Difference between revisions of "121.2 The Planning Framework for Transportation Decision-Making"

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MoDOT is committed to working with local officials, citizens and stakeholders to help determine the right transportation solutions for their communities. MoDOT recognizes that a transparent, inclusive and flexible process produces the best outcomes.
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|'''For Additional Information'''
 
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|[http://www.modot.mo.gov/plansandprojects/long-range_plan/documents/rpcmpo08-06.pdf Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs)]
 
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|[http://www.modot.mo.gov/plansandprojects/planning_projects/documents/PG_march102504.pdf Practitioner’s Guide]
 
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The transportation planning process can take up to 20 years for a project to go from [[:Category:138 Project Development Chronology|needs identification through project development to construction]]. The planning process, as illustrated in the Figure 1, is an iterative process, a continuous cycle and at any given time there are multiple needs or projects at each step in the process. The four outer arrows represent steps that are part of the process. The texts between the arrows are the key products of these steps. All steps require continuous participation from local officials and the public.  
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MoDOT includes planning partners, transportation stakeholders and the general public in the process to identify the highest priority needs and improvements statewide and in each district. This process, referred to as the Planning Framework, relies on the right people being involved in discussing and evaluating needs and then making decisions on those needs that should move forward for more detailed evaluation as potential projects.
  
===121.2.1 Long-Range Transportation Plan===
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Because Missouri has significantly more transportation needs than funds available, the Planning Framework provides a process to determine which priorities should receive the limited available funding each year.  
  
MoDOT, MPOs, RPCs, public officials, special interest groups and citizens set and refine Missouri’s transportation vision in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The vision is Missouri’s ideal transportation system; however, Missouri cannot afford all the components of this ideal system. The LRTP also includes policies and goals and a fiscally constrained strategy for achieving the highest-priority components of the transportation vision within an agreed upon timeframe. This requires working with MPOs and RPCs to determine where Missouri’s transportation dollars should be spent.
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[[image:121.2 prioritization.jpg|center|650px]]
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<center>'''Figure 121.2, The Planning Framework’s Needs Prioritization Process'''</center>
  
MPO LRTPs include policy development, fiscally constrained needs identification, public involvement and conformity with air quality regulations. The content of these MPO plans is similar to the statewide long-range transportation plan. MPO plans include public outreach and require approval of the MPO board of directors, which is comprised of the region’s local officials. In general, items in MPO and state LRTPs are consistent. Resources will be allocated only to the needs and projects agreed upon by both the MPO and MoDOT.  
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===121.2.1 Public Involvement===
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Missourians have a say in how transportation dollars are spent. The most common way for citizens to be involved is through public meetings that MoDOT, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and regional planning commissions (RPCs) hold throughout the planning and project development processes.
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The public may participate in discussing the needs and proposed improvements in their communities during any publicly held meeting by MoDOT, MPO, RPC, City and/or County governmental entity. Outreach methods to engage minority and economically disadvantaged residents, as well as other groups such as the elderly, individuals with disabilities, economic development interests, and historical and environmental groups should also be used.  
  
LRTP public involvement concentrates on developing Missouri’s shared transportation vision and captures public opinion on transportation issues and needs. The plan targets all levels of public involvement including MPOs, RPCs, local officials, legislators, interest groups and the public. MoDOT gages Missourians’ expectations of the transportation system and the relative priority of each expectation.  
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The public is also invited to make comments regarding proposed projects during the draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) comment periods.
  
[[image:121.2.1 Transportation Planning Process.gif|center|575px|thumb|<center>'''Fig. 121.2.Transportation Planning Process'''</center>]]
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The development of quality transportation improvements depends on early, often and continuous involvement of the public in decisions. Public involvement allows MoDOT to gather real, valid input on transportation needs.
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===121.2.2 Transportation Planning Partners and Stakeholders===
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MoDOT focuses on involvement by local officials and community leaders within metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and regional planning commissions (RPCs).
  
===121.2.2 Identify Needs===
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MPO’s are created by Federal Statute [https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/23/450.210 23 CFR 450.210] (also view [https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title49/subtitle3/chapter53&edition=prelim Title 49 USC Chapter 53]).  MPO’s represent urbanized areas with populations of more than 50,000. They are responsible for transportation planning within their areas. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) shall designate each urbanized area with a population of over 200,000 individuals as a [https://www.modot.org/missouri-metropolitan-planning-organizations Transportation Management Area (TMA)] as defined by the Bureau of the Census.
[[image:121.2.2.jpg|right|275px|thumb|<center>'''Redesigning an intersection'''</center>]]
 
There are various needs on Missouri’s transportation system. Identifying these needs is a continuous process and crucial for successful planning. For example, one need might be redesigning a high-accident intersection; another need might be a location improvement that helps a new business move products more efficiently.  Proper identification of these needs involves evaluating the same type of information from all parts of Missouri.
 
  
The two levels of needs identification, regional and statewide, are further classified into two groupsphysical system condition needs that target the state of road and bridge repair and functional needs that target how well the transportation system is operating.  
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RPCs are created by [https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneChapter.aspx?chapter=251 Missouri RSMo. 251.150 to 251.440]. RPCs represent multi-county rural regions and coordinate with regional local governments in community affairs, including transportation planning.
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MoDOT consults with metropolitan and non-metropolitan planning agencies on substantive changes to the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and other statewide transportation plans and programs as required by [https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/fapg/Cfr450c.htm 23 CFR 450.120(b)].
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[[image:121.2 map 2020.jpg|center|850px]]
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<center>'''Figure 121.2.2, Missouri’s MPOs and RPCs'''</center>
  
Statewide needs are formally identified through the LRTP step and public outreach is done with the LRTP development. These needs typically cross several county lines and involve interstates and U.S. highways.  
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===121.2.3 Data===
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Missouri has the seventh largest state highway system in the United States. As established by state law, MoDOT is responsible for maintaining Missouri’s highway system. That system is comprised of over 10,300 bridges and more than 33,000 miles of highways. Other significant infrastructure components of this vast system include culverts, retaining walls, noise walls, large structural signs, high mast lighting poles and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) devices along Interstates and other major roadways throughout the system.  
  
MoDOT districts and their planning partners identify regional transportation needs.
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As the primary recipient of federal and state funding for transportation, MoDOT is required to comply with established data gathering and reporting requirements and protocols for the entire system.  These include the performance measures described in [[#121.2.7 Prioritize Needs|EPG 121.2.7 Prioritize Needs]].  On an annual basis, MoDOT must report the condition of its highways and bridges to FHWA through FHWA’s Highway Performance Monitoring System and the National Bridge Inventory, respectively.  MoDOT is also required to report its use of safety funds and the improvement results gained from the use of these funds.
  
===121.2.3 Prioritize Needs===
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MoDOT regularly collects a wide array of data and information on its transportation system.  From daily traffic operations in Missouri’s large urban centers to traffic counts on lesser traveled roads in non-urban areas of the state, data collection and analysis are integral to MoDOT’s operation and maintenance of the system.  Data is collected primarily through field inspections. For congestion in the urban areas, data is collected electronically through [https://ritis.org/login?r=Lw== RITIS] and other ITS data gathering technologies. Here is a representative cross-section of data MoDOT regularly collects about the system and its performance. (See [[171.11 Roadside Appurtenances|EPG 171.11 Roadside Appurtenances]] and [[:Category:145 Transportation Management Systems (TMS)|EPG 145 Transportation Management Systems (TMS)]] for a comprehensive listing.)
  
Needs prioritization is based on the goals in Missouri’s LRTP. MoDOT districts and planning partners annually prioritize regional needs. Statewide needs will be prioritized when MoDOT’s LRTP is updated; however, emerging needs can be added to the needs priority list between updates. Both regional and statewide needs will be prioritized primarily on objective data.  
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* Highway travel – vehicle miles of travel, including seasonal travel and truck volumes
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* Bridge condition – all structural elements
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* Pavement and roadside appurtenances condition – subsurface and surface, signs, guardrail, median barriers, end terminals, fences, etc.
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* Safety – crash data including roadway geometrics, road surface condition, railroad crossings, sign posts and work zones
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* Truck permitting – oversized loads
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* Environmental - noise, wetlands, archaeological and cultural, erosion control
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* Operations and maintenance – snow, grass and weed control, roadside debris.
  
