Transportation 2035 - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

December 2012PLAN APPROVAL PROCESSIn order to process TIP amendments and fully realize federal funds for transportation projects Statewide Planning developed a balanced yet aggressivetimeframe and limited scope for the limited update for Transportation 2035. The limited scope was reviewed and supported by the USDOT’s Federal HighwayAdministration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the TAC, Technical Committee, and State Planning Council in 2012. A full draft ofTransportation 2035 was presented to the TAC at their September 27, 2012 meeting. At the close of this meeting, the TAC voted to recommend that the StatePlanning Council/MPO schedule a public hearing on the draft Transportation 2035. The Technical Committee and the State Planning Council/MPOsubsequently reviewed the draft Transportation 2035 at their respective October 2012 meetings and approved it for the purpose of conducting a publichearing. Notice of the public hearing and opportunity to comment on the draft TIP was provided through advertisement in the Providence Journal, posting onthe Statewide Planning website, and a direct mailing to the over 2,000 planning and transportation contacts in Statewide Planning’s database.Two informational presentations and public hearings on the Transportation 2035 draft were held on November 14, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. and on November 15,2012 at 6:30 p.m. in front of the TAC. The Transportation 2035 draft was then revised by staff based on direction received from the TAC through the publichearing process and presented to the Technical Committee on December 7, 2012 and the State Planning Council December 13, 2012. The State PlanningCouncil approved and adopted the final Transportation 2035 on December 13, 2012.PURPOSES OF THE PLANThe transportation plan serves many purposes:• It fulfills federal requirements for statewide and metropolitan planning under SAFETEA-LU.• It provides a long-range framework for coordination among various modes and advancing projects in the Transportation Improvement Program.• It sets state policy, to guide public and private decisions involving transportation toward the end of improving the economic, social, andenvironmental well-being of the state.• As a State Guide Plan element, it is a basis for determining consistency of local comprehensive plans and other plans, programs, and projects withstate policies.SCOPE OF THE PLANSURFACE TRANSPORTATION PLANThe State Guide Plan is mandated as a means for centralizing and integrating long-range goals, policies and plans of various branches of state government. Theguide plan is not a single document but a collection of elements that have been adopted since the 1960’s.Transportation 2035 (2012 Update)State Guide Plan Element 611Rhode Island Statewide Planning ProgramPage 1-3