Section 5: Planning and the Environment
Anchor: #i1008482Overview
Before projects are developed for construction, TxDOT districts, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), transit agencies, and others identify transportation needs through traffic and mobility studies. Projects are developed from identified needs. Planning covers short and long range requirements. As needs are further developed, projects emerge. This section covers the following aspects of planning and the environment:
- plan types
- how environmental considerations fit in.
Plans, Programs and Studies
A project might begin in a system-wide plan (such as a MPO long-range plan). The next step is to further develop Priority 2 [or long range planning status of TxDOT’s unified transportation program (UTP)]. Finally, a project moves to a “three-year plus one year letting” transportation improvement program (TIP) when actual project development is funded. Individual documents shown in the table are linked to additional explanation furnished in the Planning Manual.
|
Transportation Plans, Programs and Studies |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Location |
Type of Document |
Horizon |
|
statewide |
statewide multi-modal transportation plan |
20 years |
|
MPO |
metropolitan transportation plan |
20+ years |
|
district |
district-wide transportation plan |
20+ years |
|
statewide |
unified transportation program |
10 years |
|
MPO |
metro TIP |
three years |
|
district |
district-wide TIP (rural TIP) |
three years |
|
statewide |
statewide TIP (combines rural and metro) |
three years |
|
corridor |
feasibility studies/long range projects/major investment studies/modal analyses |
variable |
Anchor: #i1008516
How Environmental Considerations Fit In
A number of opportunities for consideration of environmental consequences occur in both the planning and the programming stages of project implementation.
- statewide level:
- Environmental considerations are primarily goal-oriented (i.e., preserving air quality, limiting wetland impacts, etc.).
- The statewide plans typically include regional and local projects.
- There are statewide planning efforts for major interstate corridors, such as I-35, and others.
- regional/MPO level:
- Environmental considerations are still primarily goal-oriented (i.e., protecting sensitive environmental resources from development, etc.).
- Important modal decisions are made at the regional/MPO level, and environmental considerations are an important part of those decisions.
- Environmental specialists can provide environmental information to the planning process.
- corridor/sub-corridor level:
- Environmental considerations are often looked at from a “fatal flaw” view.
- Purpose and need are generally established at this point.
- The input of environmental specialists is very appropriate so that major environmental impacts are avoided.
- Input by planners can eliminate redundant work during the environmental process because planners are aware of work that has already been completed.
- For major projects only. Simple added capacity projects
will not undergo corridor analysis.
NOTE: While planning studies provide important information, the NEPA process must be completed before a final route location is approved. Planning studies should typically focus on modal choices and design concept and scope, while the NEPA process should deal with the specific social, economic, and environmental impacts of location and design.