====<center>''Table 121.2.3.1 Prioritization Process - Physical System Condition Needs''</center>====
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The main repository for most of this data is MoDOT’s Transportation Management System (TMS).  Data is analyzed, data sets are created and used by MoDOT staff, its senior leadership and planning partners to prioritize needs and help shape policy.  For example, MPOs rely on traffic and other system condition data as input for regional demand modeling, to set regional long-range transportation goals and for congestion management processes.  TMS data can also be produced in graphical format as well as in interactive tools such as [http://datazone.modot.org/ DataZone] for planning scenario purposes. Data is also used by MoDOT district staff as well as private sector partners (primarily engineering consulting firms, for example) to conduct traffic impact studies, corridor analyses and major environmental studies on MoDOT’s behalf. As mentioned previously, MoDOT uses TMS generated data to analyze and set performance benchmarks and for accountability reporting. For example, MoDOT’s performance [https://www.modot.org/tracker-measures-departmental-performance Tracker] is an accountability tool used throughout MoDOT and available to the public.  On a quarterly basis, MoDOT staff and senior leadership report on an array of performance measures provided through Tracker. MoDOT also uses TMS and other data to monitor trends for accountability reporting and for strategic initiatives and continuous improvement processes as reported in [https://www.modot.org/focus FOCUS]. Information is regularly shared with planning partners, providing critical information not just for their planning and needs prioritization processes but for their own performance-based reporting purposes.
  
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
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For modeling and other specialized needs, electronic databases, GIS files, spreadsheets, customized reports and interactive maps are made available to planning partners upon their request.
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! style="background:#6633FF" colspan="2"|This process applies to all areas of the state
 
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! style="background:#BEBEBE" colspan="2"|Taking Care of the System
 
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! colspan="2"|Roadway
 
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|Pavement Smoothness|| align="center"| 30 pts
 
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|Pavement Condition|| align="center"|  20 pts
 
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|Functional Classification|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
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|Daily Usage (all vehicles) || align="center"|10 pts
 
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|Truck Usage ||align="center"|10 pts
 
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|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|-OR-
 
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! colspan="2"|Bridge
 
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| Bridge Condition || align="center"|50 pts
 
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|Functional Classification|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
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|Daily Usage (all vehicles) || align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
|Truck Usage|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
| Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|[[121.5 Prioritization Factors|Prioritization Factors]] explains what each factor is.
 
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| colspan="2"|There is no flexibility among investment goals in this prioritization process because other goals do not have a direct effect on measuring the physical system condition needs on the transportation system.
 
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| colspan="2"|Flexibility lies in “district factors/flexible points” that can be used to capture unique conditions important to individual regions or can be allocated among existing factors.
 
|}
 
  
====<center>''Table 121.2.3.2 Prioritization Process – Functional Needs''</center>====
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===121.2.4 Performance Management ===
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The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act, enacted in 2012, emphasized performance management within the Federal-aid highway program and transit programs and required use of performance-based approaches to statewide, metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan transportation planning. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, enacted in 2015, reaffirmed the requirements established by MAP-21.
  
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
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[https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/ Transportation Performance Management (TPM)] is a strategic approach that uses system information to make investment and policy decisions to achieve national performance goals.
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! style="background:#6666FF" colspan="2"|This process does not apply to Transportation Management Areas (TMA) areas
 
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! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Access to Opportunity
 
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! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% maximum
 
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|Vehicle Ownership|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
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|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"|  50 pts
 
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| Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
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! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Congestion Relief
 
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! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% maximum
 
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|Level of Service|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
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|Daily Usage (all vehicles) || align="center"|25 pts
 
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|Functional Classification ||align="center"|25 pts
 
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|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
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|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
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!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Economic Competitiveness
 
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! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% maximum
 
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|Level of Economic Distress|| align="center"| 30 pts
 
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|Supports Regional Economic Development Plans || align="center"|20 pts
 
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|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
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|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
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!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Efficient Movement of Freight
 
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! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% maximum
 
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|Truck Volume|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
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|Freight Bottlenecks || align="center"|20 pts
 
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|Intermodal Freight Connectivity|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
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|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
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|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
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!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Quality of Communities
 
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! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% maximum
 
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|Connectivity|| align="center"| 40 pts
 
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|Complies with Regional or Local Transportation Plans || align="center"|30 pts
 
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|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 30 pts
 
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|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
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!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Environmental Protection
 
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! colspan="2"|Weight:  0% minimum – 30% maximum
 
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|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 100 pts
 
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|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
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!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Safety
 
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! colspan="2"|Weight:  20% minimum – 50% maximum
 
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|Safety Index|| align="center"| 85 pts
 
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|Safety Concern || align="center"|5 pts
 
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|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
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|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
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!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Taking Care of the System
 
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! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% manximum
 
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|Substandard Roadway Features '''OR''' Substandard Bridge Features|| align="center"| 75 pts
 
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|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
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|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
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| colspan="2"|[[121.5 Prioritization Factors|Prioritization Factors]] explains what each factor is.
 
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| colspan="2"|MoDOT districts allocate 50% of the weight among investment goals.
 
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| colspan="2"|“District factors/flexible points” may be used to capture unique conditions important to individual regions or can be allocated among existing factors.
 
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| colspan="2"|MPOs designated as TMAs may develop their own functional needs prioritization process, subject to certification by MoDOT.
 
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| colspan="2"|The total weight of all investment goals must equal 100% while meeting minimum and maximum percentages.
 
|}
 
  
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It includes seven national Federal highway program performance goals as established by Congress:
  
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* Safety - To achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads.
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* Infrastructure Condition - To maintain the highway infrastructure asset system in a state of good repair
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* Congestion Reduction - To achieve a significant reduction in congestion on the National Highway System
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* System Reliability - To improve the efficiency of the surface transportation system
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* Freight Movement and Economic Vitality - To improve the national freight network, strengthen the ability of rural communities to access national and international trade markets, and support regional economic development.
  
Using the results of the prioritization process as a starting point, MoDOT districts and planning partners divide needs into three categories:
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TPM also includes new Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements of States, MPOs and transit agencies.
  
* High Priority Resources address these needs first by selecting them for preliminary engineering.
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[[image:121.2.4.1.jpg|center|550px]]
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<center>'''Figure 121.2.4.1, Six Elements of TPM Roles and Responsibilities'''</center>
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* USDOT
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::Performance Measure Rules include:
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:::• Establish measures; identify data sources; define metrics
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:::• Report to Congress
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:::• Stewardship and oversight
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:::• States, MPOs and transit agencies
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::– Establish targets
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::– Support national goals in the planning process and consider measures and targets in plans and programs
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::– Report progress to USDOT (States and transit agencies)
  
* Medium Priority– These needs may be addressed as additional resources become available.  
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[https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/performance_based_planning/pbpp_guidebook/ Performance-based planning and programming (PBPP)] refers to the application of performance management within the planning and programming processes of transportation agencies to achieve desired performance outcomes for the multimodal transportation system. This includes a range of activities and products undertaken by a transportation agency together with other agencies, stakeholders, and the public as part of a 3C (cooperative, continuing and comprehensive) process. It includes development of: long range transportation plans (LRTPs), other plans and processes (including those Federally-required, such as Strategic Highway Safety Plans, Asset Management Plans, the Congestion Management Process, Transit Agency Asset Management Plans and Transit Agency Safety Plans, as well as others that are not required), and programming documents, including state and metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs (STIPs and TIPs). PBPP attempts to ensure that transportation investment decisions are made – both in long-term planning and short-term programming of projects – based on their ability to meet established goals.
  
* Low Priority– No work for these needs at this time.  
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[[image:121.2.4.2.jpg|center|550px]]
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<center>'''Figure 121.2.4.2, How [https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/performance_based_planning/pbpp_guidebook/ PBPP] Stages Fit Within a Traditional Planning and Programming Process'''</center>
  
The high priority needs list is fiscally constrained and is not a commitment to design or construct projects. Each time needs are prioritized, existing needs will be re-evaluated. Some high priority needs may never be designed or constructed due to prohibitive costs, changing priorities or other reasons. Needs from the high priority list will be selected for project scoping.  
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MPOs must ensure the new [https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/ TPM] requirements are met based on the final rules established by USDOT. Details on these requirements are available in the links below:
  
===121.2.4 Design and Develop Projects (Project Scoping)===
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* [https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/ FHWA TPM]
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* [https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/performance_based_planning/ FHWA Planning]
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* [https://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/home.aspx National Highway Institute courses]
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* [http://www.ntionline.com/courses/ National Transit Institute courses]
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* [http://www.tpmtimeline.tpm-portal.com/ AASHTO TPM Timeline Tool].
  
