[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 173 (Monday, September 8, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47233-47235]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23700]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Federal Transit Administration
Notification of Fiscal Year 1998 Certification Reviews of the
Metropolitan Planning Process in Transportation Management Areas
AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit
Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: Under section 134 of title 23, United States Code (title 23,
U.S.C.), and section 5303 of title 49, United States Code (title 49,
U.S.C.), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), in cooperation
with States, shall develop transportation plans and improvement
programs for urbanized areas (urban areas of 50,000 or more in
population). In a transportation management area (TMA), which is an
urbanized area over 200,000 in population or other urbanized areas
designated by the Secretary of Transportation (the Secretary), the
Secretary is responsible for certifying, at least once every three
years, that the metropolitan transportation planning process in the TMA
is being carried out under applicable provisions of Federal law. This
notice announces the metropolitan transportation planning processes
that will be jointly reviewed by the FHWA and the FTA during Federal
fiscal year (FY) 1998 (October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998), as
known at this time. Interested parties are invited to submit comments
on the individual planning processes to be reviewed.
DATES: Comments on metropolitan transportation 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. The dates for site visits in specific TMAs to be reviewed may
be obtained by contacting the appropriate FHWA or FTA Regional office
shown below.
ADDRESSES: Signed, written comments should identify the metropolitan
area that the comments pertain to and should be submitted to the
appropriate FHWA or the FTA regional office identified below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For FHWA: Mr. Sheldon Edner, FHWA
Metropolitan Planning Division (HEP-20), 202-366-4066 or Mr. Reid
Alsop, FHWA Office of the Chief Counsel (HCC-31), 202-366-1371. For the
FTA: Mr. Charles Goodman, FTA Metropolitan Planning Division (TPL-12),
202-366-1944 or Mr. Scott Biehl, FTA Office of the Chief Counsel (TCC-
30), 202-366-4063. Both agencies are located at 400 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20590. 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 134 of title 23, U.S.C. and section
5303 of title 49, U.S.C. require a continuing, comprehensive, and
coordinated transportation planning process in urbanized areas over
50,000 in population. In accordance with these statutes, the Secretary
is responsible for certifying, at least once every three years, that
the metropolitan planning processes in TMAs are being carried out under
applicable provisions of Federal law. These requirements are included
in the joint FHWA and FTA metropolitan transportation planning
regulation (at 23 CFR part 450, subpart C and 49 CFR part 613, subpart
A) which was published on October 28, 1993 (58 FR 58040). Under the
regulation, the FHWA and the FTA will jointly review and evaluate the
planning process in each TMA as the basis for the certification by the
Secretary.
Public Involvement in Certification Process
The FHWA and the FTA are soliciting public comment on the
metropolitan transportation planning processes in TMAs that will be
reviewed during FY 1998. Both agencies are particularly interested in
receiving information regarding the strengths and weaknesses of various
components of the planning processes identified at 23 CFR part 450,
subpart C, Metropolitan Transportation Planning and Programming.
Additionally, the views of local officials and the public are welcomed
regarding the overall effectiveness of the planning process in making
transportation investment decisions.
Schedule of FY 1998 Certification Reviews
The specific dates for site visits for the TMAs to be reviewed
during FY 1998 may be obtained by contacting the appropriate FHWA or
FTA regional office at the telephone numbers or addresses shown below.
Parties interested in providing comments on the metropolitan
transportation planning processes for the identified areas should
submit them to either the FHWA or the FTA field office identified for
the specific TMA that the comments pertain to. All comments should
clearly identify the metropolitan area that the comments address and
should be submitted within 60 days of the scheduled review in order to
be considered during the certification review process. Where specific
dates for a planned certification review have not yet been established,
the appropriate FHWA or FTA field office will advise parties that
request the information when the dates have been set.
The site visits are intended to provide an opportunity for the
joint FHWA and FTA review team to solicit information from the MPO, the
State transportation agency, and the transit agency(s) regarding the
implementation of the planning process. In addition, the team will
utilize various mechanisms for soliciting public and local official
input. The relevant MPO is being asked to provide public notice,
through its regular public notice procedures, 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 the MPO policy board after receipt of the joint FHWA/FTA report.
The areas to be reviewed in FY 1998 and Regional office contacts
and addresses are in Table 1.
[[Page 47234]]
Table 1.--Metropolitan Transportation Planning Processes Scheduled for
Review
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FEDERAL REGION 1
Springfield, MA, Lawrence-Haverhill, MA, Hartford, CT, New Haven, CT
FHWA Contact: Alicia E. N. Nolan, 518-431-4224 ext. 236, Leo W. O'Brien
Federal Building, Room 719, Clinton & North Pearl Streets, Albany, NY
12207.
FTA Contact: R. Max Vigil, 617-494-2055, 55 Broadway, Suite 920, Kendall
Square, Cambridge, MA 02142-1093.
FEDERAL REGION 2
Albany, NY Buffalo, NY
FHWA Contact: Alicia E. N. Nolan, 518-431-4224 ext. 236, Leo W. O'Brien
Federal Building, Room 719, Clinton & North Pearl Streets, Albany, NY
12207.
