[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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