Project scoping analyzes transportation needs and selects the best overall solutions. It involves:  
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In an effort to ensure outstanding communication and collaboration on performance management with our planning partners, MoDOT holds a monthly MAP-21/FAST Act performance management webinar.  In addition to the Missouri MPOs, MoDOT invites DOT representatives from the States that share MPOs with Missouri, regional staff from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), FHWA and FTA staff from neighboring states and the regional planning commissionsThe webinars serve to ensure continued education on performance management and to advise all parties of upcoming deadlines and requirements.
  
1) Determining the root causes of the transportation problems;
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===121.2.5 Establish Vision===
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Missouri’s vision for its transportation future is best articulated by the five goals in MoDOT’s [http://www2.modot.org/LRTP LRTP] namely:
  
2) Developing a range of possible solutions for the problems;
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* Take care of the existing transportation system
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* Provide for the safety of all users of the system regardless of the mode of travel
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* Make investments in the system that spur economic growth and development
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* Provide better transportation choices, and
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* Improve the reliability of the system and reduce congestion on the system.
  
3) Reviewing the social, economic, energy and environmental impacts;
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These goals, in turn, are guided by MoDOT’s [https://www.modot.org/mission-values-and-tangible-results mission]; and they are actualized in a manner consistent with MoDOT’s [https://www.modot.org/mission-values-and-tangible-results values].
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The vision is defined and set, collaboratively, by MoDOT and a host of partners and stakeholders from across the state. Partners and stakeholders include Missouri’s 23 [https://www.modot.org/missouri-metropolitan-planning-organizations MPOs] and [https://www.modot.org/regional-planning-commissions RPCs], special interest groups and engaged citizens, all of whom participate in this open and transparent process of vision setting.  Thus, the statewide LRTP reflects the goals Missourians have said are important to them.
  
4) Evaluating and choosing the best solutions;
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Building upon this foundation, MoDOT has produced several other important documents to help translate Missouri’s transportation vision into actionable results.  These include:
  
5) Setting the projects’ physical limits;
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* [https://www.modot.org/sites/default/files/documents/Blueprint_2016-2020.pdf Missouri’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan]  - establishes statewide safety goals and guidelines for using Safety funds and is intended to be used by all traffic safety advocates in their respective communities.
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* [https://www.modot.org/citizens-guide-transportation-funding-missouri The Citizens Guide to Transportation Funding in Missouri] - explains how MoDOT is funded, the sources and amounts of its funding, and how and where these investments are made.
  
6) Accurately estimating the projects’ cost; and  
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Perhaps the two most important documents for producing actionable results are MoDOT’s [https://epg.modot.org/index.php/121.5_Asset_Management Asset Management Plan (AMP)] and its [https://www.modot.org/statewide-transportation-improvement-program-stip Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)].  The AMP quantifies asset management needs across the system and their associated costs.  Goals are established for the three major asset types – pavements, bridges and mobility. It is both a strategic and tactical plan in that it identifies specific types of work, bridge square footage, lane miles, treatments, etc. In essence, it is a ten-year plan for keeping Missouri’s infrastructure assets in good condition.
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Each district is required to develop an AMP.  District plans must clearly define how, given the limited funding available to them, they intend to meet established system condition goals for assets types or categories.  These plans must also include the districts’ strategy for meeting their ADA Transition Plan commitments by 2027 (see [https://www.modot.org/bikepedestrian-and-ada-transition-plan-improvements-5d Tracker Measure 5G]).
  
7) Forecasting the projects’ delivery schedule.  
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The STIP is MoDOT’s rolling five-year investment program.  It is MoDOT’s tangible commitment, to the citizens of Missouri, for how it will maintain the system in good condition. The STIP lists all projects to be worked on during a given five-year period within each of MoDOT’s seven geographic districts.  The STIP provides specific project descriptions, project estimates and project schedules. It is approved annually by the [https://www.modot.org/missouri-highways-and-transportation-commission-0 Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission].  Both the AMP and STIP are updated annually.
  
The scoping process helps determine the most complete, cost-effective solutions early in project development.  
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Both of the aforementioned MPOs and RPCs were established by federal and state law, respectively. They were created to help communities and regions set vision and goals for themselves. MPOs were established by federal law more than 50 years ago.  Missouri’s Regional Planning Commissions were established by the [https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneChapter.aspx?chapter=251 Regional Planning and Community Development Act of 1965].
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MPOs are responsible for developing long-term transportation plans (which typically cover a 20-year time period) called Metropolitan Transportation Plans (MTPs) or regional long-range transportation plans (LRTPs), which identify the needs and aspirations of the communities they represent.  They also develop shorter (typically three- to four-year) Transportation Improvement Plans (TIPs) for their respective geographic areas, which identify the specific projects which are planned throughout the region.
  
Public involvement in defining the needs and determining the appropriate solution can take several forms. The public may actually initiate the investigation of needs by contacting MoDOT or its other planning partners. The public, through local officials, is represented in the scoping process.  
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RPCs are composed of locally elected officials, city and county staff, MoDOT representatives, and citizens – many of whom may have an interest in transportation issues if not a background in transportation itself.  These organizations are structured to include a board of directors and technical advisory or other standing committees that facilitate the prioritization of needs.  Daily operations, including work tasks are carried out by technical and professional staff of these organizations. As previously mentioned, these organizations collaborate with MoDOT to help establish Missouri’s transportation vison.
  
After viable solutions have been identified for high-priority needs, the needs move on to the project prioritization process.
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===121.2.6 Identify Needs===
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MoDOT identifies transportation system needs through the framework of the [http://www2.modot.org/LRTP/ LRTP] process. However, to satisfy federal and other requirements, MoDOT also performs or conducts systematic inspections to monitoring and evaluating system condition.  The results are used to better evaluate and prioritize needs. Through their own local and regional collaborative planning processes, [https://www.modot.org/missouri-metropolitan-planning-organizations MPOs] and [https://www.modot.org/regional-planning-commissions RPCs] also play significant roles in identifying needs; and they work, collaboratively with MoDOT’s seven district offices to prioritize needs.
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MoDOT uses its knowledge of the existing system to determine needs that develop throughout the system.  Each district uses its pavement, bridge, maintenance, traffic and safety experts to regularly gather system condition and performance information, analyze that information, and to both quantify and clarify needs based on data collected for the system.  Additionally, data may be collected through studies or field investigations conducted by MoDOT.  The aim is to identify and define corridor- or roadway-specific problems and improvement needs.  Identifying, analyzing, and quantifying needs are routine system performance monitoring practices conducted by MoDOT.
  
===121.2.5 Project Prioritization===
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Metropolitan Transportation planning, including identifying and prioritizing needs, in the state’s urban areas located within metropolitan planning areas (MPA), are the responsibility of MPOs. MPOs are required, by law, to carry out three major planning functions: development of a long-range plan; development and management of a TIP - generally covering four years; and a Unified Planning Work Program - which lays out the annual tasks and activities of the MPO’s staff. MPO staff work collaboratively with MoDOT districts on each of these major areas of responsibility. 
  
Project prioritization is based primarily on data and is a starting place for determining the best candidates for funding. There are separate project prioritization processes for each category in MoDOT’s funding distribution method.  
+
For long-range planning, MoDOT provides data, takes part in the MPO’s prioritization process and develops cost estimates for needs that have been prioritized for inclusion into the plan. MoDOT also inform the plan’s development by providing critical information from the analysis and outcomes of its annual Asset Management planning efforts. A more in-depth description of what MoDOT contributes to the regional planning process is presented in [[#121.2.3 Data|EPG 121.2.3 Data]].
  
Project prioritization places projects into these categories:
+
In the non-urban, or rural areas, transportation planning and needs identification are done in collaboration with the state’s RPCs.  Each RPC has a Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) which meets on a regular basis to discuss transportation issues and identify needs within their respective areas.  These TACs are comprised of elected officials, city and county staff, and MoDOT representatives. 
  
