[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 17, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26470-26473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12164]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[FHWA/FTA Docket No. 95-9]
Notification of FY 95 Reviews
AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit
Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: On April 28, 1994, the FHWA and the FTA Administrators jointly
issued guidance to their respective regional administrators on the
implementation of the Federal certification of the metropolitan
planning process in transportation management area (TMA) planning
areas. This notice announces the schedule of FY 1995 reviews as known
at this time. The FHWA and the FTA are planning approximately 45
certification and 12 enhanced planning (EPR) reviews for FY 1995.
Interested parties are invited to submit comments on the individual
planning processes to be reviewed.
DATES: Comments on metropolitan planning processes under review must be
received within sixty (60) days of the scheduled site review in order
to be considered during the certification review process. Where reviews
have already been completed prior to the publication of this notice,
parties interested in commenting on these metropolitan planning
processes should immediately contact Sheldon Edner (see following
paragraph for phone number, address, and further instructions). Where
dates are to be announced, a supplemental notice announcing these dates
will be issued when the specific dates are confirmed.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For FHWA: Mr. Sheldon Edner, Planning
[[Page 26471]] Operations Branch (HEP-21), (202) 366-4066 (metropolitan
planning) or Mr. Reid Alsop, FHWA Office of the Chief Counsel (HCC-31),
(202) 366-1371. For the FTA: Ms. Deborah Burns, Resource Management
Division (TGM-21), (202) 366-1637 or Mr. Scott Biehl, FTA Office of the
Chief Counsel (TCC-40), (202) 366-4063. Office hours for the FHWA are
from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., and for the FTA are from 8:30 a.m.
to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
ADDRESSES: Submit written, signed comments to Docket Number 95-9,
Federal Highway Administration, Room 4232, HCC-10, 400 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20590. All comments received will be available for
examination at this address during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday. Those desiring notification of receipt of
comments must enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sections 1024, 1025, and 3012 of the
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) (Pub. L. 102-
240, 105 Stat. 1914, 1955, 1962, and 2098) amended 23 U.S.C. 134 and
135 and section 8 of the Federal Transit Act (now codified at 49 U.S.C.
5303, 5304, and 5305) to require a continuing, comprehensive, and
coordinated transportation planning process in metropolitan areas and
States. The FHWA and the FTA metropolitan planning regulations
implementing these requirements were published on October 28, 1993 (58
FR 58040). The statutes and the planning regulations cited require the
FHWA and the FTA to periodically certify that the planning process in
metropolitan planning areas designated as transportation management
areas complies with the provisions of the ISTEA and its implementing
regulations.
General
Public Involvement in Certification Process
The FHWA and the FTA are soliciting public comment on the planning
processes of the FY 1995 certification review sites identified below.
The agencies are particularly interested in input regarding the
strengths and weaknesses of the planning process in light of the
requirements identified in 23 CFR 450 Subpart C. Additionally, the
views of local officials and the public are welcomed regarding the use
of the planning process in transportation investment decisions.
Schedule of FY 1995 Certification Reviews
The following schedule is subject to revision. Changes will be
announced in the Federal Register. Parties interested in providing
comments on the metropolitan transportation planning processes in the
identified areas should submit them directly to FHWA/FTA Docket No. 95-
9 identified above, clearly identifying the metropolitan area that the
comments address. Alternatively, interested parties may choose to
provide comments through the individual procedures adopted for each
metropolitan area. Information concerning the citizen input process to
be utilized for each review may be obtained from the appropriate FHWA
division or FTA region office.
Except where the certification review was completed prior to the
publication of this notice, comments on metropolitan planning processes
under review must be received within 60 days after the scheduled review
in order to be considered during the certification review process. The
FHWA and the FTA will make every effort to review comments received
after this period and address them in their findings as long as final
action has not been taken on the certification review. To ensure
consideration of comments, commenters should submit their written
comments as soon as possible.
Where a review was completed prior to publication of this notice,
interested parties wishing to make comments on a particular
certification must contact Sheldon Edner within two weeks of the date
of publication of this notice. Where dates for a planned certification
review have not been established, please contact the appropriate FHWA
Division or FTA region office for the dates. The FHWA and the FTA will
publish a second notice of scheduled fiscal year 1996 review dates as
the remaining review schedules are finalized.
The site visits are intended to provide an opportunity for the FHWA
and FTA review team to solicit information from the metropolitan
planning organizations (MPO), State DOTs and transit agencies regarding
the implementation of the planning process. In addition, the team will
solicit input from the public and local officials. Each relevant MPO is
being asked to provide public notice, through its regular public notice
processes, of the review and the opportunity to provide public input to
the review team. Public officials should contact the appropriate MPO to
identify processes set up to solicit local government input.
The results of the certification reviews will be made public
through the regular MPO public information process at a time to be set
by each MPO policy board.
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Region/State/TMA Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.
