PUBLIC ROADS

[Link] Spring 2023

Equity in Transportation

Bridging
the Gap
for All
 Spring 2023 | Vol. 87, No. 1

Equity in
Transportation

FEATURES PAGE 12

6 Integrating Equity into Transportation:

An Overview of USDOT Efforts
Advancing a safe, accessible, affordable, reliable, comfortable, healthy,
and sustainable transportation system that serves all people.
by Anthony Boutros, Sharon Field, and Kevin Resler

12 Integrating Equity into Transportation

Funding and Project Prioritization
Equitable transportation funding improves safety,
health, and opportunity for all people.
by Anthony Boutros, Kevin Resler, and Sharon Field

18 Integrating Equity into Transportation Planning

Equity data screenings and meaningful public involvement can © 2017 Colorado Department of Transportation.
promote safe, healthful, and livable communities for everyone.
by Mack Frost and Anthony Boutros

23 Incorporating an Equity-Based Approach DEPARTMENTS

into Transportation Operations
An overview of current activities, resources, and planned Guest Editorial ................................................. 2
approaches for operating an equitable transportation network. What’s New...................................................... 4
by Ewa Flom
Along the Road..............................................33

28 Meeting Transportation Goals with Equity Training Update .............................................36

The Colorado Department of Transportation successfully addresses
key transportation needs and provides equitable benefits within low-
income and minority communities through its Central 70 Project. COVERS and ABOVE—Equity in transportation
provides for safer, more accessible and reliable
by Shaun Cutting roads, bridges, and tunnels, and provides
opportunities for underserved and underrepresented
populations to participate in future planning.
© freshidea / ABCDstock / Monkey Business / Pavel
Losevsky / elypse / LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS / toa555 / Syda
Productions / NAMPIX / Vane Nunes / Roman / Tan Kian
Recommended citation: Federal Highway Administration, Public Roads, Spring 2023 Khoon / Dragana Gordic / [Link] / GAYSORN /
(Washington, DC: 2022) [Link] Andrey Popov / bernardbodo / [Link].
 Are you a longtime transportation
professional conducting new
U.S. Department of Transportation
Pete Buttigieg, Secretary
research on a particular topic? Or
Federal Highway Administration
Shailen P. Bhatt, Administrator an industry freshman looking to
Office of Research, Development, and Technology
Kelly Regal, Associate Administrator expand your knowledge base?
Jessie Yung, P.E., Acting Director, Office of Corporate
Research, Technology, and Innovation Management
TaMara McCrae, Editor-in-Chief The Federal Highway Administration
Ana Maria Eigen, Distribution Manager
Editorial Board: (FHWA) has the online research tool
E. Biondi, T. Hess, H. Kalla, M. Knopp, A. Lucero,
I. Rico, G. Shepherd, C. Walker that can help.
Editorial and Design Contractor:
Schatz Strategy Group
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T. Tolbert, A. Lax, D. Davis, M. Mitchell Since 2006, “What’s New” in FHWA publications
Public Roads (ISSN 0033-3735; USPS 516-690)
is published quarterly by the Office of Research,
has been the comprehensive online resource
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GUEST EDITORIAL

© zhu difeng / iQoncept / [Link].

