Lancaster Metropolitan Planning Organization
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PENNSYLVANIA PLANNING PARTNER PROFILES Profile Link: http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Internet/Bureaus/CPDM.nsf July, 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction…………………………………………………. 3 Pennsylvania’s Planning Partners……………………………..……………... 17 Purpose……………………………………………... 3 Adams County Rural Planning Organization (RPO)………………….. 19 Background…………………………………………. 3 Altoona Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)……………….... 26 History……………………………………………… 3 Centre County MPO…………………………………………………... 33 Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission……………………. 40 Planning Partner Organizations…………………………... 4 Erie MPO……………………………………………………………... 49 Federal Legislation……...………………………….. 4 Franklin County (Independent)……………………………………….. 56 Program Development Process…………………………….. 5 Harrisburg Area MPO…………………………………………………. 63 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)………...... 5 Johnstown Area MPO…………………………………………………. 71 Twelve Year Program (TYP)……………………….. 5 Lackawanna/Luzerne MPO………………………………………….... 78 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)……….. 5 Lancaster MPO………………………………………………………... 85 Modes of Transportation…………………………………... 6 Lebanon MPO…………………………………………………………. 92 Highways and Bridges……………………………... 6 Lehigh Valley MPO………………………………………………….... 99 Aviation…………………………………………….. 6 North Central RPO……………………………………………………. 106 Rail Freight….……………………………………… 7 Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance RPO…………………………….. 113 Public Transportation..…...…………………………. 8 Northern Tier RPO……………………………………………………. 120 Bike/Ped…..………………………………………… 8 Northwest RPO……………………………………………………….. 127 Pennsylvania Ports………………………………….. 9 Reading Area MPO……………………………………………………. 134 NHS Intermodal Connectors……………………….. 10 SEDA-COG RPO……………………………………………………... 141 Transportation for a New Pennsylvania…………………... 11 Shenango Valley MPO………………………………………………... 148 Glossary…………………………………………………….... 12 Southern Alleghenies RPO……………………………………………. 155 Railroad Acronyms……....…………………………………. 14 Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission……………………………... 162 PennDOT’s Engineering Districts………….……………… 15 Williamsport Area MPO…………….……………………………….... 172 Pennsylvania’s Planning Organizations..…………………. 16 York Area MPO……………………………………………………….. 179 Related Links………………………………………………..…………………. 186 PennDOT’s Executive Staff………………………………………………….... 188 Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………….. 189 1 2 INTRODUCTION Purpose This document, Pennsylvania Planning Partner Profiles, showcases Pennsylvania’s 22 Planning Partners and one independent county. Its purpose is to inform the public of their roles in the transportation planning process, provide contact information, and show demographic and transportation related data for each identified area. Background Transportation is a key element in the economic health and growth in any region. It provides for the safe movement of people and goods and influences patterns of economic growth and development by providing mobility and access. Transportation planning recognizes the critical links between transportation and policy concerns such as air quality, environmental stewardship, social equity, and land use. Pennsylvania’s Planning Partners play a key role by collaborating with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to advance and support the Commonwealth’s transportation system. History In 1903, the State Highway Department was created. The Department was developed to cooperate with the Commonwealth’s political subdivisions in the improvement and maintenance of highways. Its primary responsibility was to administer state grants to local communities and to serve as a disbursing agency. The Department had general supervisory powers over all roads financed with state funds coupled with exclusive authority and jurisdiction over state highways. Legislation passed in 1911 that reorganized the Highway Department, provided for a system of highways to be maintained solely by the state, and for a highway network financed on both the state and local level. In 1970, the State Highway Department was abolished and its powers and duties were given to the Department of Transportation. 3 PLANNING PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS Federal Legislation The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962 created the federal requirement for urban transportation planning in response to the construction of the Interstate Highway System and the planning of routes through and around urban areas. The Act required, as a condition attached to federal transportation financial assistance, that transportation projects in urbanized areas of 50,000 or more in population be based on a continuing, comprehensive urban transportation planning process undertaken cooperatively by the states and local governments -- the birth of the so-called 3C, “continuing, comprehensive and cooperative” planning process. More specific requirements were added to the planning process during the 1970s, largely due to experience and research in the interim. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973 required the creation of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in all major metropolitan (urban) areas. MPO boundaries are defined as an urbanized area by the U.S. Census Bureau. Federal regulations state the MPO’s boundary may encompass the metropolitan statistical area. The MPOs in Pennsylvania have incorporated the metropolitan statistical area, which are identified by a county or multiple counties. In several cases, the urbanized area of an MPO extends into an adjacent county or state. Here, the MPO has agreements with the adjacent state/county/MPO/RPO for transportation planning and programming responsibilities. An example would be the Harrisburg MPO, where a portion of its boundary extends into York County. The York Area MPO encompasses the remaining portion of York County. Most of Pennsylvania’s rural areas are organized into Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs). Although RPOs are not required by the federal government (but recognized by the Federal Highway Administration and designated by PennDOT), the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) required states to establish a transportation planning process to serve areas outside of urbanized boundaries. Since 1992, Pennsylvania has partnered with its RPOs to conduct rural planning activities, providing RPOs with the same status as MPOs. Franklin County is the only county in Pennsylvania which does not currently participate in the planning process through the organized structure of a planning partner. However, Franklin County is taking steps to become a Pennsylvania RPO. Federal law and regulations establish five core functions of an MPO/RPO that include the following: 1) Establish a setting: Establish and manage a fair and impartial setting for effective regional decision-making in the planning area. 2) Identify and evaluate alternative transportation improvement options: Use data and planning methods to generate and evaluate alternatives. Planning studies and evaluations are included in the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). 3) Prepare and maintain a Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP): Develop and update an LRTP for the planning area covering a planning horizon of at least 20 years that fosters: (1) Mobility and access for people and goods, (2) Efficient system performance and preservation, and (3) Good quality of life. 4) Develop a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): Develop a short-range (four-year) program of transportation improvements based on the LRTP. The TIP should be designed to achieve the area’s goals using spending, regulating, operating, management, and financial tools. 5) Involve the public: Continually involve the general public and other affected constituencies in the areas listed above. 4 PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Long-Range Transportation Plan Federal law requires all states to create a Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The process for development is at the discretion of each state. The Pennsylvania Mobility Plan, formerly known as PennPlan MOVES!, is Pennsylvania’s official LRTP. This plan embodies a 25 year comprehensive planning methodology that involves all modes of transportation. The Mobility Plan links the transportation planning done at the regional and local levels to statewide goals. These goals are: 1) Move people and goods safely and securely. 2) Improve quality of life by linking transportation, land use, economic development and environmental stewardship. 3) Develop and sustain quality transportation infrastructure. 4) Provide mobility for people, goods, and commerce. 5) Maximize the benefit of transportation investment. MPO/RPO long-range transportation planning is required by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) as a prerequisite for federal funding. The MPO/RPO LRTP planning process allows citizens, planners, government officials, and other stakeholders to come together to discuss the MPO’s/RPO’s future, identify regional trends, and set goals for what the region hopes to achieve within a 20 year horizon. Every four years the plan must be updated in MPO/RPO air quality non-attainment and maintenance areas (areas that do not meet federal air quality standards) and at least every five years for MPOs/RPOs in air quality attainment areas. Twelve Year Program Pennsylvania’s official transportation program is known as the Twelve Year Program (TYP). This Program is used to guide the planning and decision-making process toward the future objectives of the LRTP. The TYP is a dynamic schedule of priority projects that are fiscally constrained and conform to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The Program is separated into three four-year program