* Safety (joint regional/district decision)
+
Transportation needs in the rural areas are identified and provided to the TAC for discussion, consideration and prioritization.  The needs are identified through transportation concerns provided by state, county, and city public officials, and citizens who contact their local officials.  MoDOT also provides pavement, bridge, and safety data to the TACs to help support or establish the transportation needs.  All needs presented to the TAC are documented, and then prioritized for future funding and programming in the STIP.
 +
 
 +
===121.2.7 Prioritize Needs===
 +
Transportation needs are prioritized in each district.  Statewide, this prioritization effort works in concert with the goals of MoDOT’s [http://www2.modot.org/LRTP/ LRTP]. The prioritization efforts within individual MPOs also reflect the goals of their MTPs or LRTPs.  MoDOT districts and planning partners work together to annually identify, discuss and then prioritize each district’s needs. Each district has the flexibility to prioritize their needs using a method they have agreed upon.  Examples include, but are not limited to:
  
* Taking care of the system (joint regional/district decision)
+
* Scoring needs against performance measures; such as safety, congestion, traffic volume, condition, etc.
 +
* Multi-voting
 +
* Ranking needs high, medium, low and then assigning points to each category to end up with a prioritized list.   
  
* Regional and emerging needs (joint regional/district decision)
+
Each time needs are prioritized, the previously identified needs will be re-evaluated. Some higher priority needs may never be designed or constructed due to prohibitive costs, changing priorities or for other valid reasons.
 +
 +
===121.2.8 High Priority Unfunded Needs List===
 +
MoDOT maintains a list of [https://www.modot.org/media/23411 high priority unfunded needs].  This list is used to demonstrate the identified needs around the state and includes roadway and bridge projects estimated at approximately $2 billion over both Tier 1 and Tier 2 and approximately $300 million in prioritized multimodal needs
  
* Major projects – system expansion (regional input for statewide decision)
+
Through the planning process, MoDOT staff work with the planning partners to identify and prioritize regional needs.  These prioritized regional needs include both roadway and bridge items as well as multimodal needs.  Each region provides their prioritized needs to the district.  The district will add the appropriate needs to the unfunded needs list.  The prioritization process is intentionally flexible in order to allow each district and region the ability to adopt a process that functions adequately and can be molded to their desired approach.
  
* Interstates (regional input for statewide decision)
+
Since the unfunded needs list is intended to represent just a portion of the needs in a district, the overall list for roadway and bridge needs and multimodal needs, is constrained to approximately $2 billion and $300 million respectively.  The total value of the associated scoping estimates for all listed needs in each region correlates to each district’s distribution formula for both categories of work, road and bridge and multimodal.  For example, if a district receives 10% of distributed funds, the total value of all projects included in Tier 1 and Tier 2 roadway and bridge needs would be approximately $50 million for Tier 1 and $150 million for Tier 2. Similarly, if a district receives 10% of distributed funds, the total value of all projects included in their multimodal need’s identification would be approximately $30 million.
  
 +
Additional specific guidance on the unfunded needs list targets is provided to the districts prior to the start of the effort
 +
to develop the lists.  The high priority unfunded needs list process starts once the draft STIP is created and it is finalized in the fall of each year to be taken to the Missouri Highway Transportation Commission (MHTC), usually around November. 
  
====<center>''Table 121.2.5.1 Prioritization Process – Taking Care of the System Projects''</center>====
+
===121.2.9 Identify and Estimate Specific Improvements===
 +
The scoping process for specific improvements to address a need begins after all needs are prioritized.  During this process, needs are analyzed to identify efficient and cost-effective transportation improvements.  This process involves:
  
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
+
* Determining the root causes of the transportation problem, issue or concern;
|+
+
* Developing a range of possible improvements;
! style="background:#9933FF" colspan="2"|This process applies to all areas of the state
+
* Reviewing the social, historical, economic, energy, environmental and other pertinent impacts;
|-
+
* Evaluating, estimating, and choosing the preferred improvement;
! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Access to Opportunity
+
* Setting the improvement’s physical limits;
|-
+
* Accurately estimating the preferred improvement’s cost for programming; and
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0% minimum – 20% maximum
+
* Forecasting the improvement’s delivery schedule.  
|-
 
| Eliminate Bike/Ped Barriers (ADA)|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|Vehicle Ownership|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"|  50 pts
 
|-
 
| Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Congestion Relief
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0% minimum – 20% maximum
 
|-
 
|Level of Service|| align="center"| 75 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Economic Competitiveness
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0% minimum – 20% maximum
 
|-
 
|Strategic Economic Corridor || align="center"|30 pts
 
|-
 
|Level of Economic Distress|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Efficient Movement of Freight
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0% minimum – 20% maximum
 
|-
 
|Truck Volume|| align="center"| 90 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Quality of Communities
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0% minimum – 20% maximum
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 100 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Environmental Protection
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0% minimum – 20% maximum
 
|-
 
|Environmental Index || align="center"|50 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Safety
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 25% maximum
 
|-
 
|Safety Index|| align="center"| 70 pts
 
|-
 
|Safety Concern || align="center"|10 pts
 
|-
 
|Safety Enhancements || align="center"|10 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Taking Care of the System
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  75% minimum – 95% manximum
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Roadway
 
|-
 
|Pavement Smoothness|| align="center"| 30 pts
 
|-
 
|Pavement Condition|| align="center"|  20 pts
 
|-
 
|Functional Classification|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
|Daily Usage (all vehicles) || align="center"|10 pts
 
|-
 
|Truck Usage ||align="center"|10 pts
 
|-
 
|Substandard Roadway Features ||align="center"|10 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|-OR-
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Bridge
 
|-
 
| Bridge Condition || align="center"|40 pts
 
|-
 
|Exceptional Bridge ||align="center"|10 pts
 
|-
 
|Functional Classification|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
|Daily Usage (all vehicles) || align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
|Truck Usage|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
|Substandard Bridge ||align="center"|10 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
| Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|[[121.5 Prioritization Factors|Prioritization Factors]] explains what each factor is.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|MoDOT districts allocate 20% of the weight among investment goals.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|“District factors/flexible points” may be used to capture unique conditions important to individual regions or can be allocated among existing factors.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|The total weight of all investment goals must equal 100% while meeting minimum and maximum percentages.
 
|}
 
  
 +
The scoping process helps determine the most complete, cost-effective improvements early in [https://epg.modot.org/index.php/Category:138_Project_Development_Chronology project development]. [https://epg.modot.org/index.php/104.8_Public_Involvement_in_Project_Scoping Public involvement] in defining the needs and determining the appropriate improvement can take several forms. The public may actually initiate the investigation of needs by contacting MoDOT or its other planning partners. The public, through local officials, is represented in the scoping process. After viable needs have been identified, the needs move on to the improvement prioritization process as allowed by available funding.
  
 +
===121.2.10 Programming Improvements===
 +
The available funding for transportation system improvements is detailed in the [http://www2.modot.org/guidetotransportation/documents/CompleteGuide.pdf Citizen’s Guide to Transportation Funding in Missouri]. The adopted funding distribution formula outlines the allocation of construction funds to each of the MoDOT districts.  This formula is updated and adopted by the Missouri Highway Transportation Commission (MHTC).
  
====<center>''Table 121.2.5.2 Prioritization Process – Safety Projects''</center>====
+
MoDOT, MPOs and RPCs determine which high priority transportation needs should be funded for improvements. Project selection considers not only the priority list, but also the amounts of available funding and type of funding available (fiscal constraint), project timing and coordination with other projects, and opportunities to obtain funding from other sources, such as federal discretionary funding or cost sharing with another agency or entity. The improvements that are selected for funding are included in MoDOT’s five-year [https://epg.modot.org/index.php/121.3_The_Statewide_Transportation_Improvement_Program_(STIP) Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)], and also in each MPO’s Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs), where applicable. The STIP and TIPs set forth the specific transportation system improvements that will be completed during a four- to five-year period. The STIP and TIPs are rolling plans; as one year is completed, another year is added. MoDOT’s STIP aligns with the state’s fiscal year (SFY), which begins on July 1<sup>st</sup> and ends on June 30<sup>th</sup> of the following calendar year. MPO TIPs may use the state’s fiscal year, or the federal fiscal year (FFY), which begins on October 1, and ends on September 30<sup>th</sup> of the following calendar year, or an alternative cycle, although following the state or federal fiscal year is preferred.
  