FHWA: Advancing Safety and

Equity for All Road Users
T he U.S. transportation system relies on
our Nation’s roads, bridges, and high-
ways. They connect people to jobs and
for cyclists or pedestrians, and little thought
was given to climate change or equity.
Now, all that is changing. President Biden
schools, keep raw materials moving to busi- committed to equity on his very first day in Source: FHWA.
nesses, and let companies move the finished office; and, thanks to the Bipartisan Infra-
goods to you, the consumer. They help first structure Law—the largest infrastructure tunnels on our own. On February 3, 2023,
responders save lives every day and let adult investment in the Nation’s history—we have the U.S. DOT issued a call to action on the
children care for the parents who helped the funding to help ensure that transporta- National Roadway Safety Strategy, which
them take their first steps. They allow folks tion is not only equitable, but safer, more outlines the U.S. DOT’s comprehensive
who dream of opportunities to connect with resilient, and more affordable for all. approach to significantly reducing serious
resources that could help them achieve their I am not alone when I say that roads are injuries and deaths on our Nation’s roads,
dreams. Finally, when built and managed one of the best ways to create opportunities streets, and highways. This call to action
well, roads, bridges, and highways support and more equitable outcomes. Communities asks those in law enforcement, the trans-
safe, equitable transportation. with low median incomes or many residents portation industry, nonprofit and advocacy
Earlier in my career, I was a transpor- of color often suffer from congested roads organizations, research organizations, all
tation leader in Delaware and Colorado, and polluted air, which can lead to myriad levels of government, and beyond to do
where I always felt responsible for safety health issues. However, we can choose their part to implement the Safe System
on the roads in our States. Now, as the greener materials when paving or repaving Approach, which will help make our
21st Administrator of the Federal Highway roads and restructure those roads to reduce streets safer.
Administration, I’m responsible for congestion, support zero-emission vehicles, Tunnels, bridges, and roadways are
advancing national safety priorities for the and increase transit access, thus enhancing essential for the movement of people
U.S. Department of Transportation, as well air quality and upholding transportation and goods across the United States. They
as working with partners at the State and equity. We can also promote transportation- connect us in a way that past generations
local levels to make travel safer and more oriented development, which spurs signifi- could have hardly imagined; however, if
equitable for everyone in the United States. cant social and economic benefits. they aren’t equitable and safe, they still fall
Safety is our number-one priority, and One program that has an outsize impact short of their purpose. Each and every one
our focus on safety is all-encompassing. on equity is FHWA’s Every Day Counts of us has a role to play in the safety of our
For us, safety means using every tool in (EDC) initiative, which helps remove the Nation’s roadways. You can help support
our toolbelt to protect the people on and barriers that block large-scale transportation roadway safety, the Bipartisan Infrastruc-
around our roadways, whether by creating innovation. The program isn’t named EDC ture Law can fund safety initiatives, and we
new paths for pedestrians, building sepa- by accident: the name reflects the urgent at FHWA will always be here to help lead
rated bike lanes, promoting the Complete need to deliver better infrastructure for the way.
Streets model of transportation develop- the people who use it. Every day counts, Even the smallest act can make a differ-
ment, developing electric vehicle charging and we can’t afford to waste a single day ence. Let’s make that difference together.
infrastructure, or implementing proven when what we’re delivering can change—or
safety countermeasures to reduce fatalities save—a life. The EDC program doesn’t just
and serious injuries on our highways. have a catchy name that drives innovation:
In the past, roadways were not always it also helps us make roadways safer, more
planned or executed as well as they are equitable, and more resilient. Shailen Bhatt
today. Highways divided neighborhoods, Yet we at FHWA cannot transform the Administrator
roads were planned without consideration network of U.S. highways, bridges, and Federal Highway Administration

2 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

 WRITE FOR
Public Roads offers FHWA and State department of transportation staff an avenue for
communicating both technical and general-interest topics with peers (such as engineers,
scientists, and economists) and other stakeholders across the highway industry.

Other Federal agencies, local and Tribal DOTs, field researchers and
practitioners, and academia may also submit content for Public Roads
but are encouraged to collaborate with FHWA and State DOTs.

Check out our Writing for Public Roads: How-to Guide to learn about the many ways
you can contribute to Public Roads. From full-length feature articles to 200-word
summaries, you can choose the option that best fits the information you want to share.

To access the guide and learn more about article types, submission
deadlines, and requirements, visit [Link]
/research/publications/public-roads/FHWA-HRT-22-076.

Questions? Contact us at PublicRoads@[Link].

© Michal / [Link].
WHAT’S NEW
Building and Leading
Highly Effective Teams:
The 2-Day Kickoff Meeting
Applying W. Edward Deming’s “Long-time
Forgotten” Total Quality Management
by KENNETH ATKINS, GREGG A. HOSTETLER, and R. EDWARD MINCHIN, JR.

