managing travel for planned special events - FHWA Operations ...

Program planning for regional planned specialevents concerns proactively improvingtravel management for all planned specialevents in a region. This necessitates the involvementand coordination of stakeholdersrepresenting multiple jurisdictions. At theprogram planning level, the stakeholdersinclude:• Those agencies directly involved inplanning and day-of-event travel managementfor special events. These includelaw enforcement agencies, transportationdepartments, transit providers,and regional organizations.• Others who typically are not involved intransportation management, such as theevent organizers and elected officialsserving an oversight role.• Typically, mid-to-upper level agencyadministrators that collectively form theplanned special events oversight team.The FHWA publication, Regional TransportationOperations Collaboration and Coordination,addresses how regional coordinationcan take place during incidents andemergencies. (1) While unplanned events arenot specifically targeted in the publication,the same basic elements can be applied toplanned special events. Figure 4-2 indicatesfive major elements of a framework for regionalcollaboration and coordination. Thebalance of this section notes how each of theelements fits into regional coordination forplanned special events. The five-step processdescribed below is not instituted whenan incident or emergency takes place, but isa way of doing business that facilitates regionalcoordination when an event occurs.Step One: Identify the Stakeholders. Whichagencies and organizations will have a rolein managing events? Which agencies havean oversight role? Depending on the location,there may be multiple states or severalmetropolitan planning organizations (MPOs)that have an oversight role.Figure 4-2Major Elements of a Framework forRegional Collaboration and Coordination (1)As these questions are answered, a wideningcircle of stakeholders will be identified. Asthey are listed, their roles and responsibilitieswill be noted. Since not all stakeholderswill have the same level of participation,their involvement in the planning processcan also be assessed.Step Two: Identify a Lead Agency. While acollaborative process is ideal in dealing witha planned special event, there is still a needto identify a lead agency that will have overallresponsibility for the group’s work. Inmany instances, no one agency will have aclear leadership role for program planning.A possible way to pick a leader without offendingother lead agencies is to use cochairsrepresenting different disciplines orgeographic areas. Leadership can also rotateto assure that all key players have an opportunityfor a leadership role.While the lead agency oversees the entireprocess, it can delegate elements of the plan4EVENT PROFILE POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES ADVANCE PLANNINGOVERVIEW4-3