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
+
Each year, the Draft STIP is presented to the Missouri Highway Transportation Commission (MHTC) in May, followed by a 30-day public comment period. A final STIP is taken to the MHTC for approval each July.  
|+
 
! style="background:#FF0000" colspan="2"|This process applies to all areas of the state
 
|-
 
! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Access to Opportunity
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0%
 
|-
 
! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Congestion Relief
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  10%
 
|-
 
|Daily Usage|| align="center"| 90 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 10 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Economic Competitiveness
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0%
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Efficient Movement of Freight
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0%
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Quality of Communities
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0%
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Environmental Protection
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0%
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Safety
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  90%
 
|-
 
|Safety Index|| align="center"| 40 pts
 
|-
 
|Accident Severity|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|Accident Rate|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|Safety Concern || align="center"|5 pts
 
|-
 
|Safety Enhancements || align="center"|5 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 5 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Taking Care of the System
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  0%
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|[[121.5 Prioritization Factors|Prioritization Factors]] explains what each factor is.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|Since this process is more data intensive and requires a higher degree of statewide consistency, the investment factors are fixed.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|“District factors/flexible points” may be used to capture unique conditions important to individual regions or can be allocated among existing factors.
 
|}
 
  
 +
Once an improvement is added to MoDOT’s STIP, it is a commitment and, barring unforeseen circumstances, it will be delivered.
  
====<center>''Table 121.2.5.3 Prioritization Process – Regional and Emerging Needs Projects''</center>====
+
===121.2.11 Communicating Outcomes===
 +
The fundamental purpose of the planning framework includes communicating needs and priorities, providing opportunities for input and providing guidance in the project planning and development process. It is therefore critical that communication continues throughout the process and results are conveyed back to the planning partners as progress is made. 
  
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
+
Whether a project is identified through a district’s traditional prioritization process or is included on the High Priority Unfunded Needs list, the associated outcome for each applicable identified need should be communicated to the planning partners.  
|+
 
! style="background:#99FF00" colspan="2"| This process does not apply to Transportation Management Areas (TMA) areas
 
|-
 
! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Access to Opportunity
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% maximum
 
|-
 
| Eliminate Bike/Ped Barriers (ADA)|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|Vehicle Ownership|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"|  50 pts
 
|-
 
| Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Congestion Relief
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 50% maximum
 
|-
 
|Level of Service|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|Daily Usage|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|Functional Classification|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|System Efficiency (without expansion)|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Economic Competitiveness
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% maximum
 
|-
 
|Supports a Strategic Economic Corridor || align="center"|20 pts
 
|-
 
|Level of Economic Distress|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|Supports Regional Economic Development Plans|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 40 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Efficient Movement of Freight
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% maximum
 
|-
 
|Truck Volume|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
|-
 
|Freight Bottlenecks|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Quality of Communities
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% maximum
 
|-
 
|Complies with Local/Regional Land-Use Plans|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|Connectivity|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Environmental Protection
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% maximum
 
|-
 
|Environmental Index || align="center"|50 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Safety
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  15% minimum – 40% maximum
 
|-
 
|Safety Index|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
|-
 
|Safety Concern || align="center"|25 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Taking Care of the System
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5% minimum – 30% manximum
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Roadway
 
|-
 
| Bridge Condition (of bridge to be replaced) ‘‘’OR’’’ Pavement Condition (of lanes to be replaced)|| align="center"|25 pts
 
|-
 
|Substandard Roadway ‘’’OR’’’ Substandard Bridge Features ||align="center"|25 pts
 
|-
 
|District Factors/Flexible Points|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|[[121.5 Prioritization Factors|Prioritization Factors]] explains what each factor is.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|MoDOT districts allocate 50% of the weight among investment goals.  Also, “district factors/flexible points” may be used to capture unique conditions important to individual regions or can be allocated among existing factors.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|All investment goals must meet the minimum and maximum percentages.  But the point values for each factor are recommendations and may be changed at the district’s discretion.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|The total weight of all investment goals must equal 100%.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|MPOs designated as TMAs may develop their own functional needs prioritization process, subject to certification by MoDOT.
 
|}
 
  
 +
Projects committed to the STIP at the annual update would be removed from the high priority unfunded needs list as part of the subsequent district needs prioritization effort.  At that time, the district’s high priority unfunded needs should be re-evaluated, and changes made if or when necessary.
  
 +
===121.2.12 Outreach and Engagement Communication Efforts===
 +
====121.2.12.1 Engage the Traditionally Underserved====
 +
MoDOT plans to provide meaningful public involvement opportunities to traditionally underserved populations. Limited transportation access, childcare necessities, work schedules, access to technological tools and language barriers are just some of the hurdles that can keep underserved populations from attending workshops and focus groups.
  
====<center>''Table 121.2.5.4 Prioritization Process – System Expansion Major Projects''</center>====
+
Effective strategies to ensure that all communities are engaged and understand how the planning processes are relevant to them, must be used.  These would include those strategies aimed at traditionally underserved or underrepresented communities including: actively engaging members at community gathering places; advertising in non-traditional media; providing outreach materials at transit facilities; providing diverse kinds of communication formats; and communicating through trusted community leaders.  Additionally, consideration should be given to any available opportunities for partnership with organizations whose primary focus is working with underserved populations that could potentially enhance the outreach and engagement effort.
 +
 +
====121.2.12.2 Use Diverse Outreach Tools====
 +
MoDOT recognizes the importance of reaching a broad spectrum of the public and that doing so requires a wide range of outreach techniques.
  
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
+
The following techniques and tools are potential methods that may be used during public outreach and participation efforts. Many of these tools can be customized (or provisions made) to allow those with visual, hearing or other disabilities to participate in the public outreach efforts.
|+
 
! style="background:#FF9900" colspan="2"| New major roadway, new bridge and roadway expansion projects. This process does not apply to Transportation Management Areas (TMA) areas.
 
|-
 
! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Access to Opportunity
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5%
 
|-
 
|Vehicle Ownership|| align="center"| 75 pts
 
|-
 
| Eliminate Bike/Ped Barriers (ADA)|| align="center"| 25 pts
 
|-
 
| Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
! colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Congestion Relief
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  30%
 
|-
 
|Level of Service|| align="center"| 40 pts
 
|-
 
|Daily Usage|| align="center"| 30 pts
 
|-
 
|Functional Classification|| align="center"| 30 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Economic Competitiveness
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  15%
 
|-
 
|Strategic Economic Corridor || align="center"|40 pts
 
|-
 
|Level of Economic Distress|| align="center"| 30 pts
 
|-
 
|Supports Regional Economic Development Plans|| align="center"| 30 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Efficient Movement of Freight
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5%
 
|-
 
|Truck Volume|| align="center"| 60 pts
 
|-
 
|Freight Bottleneck|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|Intermodal Freight Connectivity|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Quality of Communities
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5%
 
|-
 
| Complies with Local/Regional Land-Use Plans|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
|-
 
|Connectivity between cities/regions|| align="center"| 50 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Environmental Protection
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5%
 
|-
 
|Environmental Impact || align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Safety
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  30%
 
|-
 
|Safety Index|| align="center"| 80 pts
 
|-
 
|Safety Concern || align="center"|20 pts
 
|-
 
|Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
!  colspan="2" style="background:#BEBEBE"|Taking Care of the System
 
|-
 
! colspan="2"|Weight:  5%
 
|-
 
| Bridge Condition (of bridge(s) to be replaced/rehabbed) || align="center"|40 pts
 
|-
 
|Pavement Condition (of lanes to be replaced/rehabbed) ||align="center"|40 pts
 
|-
 
|Substandard Roadway Features|| align="center"| 20 pts
 
|-
 
| Total|| align="center"|100 pts
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"|[[121.5 Prioritization Factors|Prioritization Factors]] explains what each factor is.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2"| Since this process requires statewide consistency, the investment goal weights are fixed.
 
|}
 
  
Starting with the needs prioritization results, MoDOT, MPOs and RPCs divide projects into three categories.  
+
* Websites
 +
* Mainstream and non-traditional media outreach (including non-English or ethnic focused)
 +
* Email Groups
 +
* Focus Groups
 +
* Comprehensive Database of Stakeholder Groups
 +
* Printed Materials and other Media
 +
* Presentation to Local or Statewide Stakeholder Groups
 +
* Connecting with trusted community leaders
 +
* Regional Workshops
 +
* Additional Tools
 +
::o Podcasting
 +
::o Webcasting
 +
::o    Blogging
 +
::o Web-posted videos
 +
::o Social Media
 +
::o Newsletters
 +
::o Surveys
 +
::o Online Public Meetings.
  