“
E
C.D. Atkins, co-inventor of frozen concentrated
very organization rises or falls based on leadership or the lack orange juice, often verbalized the importance of
thereof,” says the legendary co-inventor of frozen concen- leadership on an organization’s success.
trated orange juice, Cedric “C.D.” Atkins. According to the © Florida Citrus Hall of Fame.
Federal Highway Administration, depart-
ments of transportation, cities, counties,
Tribes, and the like, are facing mounting
pressure to deliver programs better, faster, Every organization
smarter, and cheaper. This pressure is
intensified when linked with a sentiment
rises or falls based
expressed by engineer, author, scholar, on leadership or
and management consultant W. Edwards
Deming—who revolutionized Japan’s
the lack thereof.”
manufacturing industry. Deming said, —C.D. Atkins
“In my experience, most troubles and
most possibilities for improvement add up to proportions some-
thing like this: 94% belong to the system (the responsibility of
management) 6% are attributable to special causes. No amount of
care or skill in workmanship can overcome fundamental faults of
the system.”
Comparatively, imagine as a leader
the possibility of significantly reducing
85 percent of all delivery problems,
creating measurable innovations, and
reducing major project risks—while Resulting from some of the
also decreasing delivery times up to highest performing infrastructure
50 percent. It may come as a surprise to teams in the Nation, the creators of
some, but many owners are already this system arranged for a strategic
accomplishing such impactful results meeting at the start of each
via a unique, yet tried and true system infrastructure project. These kickoff
for delivering projects better, faster, meetings—which are designed to
smarter, and more efficiently, motivate and inspire cohesion—have
encouraging owners to garner the best been orchestrated on national Tribal
value for their investments. No amount of care or programs, local public agencies, and
This system—the 2-day kickoff skill in workmanship can State highway agencies since 2013.
meeting—in large part, arose out of a To name a few, FHWA’s kickoff
leadership course offered at the overcome fundamental meeting pilot programs were held at
University of Florida’s (U.F.) M.E. faults of the system.” Pueblo of Acoma (for two back-to-
Rinker, Sr. School of Construction —W. Edwards Deming
back capital improvement programs),
Management. Explored via a FHWA Arkansas Department of
10-year nationwide pilot, this system W. Edwards Deming with Kenichi Koyanagi, managing director Transportation, Delaware
has harvested a method for achieving of the Japanese Union of Scientist and Engineers in 1955. Department of Transportation
unparalleled successes. Kickoff meeting Photo courtesy of The W. Edwards Deming Institute®. (DelDOT), and Pawnee Nation.
successes have equated to measurable David Deutsawe, director of
reductions in overall costs, risks, procurement, design, and community development at Pueblo of Acoma states he can provide
construction times. Not to mention the tremendous innovations “a great testimony to this process and how it works.” Similarly,
that arose. For example, in several instances, 1 to 7 years were cut Chris Wilson, director of Public Works at Pawnee Nation, says,
from the original procurements, designs, and construction project “The 2-day kickoff is a vital part of the construction. … This is
durations. Many of these successes come from clearly setting where your team starts to mesh and begins to identify innovations,
measurable targets during the kickoff meetings, along with risk reductions, and project timelines. By the end of the two days,
assigning teams to accomplish these targets while reporting initial the team is taking ownership of the projects and seeing the
goals and progress to executive management. owner’s vision.”

4 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

 Kickoff successes equate to measurable reductions in overall costs, risks, procurement, design, and construction times.
© Pueblo of Acoma.

The 2-day kickoff workshop was

a huge success, with the biggest
benefit being the relationships
formed among the team.”
—Jason Hastings, chief of Bridges and Structures at DelDOT

