Transportation Committee. Participants in the heavily attended Seattle roundtable meeting were strongly supportive of ISTEA and of the changes it promised: increased transportation funding, flexibility and a stronger role for local government. They believed significant progress was being made in achieving ISTEA's objectives but were delighted Secretary Pena had given them this opportunity to address how program implementation could be further improved. Full Funding Mayor Norm Rice stated, "Hosting th e Asian Pacific Many expressed the view that the promise of ISTEA Economic Cooperation Conference underscored the could only be realized with full funding. With the fact that Seattle's economic future demands a world Act's passage expectations were raised that not only class transportation system for people and for goods." would the needs of highways be met, but that the flexi County Executive Sutherland (Washington state) bility designed into the program would satisfy new added that, "We clearly must address growing traffic players: transit, ports and enhancement advocates. problems and the need to improve or expand roads in As Idaho DOT Director Dwight Bower remarked, growing suburban areas if we expect to have sustain "ISTEA has identified new needs and raised expecta able development." tions but has not provided a commensurate level of funding." To that, Pierce County, Washington, Away from Auto-Dependence Executive Doug Sutherland added, "Flexibility without There was general consensus that in metropolitan adequate funding is a regrettably hollow promise." areas the time had come to move forward on a strategy Other speakers acknowledged that as important as to lessen dependence on the automobile. Mayor Rice full funding was, even that would not be sufficient to pointed out that since 1970 vehicle miles traveled had meet the area's true needs. Washington DOT Secretary increased at four times the regional rate of population Sid Morrison stated that over the next 20 years, assum growth. The result was "declining air quality, longer ing full funding of !STEA and sustained state support, commutes and increased congestion." As County his state would fall $12 billion short and that did not Executive Sutherland said, "We must put more funding include the needs of the counties, cities and transit into alternative modes of transportation to reduce our agencies. dependency on the auto." Councilmember Martha Choe (Seattle) commented that a way needs to be found "to fund large scale, Freight multi-jurisdictional projects." To date, other compet Business and port spokespersons stressed that ing local priorities have not made this possible. freight movement needs to be given a higher priority in the planning and funding allocation process. The Port Economic Development of Seattle's representative urged that !STEA "be Several panelists spoke to the important role trans revised to include regional set asides for small-scale portation plays in economic development. Seattle intermodal improvements and a competitive program 52 established to fund 'port access added that "more funding" is not projects of national significance' ." the only solution. He believes we must do a better job of managing Enhancements and what we have. Encouraging more Efficiency travel by bike or on foot through It was generally agreed that better land use decisions also enhancement projects are faring needs to be part of the solution. well throughout the region. Significant funds were being shift Rural Needs ed to transit and non-traditional Frustration was expressed by transportation investments from representatives of rural counties both STP and CMAQ accounts. and Indian Tribes that the needs of Portland Public Works rural areas and Tribes were not Commissioner Earl Blumenauer being satisfactorily addressed. C Jee:=:=:, /ti\ I \ CJ -- Panelists Norm Rice, Mayor, City of Seattle Don Forbes, Director, Oregon Department of Transportation Martha Choe, Councilmember, Seattle, Washington Doug Sutherland, Chair, Transportation Policy Board, Puget Sound Regional Council, Seattle, Washington Sid Morrison, Secretary, Washington Department of Transportation Earl Bluemenauer, Commissioner of Public Works, City of Portland Greg Nickels, Councilmember, King County, Washington Dwight Bower, Director, Idaho Transportation Department Lloyd Berry, Director of Public Works, Chelan County, Wenatchee, Washington Les White, Executive Director, C-Tran, Vancouver, Washington Dan O'Neal, President, Greenbrier Corporation, Seattle, Washington Don Fleming, Managing Director, Marine Division, Seattle, Washington Preston Schiller, Chair, Urban Environment Committee, Sierra Club, Kirkland, Wash ·ngton 53 ACKNOW~EDGEMENTS Secretary Pena and the staff at DOT wish to express our gratitude to the following individuals and groups for their invaluable assistance in organizing th e Regional Roundtable Meetings and in publishing this report: Jerry Abramson, Mayor of Louisville The American Association of Port Authorities The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials The American Public Transit Association The American Trucking Associations The Association of American Railroads Conrail Richard Daley, Mayor of Chicago Rod Diridon, Santa Clara County (CA) Board of Supervisors The lntertribal Transportation Association The National Association of Counties The National Association of Regional Councils The National Conference of Stale Legislatures The National Governors Association The National League of Cities The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Edward Rendell, Mayor of Philadelphia Norman Rice, Mayor of Seattle Susan Savage, Mayor of Tulsa The Surface Transportation Policy Project The United States Conference of Mayors Wellington Webb, Mayor of Denver Special thanks to Tom Cochran, Executive Director of the United States Conference of Mayors, who originally suggested the idea of field meetings on the implementation of ISTEA to Secretary Pena. Additionally, Secretary Pena extends his appreciation to the field staff in the Regional and Divisional Offices of the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration, without whose dedicated assis tance the regional roundtables would not have been successful. Thanks also to the representatives of the other modes within DOT who attended the roundtable meetings, as well as to representatives of the other federal agen cies who participated. Thank you also to the representatives of the operating administrations and offices within DOT that were critical to the production of this report, especially the Secretary's lntermodalism, Policy, Public Affairs, and Governmental Affairs offices, the Maritime Administration, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Federal Highway Administration. Further, we thank those congressional offices that sent representatives to these meetings. Finally, the Secretary's thanks go out to the many speakers and attendees at each of the regional roundtables, most of whom traveled long distances and sacrificed at least a full day to attend. Your participation across the country made this series of meetings a valuable tool in measuring the success of ISTEA. FQf further information or additional copies, contact the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Governmental Affairs at (202) 366-1524. •