* High Priority – These projects are the first to be selected for commitment to right of way purchases and construction.  
+
Selected methods for specific planning activities should be based on available resources, time constraints and applicability. As the digital divide can also be a barrier to access, consideration should be given to using multiple approaches which cover a broad spectrum of accessibility.  As the public engagement process progresses, a schedule of public participation activities will be posted on the planning partner’s websites.  
  
* Medium Priority – These projects may be addressed as additional resources become available.  
+
Outreach efforts should consider including language assistance to participants whose first language is not English, providing documents in alternate formats to those with sensory disabilities, and provide disability assistance at workshops/public meetings.  These strategies might include sign language interpretation, large print document version, non-English interpretation or other approaches which can improve engagement and information sharing.  Workshops, meetings and focus groups should be open to as many people as possible by choosing easily accessible locations and accommodating nontraditional work schedules.
  
* Low Priority – No work for these projects at this time.  
+
===121.2.13  Partner Satisfaction Survey===
 +
MoDOT has an annual partner survey independently conducted to collect satisfaction data from transportation planning partners. This survey is sent across the state including but not limited to MPOs, RPCs, elected officials and municipal employees. MoDOT encourages its planning partners to give open and honest feedback to find ways to continually improve partnerships and processes. The results of the survey are compiled into a comprehensive report that measures the overall satisfaction and feedback received from all survey respondents.  
  
The high priority project list is fiscally constrained to five years of funding and is not a commitment for construction. Each time projects are prioritized, existing projects not yet programmed for construction will be re-evaluated. Some high priority projects may never be constructed due to prohibitive costs, changing priorities or other reasons. If MoDOT and its planning partners unanimously agree that a project no longer addresses a valid need, it will be removed from the priority project list, freeing resources for other projects.  
+
The survey results are used to evaluate the performance and the effectiveness of the partnership with our planning partners and to determine opportunities to improve MoDOT’s outreach and coordination efforts.  
  
MoDOT districts, local officials and planning partners review the project prioritization processes each year. Every completely scoped project will be prioritized and there is a steady flow of projects ready for prioritization each year. Only high priority projects are selected for the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), thus committing them for construction.
+
 
 
Refer to MoDOT’s [http://www.modot.mo.gov/plansandprojects/planning_projects/documents/PG_march102504.pdf Practitioner’s Guide] for further information on specific project prioritization processes.
 
 
 
[[image:121.2.jpg|center|775px]]
 
  
 
[[Category:121 Project Planning, Prioritization and STIP Commitments|121.02]]
 
[[Category:121 Project Planning, Prioritization and STIP Commitments|121.02]]

Revision as of 09:09, 26 October 2021

MoDOT is committed to working with local officials, citizens and stakeholders to help determine the right transportation solutions for their communities. MoDOT recognizes that a transparent, inclusive and flexible process produces the best outcomes.

MoDOT includes planning partners, transportation stakeholders and the general public in the process to identify the highest priority needs and improvements statewide and in each district. This process, referred to as the Planning Framework, relies on the right people being involved in discussing and evaluating needs and then making decisions on those needs that should move forward for more detailed evaluation as potential projects.

Because Missouri has significantly more transportation needs than funds available, the Planning Framework provides a process to determine which priorities should receive the limited available funding each year.

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Figure 121.2, The Planning Framework’s Needs Prioritization Process

121.2.1 Public Involvement

Missourians have a say in how transportation dollars are spent. The most common way for citizens to be involved is through public meetings that MoDOT, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and regional planning commissions (RPCs) hold throughout the planning and project development processes.

The public may participate in discussing the needs and proposed improvements in their communities during any publicly held meeting by MoDOT, MPO, RPC, City and/or County governmental entity. Outreach methods to engage minority and economically disadvantaged residents, as well as other groups such as the elderly, individuals with disabilities, economic development interests, and historical and environmental groups should also be used.

The public is also invited to make comments regarding proposed projects during the draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) comment periods.

The development of quality transportation improvements depends on early, often and continuous involvement of the public in decisions. Public involvement allows MoDOT to gather real, valid input on transportation needs.

121.2.2 Transportation Planning Partners and Stakeholders

MoDOT focuses on involvement by local officials and community leaders within metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and regional planning commissions (RPCs).

MPO’s are created by Federal Statute 23 CFR 450.210 (also view Title 49 USC Chapter 53). MPO’s represent urbanized areas with populations of more than 50,000. They are responsible for transportation planning within their areas. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) shall designate each urbanized area with a population of over 200,000 individuals as a Transportation Management Area (TMA) as defined by the Bureau of the Census.

RPCs are created by Missouri RSMo. 251.150 to 251.440. RPCs represent multi-county rural regions and coordinate with regional local governments in community affairs, including transportation planning.

MoDOT consults with metropolitan and non-metropolitan planning agencies on substantive changes to the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and other statewide transportation plans and programs as required by 23 CFR 450.120(b).

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Figure 121.2.2, Missouri’s MPOs and RPCs

121.2.3 Data

Missouri has the seventh largest state highway system in the United States. As established by state law, MoDOT is responsible for maintaining Missouri’s highway system. That system is comprised of over 10,300 bridges and more than 33,000 miles of highways. Other significant infrastructure components of this vast system include culverts, retaining walls, noise walls, large structural signs, high mast lighting poles and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) devices along Interstates and other major roadways throughout the system.

As the primary recipient of federal and state funding for transportation, MoDOT is required to comply with established data gathering and reporting requirements and protocols for the entire system. These include the performance measures described in EPG 121.2.7 Prioritize Needs. On an annual basis, MoDOT must report the condition of its highways and bridges to FHWA through FHWA’s Highway Performance Monitoring System and the National Bridge Inventory, respectively. MoDOT is also required to report its use of safety funds and the improvement results gained from the use of these funds.

MoDOT regularly collects a wide array of data and information on its transportation system. From daily traffic operations in Missouri’s large urban centers to traffic counts on lesser traveled roads in non-urban areas of the state, data collection and analysis are integral to MoDOT’s operation and maintenance of the system. Data is collected primarily through field inspections. For congestion in the urban areas, data is collected electronically through RITIS and other ITS data gathering technologies. Here is a representative cross-section of data MoDOT regularly collects about the system and its performance. (See EPG 171.11 Roadside Appurtenances and EPG 145 Transportation Management Systems (TMS) for a comprehensive listing.)

  • Highway travel – vehicle miles of travel, including seasonal travel and truck volumes
  • Bridge condition – all structural elements
  • Pavement and roadside appurtenances condition – subsurface and surface, signs, guardrail, median barriers, end terminals, fences, etc.
  • Safety – crash data including roadway geometrics, road surface condition, railroad crossings, sign posts and work zones
  • Truck permitting – oversized loads
  • Environmental - noise, wetlands, archaeological and cultural, erosion control
  • Operations and maintenance – snow, grass and weed control, roadside debris.

The main repository for most of this data is MoDOT’s Transportation Management System (TMS). Data is analyzed, data sets are created and used by MoDOT staff, its senior leadership and planning partners to prioritize needs and help shape policy. For example, MPOs rely on traffic and other system condition data as input for regional demand modeling, to set regional long-range transportation goals and for congestion management processes. TMS data can also be produced in graphical format as well as in interactive tools such as DataZone for planning scenario purposes. Data is also used by MoDOT district staff as well as private sector partners (primarily engineering consulting firms, for example) to conduct traffic impact studies, corridor analyses and major environmental studies on MoDOT’s behalf. As mentioned previously, MoDOT uses TMS generated data to analyze and set performance benchmarks and for accountability reporting. For example, MoDOT’s performance Tracker is an accountability tool used throughout MoDOT and available to the public. On a quarterly basis, MoDOT staff and senior leadership report on an array of performance measures provided through Tracker. MoDOT also uses TMS and other data to monitor trends for accountability reporting and for strategic initiatives and continuous improvement processes as reported in FOCUS. Information is regularly shared with planning partners, providing critical information not just for their planning and needs prioritization processes but for their own performance-based reporting purposes.