Kicking Off the Kickoff In summation, the two most important parts of the 2-day
The 2-day kickoff process begins by assembling the entire project kickoff meeting are: 1) the opening remarks by leadership that
team—including planning, permitting, right-of-way, design, and encompasses the vision, strategic goals, and objectives of the
construction team members as well as stakeholders—no later than project; and 2) the wrap-up portion that outlines the actions
the first day of the contractor’s Notice to Proceed date. To necessary for true success, while also establishing a burning sense
expediate their occurrence, mandatory kickoff meeting dates are of urgency to complete the project safely, cost-effectively, and
pre-established within all parties’ original contracts—and as early on time.
as inclusion in a project’s request for proposal or request for
quotation. Prior to the kickoff meeting, extensive agendas are KENNETH E. ATKINS, PE, a graduate of U.F.’s and the University of South
preplanned, working with a neutral, and expert kickoff meeting Florida’s civil engineering programs, is a former FHWA contract administration
facilitator and the project team members to ensure that all parties engineer; battalion commander in U.S. Army; U.F. adjunct professor; and
involved are thoroughly prepared to conduct briefings to the group public speaker in the areas of alternative contract delivery, leadership, and
related to their specific area of specialty. “The 2-day kickoff project management.
workshop was a huge success, with the biggest benefit [being] the
relationships formed among the team of DelDOT, the design GREGG A. HOSTETLER, PE, a graduate of the University of Central Florida’s
consultant, the contractor, independent cost estimator, and college of civil engineering, is the executive vice president of a construction
construction inspection consultant. This gained extra importance engineering company as well as a thought-leader, educator, and public
4 months into the project, as the pandemic forced the team into a speaker in the areas of bridge management, alternative contract delivery,
completely virtual environment,” says Jason Hastings, chief of leadership, and team building.
Bridges and Structures at DelDOT.
R. EDWARD MINCHIN, Jr., Ph.D., PE, a professor at U.F.’s M.E. Rinker, Sr. School
Wrapping-Up the Kickoff of Construction Management, has worked within eight major areas of
The last part of this 2-day meeting system is pinpointing, for the construction for the past 34 years, including as a researcher, consultant,
team and leadership, concerns/identified issues, action items and and adjudicator. He holds a doctorate in civil engineering from Pennsylvania
next steps (with deadlines and responsible parties to report back State University, as well as a master’s and bachelor’s in engineering.
to), and a battle rhythm (otherwise called a summary sheet of all
meetings, with required attendees, necessary for the successful For more information, contact Kenneth E. Atkins at
completion of the design phase of the operation). [Link]@[Link] or 706-970-5458.

HTTPS://[Link] | 5
 INTEGRATING EQUITY
into TRANSPORTATION:
An Overview of
USDOT Efforts
Advancing a safe, accessible, affordable,
reliable, comfortable, healthy, and sustainable
transportation system that serves all people.

by ANTHONY BOUTROS, SHARON FIELD, and KEVIN RESLER

A t its best, the American transportation

network allows people to safely and
comfortably walk, bike, roll, drive, or take
However, the transportation system may
also create negative impacts on health and
well-being, including fatalities and serious
encompass roadway location and design,
funding and program administration (how
and where funds are spent to build and
transit. People use these transportation injuries from traffic crashes; air and noise maintain road networks and how roadway
modes to access work, school, grocery stores, pollution from vehicle traffic; greenhouse performance is assessed), and policy devel-
medical care, and community resources as gas emissions; contaminated stormwater opment and legislation (which laws should
well as to connect with loved ones. A well- runoff and infiltration; and urban heat be enacted within their jurisdiction, and
planned, designed, and managed transpor- islands, and barriers to mobility and access how they are implemented). Transportation
tation system can improve safe access and through transportation infrastructure leaders and professionals—and community
mobility independence for people of all ages construction that has divided communities. members—at every level need to work
and abilities, while providing more opportu- Historically, many transportation decisions together to create a truly equitable trans-
nities for physical activity and connections have disparately impacted individuals living portation system. This can be accomplished
to the nature and aesthetics of our Nation’s in underserved, disadvantaged, and over- by critically examining existing practices
rural, suburban, and urban areas. burdened communities who have borne and making intentional commitments to
the burdens of the transportation system meaningfully integrate equity throughout
without realizing many of its benefits. the transportation process.
Today, transportation decisionmakers “Elected leaders and transportation
have the opportunity to redress these professionals have unprecedented funding to
disparities and improve the transportation redress past harms caused by the transporta-
system for all people, particularly those tion system and access to data to determine
who have been underserved and over- the most effective ways to do so. But as
burdened. America’s roadway network we try to do this, we must recognize that
is a complex, decentralized system with government leaders will have to build trust
multiple actors responsible for planning, and credibility with the community through
Under equality, everyone gets the same resources. designing, constructing, operating, and engagement that demonstrates a willing-
Under equity, the specific historical and present- maintaining highways, roads, streets, and ness to do things differently and prioritizes
day circumstances and abilities of individuals and multiuse trails. State, Tribal, regional,
communities are taken into consideration to provide
appropriate solutions that provide everyone with and local governments manage many Traffic crashes disproportionately impact
opportunities to live safe and healthy lives. elements of this system with significant people who are Black, Native American, and
© 2017 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. levels of autonomy and flexibility to make live in rural communities.
Modified, with permission, by FHWA. context-specific decisions. Such decisions (USDOT, National Roadway Safety Strategy, 2022, https:
//[Link]/sites/[Link]/files/2022-02
/[Link]. )

