Transportation 2035 - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

December 2012TRANSITThis is the category that has shown the greatest success in the achievement of objectives, especially with respect to RIPTA’s performance and ridershipincreases. While it is true that the hurricane devastation on the Gulf Coast in 2005 (along with other factors) caused a spike in gasoline prices, and a newincentive to use public transportation, RIPTA is also to be commended for bus maintenance and ADA fleet compliance. Mode split information will not beavailable until after the 2010 U.S. Census.SAFETEA-LU PLANNING REQUIREMENTSIn 2005, after numerous extensions of TEA-21, the federal reauthorization bill, known as SAFETEA-LU was passed by Congress and signed into law. This actcontains significant changes to the TEA-21 transportation planning provisions as outlined below. Plan update cycles have been extended from every 3 years toevery 4 years.• Metropolitan and Statewide Plans - Environmental Mitigation: Metropolitan and statewide transportation plans must include a discussion of types ofpotential environmental mitigation activities, to be developed in consultation with Federal, State and Tribal wildlife, land management, and regulatoryagencies. [An environmental mitigation consultation was held in 2007 with appropriate agencies and stakeholders. Mitigation measures have beenestablished and are described in Part Four.]• New Consultations: MPOs and States must consult "as appropriate" with "State and local agencies responsible for land use management, naturalresources, environmental protection, conservation, and historic preservation" in developing long-range transportation plans. Additionally for theLong-Range Statewide Transportation Plan, States must consult with Federally-recognized Tribal agencies responsible for land use management,natural resources, environmental protection, conservation, and historic preservation. [Rhode Island’s transportation planning process alreadyprovides for regular consultation and interaction with these agencies.]• Consistency of Transportation Plan with Planned Growth and Development Plans: Revises the previous planning factor related to environment toadd "promot[ing] consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns." [Thisplan uses the State’s Land Use Plan as a basis for scenario analysis.]• Transportation System Security: SAFETEA-LU calls for the security of the transportation system to be a stand-alone planning factor, signaling anincrease in importance from prior legislation, in which security was coupled with safety in the same planning factor. [This plan (as did the 2004 plan)addresses security in the Emergency Response section, separately from Safety, consistent with this provision.]Transportation 2035 (2012 Update)State Guide Plan Element 611Rhode Island Statewide Planning ProgramPage 1-10