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Region \1/2\
Connecticut:
New Haven-Meriden....................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Hartford-Springfield (MA)............... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 7-9 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Massachusetts:
Boston (EPR* Week of May 15, 1995)...... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Lawrence-Haverhill...................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Springfield............................. ....... ....... ....... 10-11 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
New Hampshire:
Lawrence-Haverhill...................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
New York:
Buffalo-Niagra Falls.................... ....... ....... ....... ....... 15-17 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
New York (EPR Week of September 11,
1995).................................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Puerto Rico: San Juan....................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 1-5 ....... ....... ....... .......
[[Page 26472]]
Region 3
District of Columbia: DC (EPR Week of
December 12, 1994)......................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Maryland: Baltimore......................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 27-29 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Pennsylvania:
Philadelphia (EPR Week of January 17,
1995).................................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Scranton/Wilkes Barre................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 24-26 ....... ....... ....... .......
Virginia: Hampton Roads..................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 19-21 ....... ....... .......
Region 4
Alabama:
Birmingham.............................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X
Mobile.................................. ....... ....... 12-16 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Montgomery.............................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 14-19 .......
Florida:
Fort Myers.............................. ....... ....... ....... ....... 27-3-3 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Melbourne............................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 17-21 ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Miami (EPR March 20-23, 1995)........... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Pensacola............................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 5-9 ....... ....... .......
Georgia:
Atlanta................................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 18-22
Augusta................................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 19-23 ....... ....... .......
Columbus................................ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 27-31 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Kentucky: Lexington......................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X .......
Mississippi: Jackson........................ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 24-28 ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
North Carolina:
Charlotte............................... ....... ....... ....... ....... 13-17 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Durham.................................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 10-14 ....... .......
South Carolina
Charleston.............................. ....... ....... ....... 23-27 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Greenville.............................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 11-15
Tennessee: Memphis.......................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 22-25 ....... ....... ....... .......
Region 5
Illinois: Rockford.......................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 23-25 ....... ....... .......
Indiana:
Fort Wayne.............................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X
South Bend.............................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X .......
Michigan:
Detroit................................. ....... X ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Flint................................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Ohio:
Canton.................................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Cleveland (EPR Week of August 7, 1995).. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Columbus................................ ....... ....... ....... X ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Toledo.................................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X ....... ....... ....... .......
Youngstown.............................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X
Wisconsin: Milwaukee........................ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X ....... ....... ....... .......
Region 6
Arkansas: Little Rock....................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 10-13 .......
Louisiana: Shreveport....................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 7-10 .......
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City..................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... X ....... ....... ....... .......
Texas:
Austin.................................. ....... ....... ....... X ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
23/26Dallas (EPR Week of June 12, 1995). ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Houston................................. ....... ....... ....... ....... 27-3 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Region 7
Iowa: Davenport............................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 2-4 ....... ....... ....... .......
Missouri: St. Louis (EPR September, 1995)... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Region 8
Colorado: Denver............................ ....... ....... ....... 31-2 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Utah: Salt Lake............................. ....... ....... ....... ....... X ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
[[Page 26473]]
Region 9
California:
Fresno.................................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 14-15 ....... ....... .......
Los Angeles............................. ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 12-14
Stockton................................ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 13-14 ....... .......
Hawaii: Honolulu (EPR January 9-12, 1995) ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Region 10
Oregon: Portland............................ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 19-21 ....... ....... .......
Washington:
Seattle (EPR Week of May 8-12, 1995).... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......
Vancouver............................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 19-21 ....... ....... .......
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Note: ``X'' indicates month of certification review; dates are specified where they are scheduled.
*Enhanced Planning Reviews (EPR) generally are scheduled for approximately 3-4 days during a given week.
Guidance and Responsibility
The FHWA and the FTA published guidance on the certification of
planning processes (59 FR 42873). The guidance indicated that the
primary responsibility for the certification process rested with the
respective regional offices of the FHWA and the FTA. The preparatory
work and analysis would be conducted by the appropriate division office
of the FHWA or regional office of FTA, as a prelude to a site visit by
representatives of both agencies to the metropolitan planning area to
be certified. During the site visit, the FHWA and FTA representatives
would, in addition to meeting with representatives of the MPO, State
DOTs, and transit agencies serving the metropolitan planning area, also
provide an opportunity to meet with citizens and elected local
officials of the principal local governments in the area. The purpose
of these meetings is to afford the officials and citizens an
opportunity to provide input to the certification decision in terms of
the performance of the planning process.
As indicated above, the MPO and/or State DOT or transit operator
may make arrangements for these meetings through their normal
procedures. Other alternatives are acceptable based on arrangements
between the Federal agencies and the appropriate transportation
planning agencies. Officials and citizens wishing to obtain information
regarding the process of providing input should contact the MPO for the
metropolitan planning areas identified above. Alternatively, the
Transportation Planner or Planning and Research Engineer for the
appropriate Division office of the FHWA also can provide this
information. Each FHWA Division office is located in or near the
capitol of each State.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48; Pub. L. 102-240, Sections
1024, 1025 and 3012; 105 Stat. 1914, 1955, 1962, and 2098.
Issued on: May 10, 1995.
Gordon J. Linton,
Administrator, Federal Transit Administration.
Rodney E. Slater,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 95-12164 Filed 5-16-95; 8:45 am]
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