Policy Framework - Jacksonville Transportation Authority

City of Jacksonville
Policy Framework for Transit-Oriented Development
Preliminary Engineering
After a locally preferred alternative is selected, the
project sponsor submits an application to FTA for
the project to enter the preliminary engineering
phase. When this phase is completed and federal
environmental requirements under the National
Environmental Policy Act are satisfied, FTA may
approve the project’s advancement into final design.
FTA may then recommend the project for a Full
Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) and advance the
project into construction.
Changes to New Starts Criteria
In 2009, the FTA commenced a major update to the
New Starts criteria. The proposed changes include
a shift from reliance on cost effectiveness as the
primary criteria to a greater emphasis on land use,
economic development and the potential TOD
within planned transit corridors and station areas.
As of January 2010, the FTA put out a press release
indicating the Administration will no longer target
its funding recommendations only to projects that
receive a Medium or better cost-effectiveness rating,
but that a project must receive an overall rating of at
least Medium and be expected to be ready funding.
This recent change in effect de-emphasizes the costeffectiveness
rating. If a project could demonstrate
an overall rating of Medium or better it could be
considered for funding, and cost-effectiveness alone
will not be a limiting factor.
Communities around the country seeking to position
themselves for New Starts funding have begun to
update land use policies to enable TOD. FTA is now
incorporating levels of TOD policy readiness into the
criteria for New Starts prioritization. Communities
that have policies in place and demonstrated success
in implementing projects with transit-supportive
densities will now have an advantage in competing
for New Starts funds.
The project justification rating of a project seeking
New Starts funding will be based on ratings for
the following criteria with the weights shown
in parentheses: mobility improvements (20%),
environmental benefits (10%), cost effectiveness
(20%), operating efficiencies (10%), economic
development effects (20%), and public transportation
supportive land use (20%). Figure 5 and Table 1
illustrate and describe this ranking and criteria.
Criteria
Measures/Categories
Mobility Improvements
Measured by travel time benefits per project passenger mile,
low-income households served, and employment near stations.
Environmental Benefits
Cost Effectiveness
Operating Efficiencies
Economic Development
Transit Supportive Land Use & Future Patterns
Other
Measured by change in regional pollutant emissions, change in
regional energy consumption, and EPA air quality designation.
Measured as the cost per hour of travel time saved.
Measured by system operating cost per passenger mile.
Measured by transit supportive plans and policies, performance
and impacts of policies.
Measured by existing land use, transit supportive plans and
policies and performance, and impacts of policies.
Includes a number of optional factors, including the projected
economic impact of project.
Table 1: Federal Transit Administration - New Starts Criteria and Measures
What is Required to Make TOD Work | 13