For modeling and other specialized needs, electronic databases, GIS files, spreadsheets, customized reports and interactive maps are made available to planning partners upon their request.

121.2.4 Performance Management

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act, enacted in 2012, emphasized performance management within the Federal-aid highway program and transit programs and required use of performance-based approaches to statewide, metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan transportation planning. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, enacted in 2015, reaffirmed the requirements established by MAP-21.

Transportation Performance Management (TPM) is a strategic approach that uses system information to make investment and policy decisions to achieve national performance goals.

It includes seven national Federal highway program performance goals as established by Congress:

  • Safety - To achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads.
  • Infrastructure Condition - To maintain the highway infrastructure asset system in a state of good repair
  • Congestion Reduction - To achieve a significant reduction in congestion on the National Highway System
  • System Reliability - To improve the efficiency of the surface transportation system
  • Freight Movement and Economic Vitality - To improve the national freight network, strengthen the ability of rural communities to access national and international trade markets, and support regional economic development.

TPM also includes new Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements of States, MPOs and transit agencies.

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Figure 121.2.4.1, Six Elements of TPM Roles and Responsibilities
  • USDOT
– Performance Measure Rules include:
• Establish measures; identify data sources; define metrics
• Report to Congress
• Stewardship and oversight
• States, MPOs and transit agencies
– Establish targets
– Support national goals in the planning process and consider measures and targets in plans and programs
– Report progress to USDOT (States and transit agencies)

Performance-based planning and programming (PBPP) refers to the application of performance management within the planning and programming processes of transportation agencies to achieve desired performance outcomes for the multimodal transportation system. This includes a range of activities and products undertaken by a transportation agency together with other agencies, stakeholders, and the public as part of a 3C (cooperative, continuing and comprehensive) process. It includes development of: long range transportation plans (LRTPs), other plans and processes (including those Federally-required, such as Strategic Highway Safety Plans, Asset Management Plans, the Congestion Management Process, Transit Agency Asset Management Plans and Transit Agency Safety Plans, as well as others that are not required), and programming documents, including state and metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs (STIPs and TIPs). PBPP attempts to ensure that transportation investment decisions are made – both in long-term planning and short-term programming of projects – based on their ability to meet established goals.

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Figure 121.2.4.2, How PBPP Stages Fit Within a Traditional Planning and Programming Process

MPOs must ensure the new TPM requirements are met based on the final rules established by USDOT. Details on these requirements are available in the links below:

In an effort to ensure outstanding communication and collaboration on performance management with our planning partners, MoDOT holds a monthly MAP-21/FAST Act performance management webinar. In addition to the Missouri MPOs, MoDOT invites DOT representatives from the States that share MPOs with Missouri, regional staff from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), FHWA and FTA staff from neighboring states and the regional planning commissions. The webinars serve to ensure continued education on performance management and to advise all parties of upcoming deadlines and requirements.

121.2.5 Establish Vision

Missouri’s vision for its transportation future is best articulated by the five goals in MoDOT’s LRTP namely:

  • Take care of the existing transportation system
  • Provide for the safety of all users of the system regardless of the mode of travel
  • Make investments in the system that spur economic growth and development
  • Provide better transportation choices, and
  • Improve the reliability of the system and reduce congestion on the system.

These goals, in turn, are guided by MoDOT’s mission; and they are actualized in a manner consistent with MoDOT’s values.

The vision is defined and set, collaboratively, by MoDOT and a host of partners and stakeholders from across the state. Partners and stakeholders include Missouri’s 23 MPOs and RPCs, special interest groups and engaged citizens, all of whom participate in this open and transparent process of vision setting. Thus, the statewide LRTP reflects the goals Missourians have said are important to them.

Building upon this foundation, MoDOT has produced several other important documents to help translate Missouri’s transportation vision into actionable results. These include:

Perhaps the two most important documents for producing actionable results are MoDOT’s Asset Management Plan (AMP) and its Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The AMP quantifies asset management needs across the system and their associated costs. Goals are established for the three major asset types – pavements, bridges and mobility. It is both a strategic and tactical plan in that it identifies specific types of work, bridge square footage, lane miles, treatments, etc. In essence, it is a ten-year plan for keeping Missouri’s infrastructure assets in good condition.

Each district is required to develop an AMP. District plans must clearly define how, given the limited funding available to them, they intend to meet established system condition goals for assets types or categories. These plans must also include the districts’ strategy for meeting their ADA Transition Plan commitments by 2027 (see Tracker Measure 5G).

The STIP is MoDOT’s rolling five-year investment program. It is MoDOT’s tangible commitment, to the citizens of Missouri, for how it will maintain the system in good condition. The STIP lists all projects to be worked on during a given five-year period within each of MoDOT’s seven geographic districts. The STIP provides specific project descriptions, project estimates and project schedules. It is approved annually by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. Both the AMP and STIP are updated annually.

Both of the aforementioned MPOs and RPCs were established by federal and state law, respectively. They were created to help communities and regions set vision and goals for themselves. MPOs were established by federal law more than 50 years ago. Missouri’s Regional Planning Commissions were established by the Regional Planning and Community Development Act of 1965.

MPOs are responsible for developing long-term transportation plans (which typically cover a 20-year time period) called Metropolitan Transportation Plans (MTPs) or regional long-range transportation plans (LRTPs), which identify the needs and aspirations of the communities they represent. They also develop shorter (typically three- to four-year) Transportation Improvement Plans (TIPs) for their respective geographic areas, which identify the specific projects which are planned throughout the region.

RPCs are composed of locally elected officials, city and county staff, MoDOT representatives, and citizens – many of whom may have an interest in transportation issues if not a background in transportation itself. These organizations are structured to include a board of directors and technical advisory or other standing committees that facilitate the prioritization of needs. Daily operations, including work tasks are carried out by technical and professional staff of these organizations. As previously mentioned, these organizations collaborate with MoDOT to help establish Missouri’s transportation vison.

121.2.6 Identify Needs

MoDOT identifies transportation system needs through the framework of the LRTP process. However, to satisfy federal and other requirements, MoDOT also performs or conducts systematic inspections to monitoring and evaluating system condition. The results are used to better evaluate and prioritize needs. Through their own local and regional collaborative planning processes, MPOs and RPCs also play significant roles in identifying needs; and they work, collaboratively with MoDOT’s seven district offices to prioritize needs.

MoDOT uses its knowledge of the existing system to determine needs that develop throughout the system. Each district uses its pavement, bridge, maintenance, traffic and safety experts to regularly gather system condition and performance information, analyze that information, and to both quantify and clarify needs based on data collected for the system. Additionally, data may be collected through studies or field investigations conducted by MoDOT. The aim is to identify and define corridor- or roadway-specific problems and improvement needs. Identifying, analyzing, and quantifying needs are routine system performance monitoring practices conducted by MoDOT.

Metropolitan Transportation planning, including identifying and prioritizing needs, in the state’s urban areas located within metropolitan planning areas (MPA), are the responsibility of MPOs. MPOs are required, by law, to carry out three major planning functions: development of a long-range plan; development and management of a TIP - generally covering four years; and a Unified Planning Work Program - which lays out the annual tasks and activities of the MPO’s staff. MPO staff work collaboratively with MoDOT districts on each of these major areas of responsibility.

For long-range planning, MoDOT provides data, takes part in the MPO’s prioritization process and develops cost estimates for needs that have been prioritized for inclusion into the plan. MoDOT also inform the plan’s development by providing critical information from the analysis and outcomes of its annual Asset Management planning efforts. A more in-depth description of what MoDOT contributes to the regional planning process is presented in EPG 121.2.3 Data.

In the non-urban, or rural areas, transportation planning and needs identification are done in collaboration with the state’s RPCs. Each RPC has a Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) which meets on a regular basis to discuss transportation issues and identify needs within their respective areas. These TACs are comprised of elected officials, city and county staff, and MoDOT representatives.

Transportation needs in the rural areas are identified and provided to the TAC for discussion, consideration and prioritization. The needs are identified through transportation concerns provided by state, county, and city public officials, and citizens who contact their local officials. MoDOT also provides pavement, bridge, and safety data to the TACs to help support or establish the transportation needs. All needs presented to the TAC are documented, and then prioritized for future funding and programming in the STIP.