FTA Contact: Anthony Carr, 212-264-8162, 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 2940,
New York, NY 10278-0194.
FEDERAL REGION 3
Lehigh Valley, PA, Scranton, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Hampton Roads, VA,
Petersberg, VA, Baltimore, MD
FHWA Contact: Stephen K. Rapley, 410-962-3647, 10 S. Howard St., Suite
4000, Baltimore, MD 21201.
FTA Contact: Michele Destra, 215-656-6900, 1760 Market Street, Suite
500, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4124.
FEDERAL REGION 4
Montgomery, AL, Columbus, GA/AL, Atlanta, GA, Augusta, GA Ft.
Lauderdale, FL, Miami, FL, Pensacola, FL, Jackson, MS, Charlotte, NC,
Durham, NC, Raleigh, NC, Greenville, SC, Knoxville, TN
FHWA Contact: John S. Humeston, 404-562-3667, 61 Forsyth St., SW, Suite
17T26, Atlanta, GA 30303-3104.
FTA Contact: Roger Krahl, 404-562-3500, 61 Forsyth St., SW, Suite 17T50,
Atlanta, GA 30303-3104.
FEDERAL REGION 5
Peoria, IL, South Bend, IN, Grand Rapids, MI, Cleveland, OH, Toledo, OH,
Youngstown, OH, Milwaukee, WI, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
FHWA Contact: William M. Brownell, 708-283-3549, 19900 Governors Hwy,
Suite 301, Olympia Fields, IL 60461.
FTA Contact: Paul Fish, 312-353-2789, 55 E. Monroe Street, Suite 1415,
Chicago, IL 60603-5704.
FEDERAL REGION 6
Little Rock, AR, Shreveport, LA, Oklahoma City, OK, Austin, TX, El Paso,
TX, Mc Allen, TX
FHWA Contact: Martin F. Kelly, 817-978-2994, 819 Taylor Street, Room
8A00, Fort Worth, Texas 76102.
FTA Contact: Peggy Crist, 817-860-9663, 524 East Lamar Blvd., Suite 175,
Arlington, TX 76011-3900.
FEDERAL REGION 7
Davenport, IA, St. Louis, MO
FHWA Contact: John Cater, 816-276-2753, P.O. Box 419715, Kansas City, MO
64141-9715.
FTA Contact: Joan Roeseler, 816-523-0204, 6301 Rockhill Road, Suite 303,
Kansas City, MO 64131-1117.
FEDERAL REGION 8
Denver, CO
FHWA Contact: Robin K. Smith, 303-969-6712 ext. 327, 555 Zang Street,
Room 400, Lakewood, Colorado 80228.
FTA Contact: Don Cover, 303-844-3242, Columbine Place, Suite 650,
Denver, CO 80202-5120.
FEDERAL REGION 9
Phoenix, AZ, Tucson, AZ, Los Angeles, CA, Fresno, CA, Stockton, CA
FHWA Contact: Bob O'Loughlin, 415-744-3823, 201 Mission Street, Suite
2100, San Francisco, CA 94105.
FTA Contact: Bob Hom, 415-744-3116, 201 Mission St., Suite 2210, San
Francisco, CA 94105-1800.
FEDERAL REGION 10
Portland/Vancouver, OR/WA
FHWA Contact: Lisa Hanf, 503-326-2061, 222 SW Columbia--Suite 600,
Portland, OR 97201.
FTA Contact: Theresa Morse, 206-220-7954, 3142 Federal Building, 915
Second Ave., Seattle, WA 98174.
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Guidance and Responsibility
The FHWA and the FTA published guidance on the certification of
planning processes on August 19, 1994, at 59 FR 42873. The guidance
indicated that the primary responsibility for the certification process
rests with the respective regional offices of the FHWA and the FTA. The
preparatory work and analysis will be conducted by the appropriate FHWA
division office, in cooperation with the FTA regional office, as a
prelude to a site visit by Federal representatives to the metropolitan
planning area to be reviewed. During the site visit, the Federal
representatives will, in addition to meeting with representatives of
the MPO, the State transportation agency, and the transit agency(s)
serving the metropolitan planning area, also provide an opportunity to
meet with elected officials of the principal local governments in the
area, other local and regional agencies involved in the metropolitan
transportation planning process, citizens, and other interested
parties. The purpose of these meetings is to afford the officials,
citizens, and other interested parties an opportunity to provide input
to the certification decision in terms of the performance of the
planning process.
As indicated above, the MPO, the State transportation agency, or
the transit operator(s) 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, citizens, and other
interested parties wishing to obtain information regarding the process
of providing input should contact the MPOs for the metropolitan
planning areas or appropriate FHWA or FTA regional office.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 134 and 315; 49 U.S.C. 5305; 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued on: August 21, 1997.
Gloria J. Jeff,
Acting Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 134 and 315; 49 U.S.C. 5305; 49 CFR 1.48.
[[Page 47235]]
Issued on: August 28, 1997.
Gordon J. Linton,
Administrator Federal Transit Administration.
[FR Doc. 97-23700 Filed 9-5-97; 8:45 am]
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