Appendix Who’s who: Agencies and Organizations What’s what: How Roads are Classified Federally Funded Transportation Programs Acronyms Websites Listservs Books Academic journals Conferences Awards Transportation metaphors Appendix WHO’S WHO: STATE TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS BOARD/COMMISSION 3 Plans, designs, builds and maintains state highway systems From behind the wheel, we may see only a fraction of the many 3 Owns and operates other transportation facilities—ferries, people, organizations and efforts that go into funding, planning, airports, transit services, rail lines designing and maintaining the roads beneath us. On occasion we 3 Develops statewide long-range transportation plan and trans- see construction workers in orange vests or maintenance crews portation improvement program mowing grass in the medians. But look behind the curtain and you will see a vast and diverse set of professionals from all disciplines Transit agencies work at all levels of government and private enterprise, making the 3 Public and private organizations that provide transportation decisions and setting the policies that determine where, when and for the public. Public transportation includes buses, subways, how you and I get around. There are also several professional and light rail, commuter rail, monorail, passenger ferryboats, industry associations that represent the private sector making their trolleys, inclined railways and people movers. living from road building and making important decisions at the national policy level through aggressive lobbying. To effectively Air Quality Planning Agency influence those decisions and policies, conservationists need to have 3 Develops regional emissions budget for each metropolitan a greater understanding of the many players involved. area where air quality fails to meet national standards estab- lished to protect public health STATE AND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION 3 Determines emissions budgets for mobile sources that must AGENCIES be reflected in the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Local transportation agency / Public Works adopted by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) 3 Manages and operates local roads, streets, bridges, and a share of Federal-aid Highways (varies by state) FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Regional Planning Organization (RPO) 3 Oversees the transportation planning and project activities of 3 Assist local planning organizations in developing and imple- the MPOs and state transportation agencies menting transportation strategies and solutions for a given area 3 Provides advice and training on transportation topics, rang- 3 Can encompass several local regions and sometimes ing from pavement technology to design to efficient multiple states operations of highway and transit systems 3 Supplies critical funding needed for transportation planning Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and projects 3 Primarily a planning body; and usually does not control 3 Approves a program of projects submitted by state transporta- land use or operate transportation facilities tion agencies that includes projects proposed for federal funds 3 Governed by a board of local elected officials, local and state transportation agency representatives and state representatives Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 3 Prepares a Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and a 3 Interprets transportation law, develops guidance, rules and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that meet the regulations air quality emission budget (in non-attainment areas) 3 Manages several programs and provides technical assistance, 3 Directly controls only a limited amount of federal funds training and research to state transportation agencies for projects Appendix Federal Lands Highway Program (FLHP) State transportation agencies (DOTs) 3 Oversees all phases of highway policy, planning, research, 3 Largest units of government that develop transportation design, operations, construction and maintenance in cooper- Appendix plans and projects ation with federal land-managing agencies to provide access 3 Responsible for setting transportation goals for the state to federally owned lands 3 Responsible for planning safe and efficient transportation between cities and towns in state 232 233 GETTING UP TO SPEED: A Guide to Transportation for Conservationists | Defenders of Wildlife APPENDIX Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Senate – Environment and Public Works Committee 3 Administers federal funding to support a variety of locally 3 Has jurisdiction over all matters relating to environmental planned, constructed and operated public transportation sys- protection and resource utilization, including everything tems throughout the country, including buses, subways, light from air and water pollution to highways, bridges and dams rail, commuter rail, streetcars, monorail, passenger ferry boats, inclined railways and people movers Appropriations committees: House and Senate 3 Annually appropriates transportation funding according to the STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES authorization legislation (ISTEA, TEA-21, SAFETEA-LU) Mayor/City and County Council 3 Control local revenues but have little authority over federal FEDERAL RESOURCE AND LAND highway dollars (except in California), even though their MANAGEMENT AGENCIES jurisdictions own and operate roads, streets, bridges and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) nearly one-half of all federal-aid highways (varies by state) 3 Conserves, protects and enhances fish, wildlife and plant 3 Serve on MPO Board with state transportation agency, habitats regional transit agency and others appointed by the governor 3 Manages the refuge system 3 Enforces the Endangered Species Act Local Planning body 3 May be consulted during early long-range transportation 3 Develops local comprehensive land-use plan including ele- planning at the state and metropolitan levels ments for transportation that the MPO is supposed to 3 May participate in the environmental review of highway consider in setting priorities projects, as required if the project has potential impacts to threatened or endangered species Governor 3 Jointly administers Refuge Roads program with FHWA 3 Appoints the head of the state transportation agency and 3 Conducts refuge planning that includes transportation elements often members of a state transportation board 3 Submits legislation to the state legislature National Park Service (NPS) 3 Initiates the state budget process 3 Oversees a network of nearly 400 natural, cultural and recre- ational sites and helps communities preserve and enhance State Legislature important local heritage and recreational opportunities 3 Enacts state transportation laws and annual transportation 3 May be consulted during early long-range transportation appropriations planning at the state and metropolitan levels 3 Approves funding levels for state programs 3 May participate in the environmental review of highway proj- 3 Maintains oversight for implementation ects, particularly those with potential impacts to national parks 3 Jointly administers the Park Roads and Parkways program U.S. CONGRESS with FHWA The United States Congress 3 Conducts park planning that includes transportation elements 3 Responsible for enacting national transportation laws and overseeing implementation U.S. Forest Service (USFS) 3 Approves funding levels for transportation programs and 3 Manages public lands in national forests and grasslands and enacts annual transportation appropriations provides technical and financial assistance to state and pri- vate forestry agencies Appendix House of Representatives – Committee on 3 May be consulted during early long-range transportation Transportation and Infrastructure planning at the state and metropolitan levels 3 3 Has jurisdiction over public infrastructure, including such May participate in the environmental review of highway proj- Appendix major projects as highways, bridges, airports, locks and ects, particularly those with potential impacts to national forests dams, and public transit systems 3 Jointly administers the Forest Highways program with FHWA 3 Conducts forest planning that includes transportation elements 234 235 GETTING UP TO SPEED: A Guide to Transportation for Conservationists | Defenders of Wildlife APPENDIX U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) American Planning Association (APA) 3 Develops and enforces regulations, offers financial assistance, 3 Serves as the professional association representing planners at performs environmental research and education the urban, suburban, regional and rural level and within all 3 May be consulted during early long-range transportation disciplines, including transportation planners. planning at the state and metropolitan levels 3 The American Institute of Certified Planners conducts 3 Reviews all environmental impact statements and posts research on advances in the art and science of planning information in the Federal Register 3 Serves as a forum for exchange of information among plan- ning professionals U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 3 Lobbies for better planning in transportation, land use and 3 Provides engineering services including planning, designing smart growth building and operating water management resources and other civil works projects American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) 3 May be consulted during early long-range transportation 3 Serves as the national professional association representing planning at the state and metropolitan levels landscape