121.2.7 Prioritize Needs

Transportation needs are prioritized in each district. Statewide, this prioritization effort works in concert with the goals of MoDOT’s LRTP. The prioritization efforts within individual MPOs also reflect the goals of their MTPs or LRTPs. MoDOT districts and planning partners work together to annually identify, discuss and then prioritize each district’s needs. Each district has the flexibility to prioritize their needs using a method they have agreed upon. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Scoring needs against performance measures; such as safety, congestion, traffic volume, condition, etc.
  • Multi-voting
  • Ranking needs high, medium, low and then assigning points to each category to end up with a prioritized list.

Each time needs are prioritized, the previously identified needs will be re-evaluated. Some higher priority needs may never be designed or constructed due to prohibitive costs, changing priorities or for other valid reasons.

121.2.8 High Priority Unfunded Needs List

MoDOT maintains a list of high priority unfunded needs. This list is used to demonstrate the identified needs around the state and includes roadway and bridge projects estimated at approximately $2 billion over both Tier 1 and Tier 2 and approximately $300 million in prioritized multimodal needs.

Through the planning process, MoDOT staff work with the planning partners to identify and prioritize regional needs. These prioritized regional needs include both roadway and bridge items as well as multimodal needs. Each region provides their prioritized needs to the district. The district will add the appropriate needs to the unfunded needs list. The prioritization process is intentionally flexible in order to allow each district and region the ability to adopt a process that functions adequately and can be molded to their desired approach.

Since the unfunded needs list is intended to represent just a portion of the needs in a district, the overall list for roadway and bridge needs and multimodal needs, is constrained to approximately $2 billion and $300 million respectively. The total value of the associated scoping estimates for all listed needs in each region correlates to each district’s distribution formula for both categories of work, road and bridge and multimodal. For example, if a district receives 10% of distributed funds, the total value of all projects included in Tier 1 and Tier 2 roadway and bridge needs would be approximately $50 million for Tier 1 and $150 million for Tier 2. Similarly, if a district receives 10% of distributed funds, the total value of all projects included in their multimodal need’s identification would be approximately $30 million.

Additional specific guidance on the unfunded needs list targets is provided to the districts prior to the start of the effort to develop the lists. The high priority unfunded needs list process starts once the draft STIP is created and it is finalized in the fall of each year to be taken to the Missouri Highway Transportation Commission (MHTC), usually around November.

121.2.9 Identify and Estimate Specific Improvements

The scoping process for specific improvements to address a need begins after all needs are prioritized. During this process, needs are analyzed to identify efficient and cost-effective transportation improvements. This process involves:

  • Determining the root causes of the transportation problem, issue or concern;
  • Developing a range of possible improvements;
  • Reviewing the social, historical, economic, energy, environmental and other pertinent impacts;
  • Evaluating, estimating, and choosing the preferred improvement;
  • Setting the improvement’s physical limits;
  • Accurately estimating the preferred improvement’s cost for programming; and
  • Forecasting the improvement’s delivery schedule.

The scoping process helps determine the most complete, cost-effective improvements early in project development. Public involvement in defining the needs and determining the appropriate improvement can take several forms. The public may actually initiate the investigation of needs by contacting MoDOT or its other planning partners. The public, through local officials, is represented in the scoping process. After viable needs have been identified, the needs move on to the improvement prioritization process as allowed by available funding.

121.2.10 Programming Improvements

The available funding for transportation system improvements is detailed in the Citizen’s Guide to Transportation Funding in Missouri. The adopted funding distribution formula outlines the allocation of construction funds to each of the MoDOT districts. This formula is updated and adopted by the Missouri Highway Transportation Commission (MHTC).

MoDOT, MPOs and RPCs determine which high priority transportation needs should be funded for improvements. Project selection considers not only the priority list, but also the amounts of available funding and type of funding available (fiscal constraint), project timing and coordination with other projects, and opportunities to obtain funding from other sources, such as federal discretionary funding or cost sharing with another agency or entity. The improvements that are selected for funding are included in MoDOT’s five-year Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and also in each MPO’s Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs), where applicable. The STIP and TIPs set forth the specific transportation system improvements that will be completed during a four- to five-year period. The STIP and TIPs are rolling plans; as one year is completed, another year is added. MoDOT’s STIP aligns with the state’s fiscal year (SFY), which begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th of the following calendar year. MPO TIPs may use the state’s fiscal year, or the federal fiscal year (FFY), which begins on October 1, and ends on September 30th of the following calendar year, or an alternative cycle, although following the state or federal fiscal year is preferred.

Each year, the Draft STIP is presented to the Missouri Highway Transportation Commission (MHTC) in May, followed by a 30-day public comment period. A final STIP is taken to the MHTC for approval each July.

Once an improvement is added to MoDOT’s STIP, it is a commitment and, barring unforeseen circumstances, it will be delivered.

121.2.11 Communicating Outcomes

The fundamental purpose of the planning framework includes communicating needs and priorities, providing opportunities for input and providing guidance in the project planning and development process. It is therefore critical that communication continues throughout the process and results are conveyed back to the planning partners as progress is made.

Whether a project is identified through a district’s traditional prioritization process or is included on the High Priority Unfunded Needs list, the associated outcome for each applicable identified need should be communicated to the planning partners.

Projects committed to the STIP at the annual update would be removed from the high priority unfunded needs list as part of the subsequent district needs prioritization effort. At that time, the district’s high priority unfunded needs should be re-evaluated, and changes made if or when necessary.

121.2.12 Outreach and Engagement Communication Efforts

121.2.12.1 Engage the Traditionally Underserved

MoDOT plans to provide meaningful public involvement opportunities to traditionally underserved populations. Limited transportation access, childcare necessities, work schedules, access to technological tools and language barriers are just some of the hurdles that can keep underserved populations from attending workshops and focus groups.

Effective strategies to ensure that all communities are engaged and understand how the planning processes are relevant to them, must be used. These would include those strategies aimed at traditionally underserved or underrepresented communities including: actively engaging members at community gathering places; advertising in non-traditional media; providing outreach materials at transit facilities; providing diverse kinds of communication formats; and communicating through trusted community leaders. Additionally, consideration should be given to any available opportunities for partnership with organizations whose primary focus is working with underserved populations that could potentially enhance the outreach and engagement effort.

121.2.12.2 Use Diverse Outreach Tools

MoDOT recognizes the importance of reaching a broad spectrum of the public and that doing so requires a wide range of outreach techniques.

The following techniques and tools are potential methods that may be used during public outreach and participation efforts. Many of these tools can be customized (or provisions made) to allow those with visual, hearing or other disabilities to participate in the public outreach efforts.

  • Websites
  • Mainstream and non-traditional media outreach (including non-English or ethnic focused)
  • Email Groups
  • Focus Groups
  • Comprehensive Database of Stakeholder Groups
  • Printed Materials and other Media
  • Presentation to Local or Statewide Stakeholder Groups
  • Connecting with trusted community leaders
  • Regional Workshops
  • Additional Tools
o Podcasting
o Webcasting
o Blogging
o Web-posted videos
o Social Media
o Newsletters
o Surveys
o Online Public Meetings.

Selected methods for specific planning activities should be based on available resources, time constraints and applicability. As the digital divide can also be a barrier to access, consideration should be given to using multiple approaches which cover a broad spectrum of accessibility. As the public engagement process progresses, a schedule of public participation activities will be posted on the planning partner’s websites.

Outreach efforts should consider including language assistance to participants whose first language is not English, providing documents in alternate formats to those with sensory disabilities, and provide disability assistance at workshops/public meetings. These strategies might include sign language interpretation, large print document version, non-English interpretation or other approaches which can improve engagement and information sharing. Workshops, meetings and focus groups should be open to as many people as possible by choosing easily accessible locations and accommodating nontraditional work schedules.

121.2.13 Partner Satisfaction Survey

MoDOT has an annual partner survey independently conducted to collect satisfaction data from transportation planning partners. This survey is sent across the state including but not limited to MPOs, RPCs, elected officials and municipal employees. MoDOT encourages its planning partners to give open and honest feedback to find ways to continually improve partnerships and processes. The results of the survey are compiled into a comprehensive report that measures the overall satisfaction and feedback received from all survey respondents.

The survey results are used to evaluate the performance and the effectiveness of the partnership with our planning partners and to determine opportunities to improve MoDOT’s outreach and coordination efforts.