6 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

 Transportation decisionmakers have the opportunity
to improve the transportation system for all people,
particularly those who have been historically
underserved and overburdened.
© senicphoto / jStock / [Link].

different outcomes than the ones that and Pacific Islanders and other persons Disparities in
created the problems we are dealing with of color; members of religious minorities; Transportation Outcomes
today,” says Beth Osborne, vice president for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and The Centers for Disease Control and
Transportation and Thriving Communities queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with Prevention (CDC) defines health disparities
at Smart Growth America. disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; as preventable differences in the burden of
This special issue of Public Roads brings and persons otherwise adversely affected by disease, injury, violence, or in opportunities
together transportation professionals from persistent poverty or inequality.” to achieve optimal health experienced by
cross-cutting fields, including civil rights, Transportation equity refers to safe, socially disadvantaged racial, ethnic, and
planning, safety, and operations, to provide accessible, affordable, reliable, comfort- other population groups and communities
an overview of ongoing U.S. Department of able, healthy, and sustainable mobility and ([Link]
Transportation activities and highlight State, access that facilitates social and economic #:~:text=Health%20disparities%20are%20
Tribal, regional, and local activities that are opportunities and meets the needs of all preventable%20differences,other%20population
building an equitable transportation system. community members—particularly those %20groups%2C%20and%20communities).
identified as underserved, disadvantaged, Health disparities are a result of inequities in
What is Equity in Transportation and overburdened. the distribution of the social determinants
Executive Order (EO) 13985, Advancing According to Derrell Turner, director of health, which CDC defines as the condi-
Racial Equity and Support for Underserved of Federal Highway Administration Field tions in the places where people live, learn,
Communities Through the Federal Govern- Services South, in his 2022 Public Roads work, and play.
ment, defines equity as “the consistent and article, “Equity in Transportation,” the Transportation is a key determinant in
systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment long-term goal of USDOT efforts is to influencing a person’s health, including
of all individuals, including individuals help grant recipients make more informed access to public and active transportation,
who belong to underserved communities decisions that fully take into account equity safe and health-promoting green spaces for
that have been denied such treatment, impacts just as we account for other social, exercise and recreation, and connectivity to
such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and environmental, and economic impacts when economic and social opportunities. Social
Native American persons, Asian Americans developing transportation projects. determinants of health are interconnected,
and transportation infrastructure can play a
Over one million rural households key role in reducing health disparities.
do not have access to a car. 27 percent of households below the “Designing communities to increase
56 percent of the counties in the U.S. where at least 10 percent poverty line do not own a car, compared to physical activity makes it easier for people
of households do not have vehicle access are in rural areas.
only 4 percent of households above the to safely walk, bike, or take transit to
(Smart Growth America, More Than One Million Households Without
A Car In Rural America Need Better Transit. 2020, https:
poverty line.
//[Link]/more-than-one-million-households- (Federal Highway Administration, National Household
without-a-car-in-rural-america-need-better-transit/.) Travel Survey, 2022, [Link]

HTTPS://[Link] | 7
 Definitions in the USDOT Equity Action Plan
Underserved, disadvantaged, and overburdened communities are defined in the USDOT Equity
Action Plan: [Link]
• Overburdened communities to environmental hazards, • Underserved communities are
are minority, low-income, Tribal, heightened safety risks, lack populations sharing a particular
or Indigenous populations or of opportunity for public characteristic, as well as
geographic locations in the participation, or other factors. geographic communities, that
United States that potentially have been systematically denied
experience disproportionate • Disadvantaged communities a full opportunity to participate
environmental and/or are communities that experience in aspects of economic, social,
safety harms and risks. This disproportionately high and and civic life, as exemplified
disproportionality can be a adverse health, environmental, in EO 13985.
result of greater vulnerability climate-related, economic,
and other cumulative impacts. Source: FHWA.

everyday destinations such as workplaces, and economic opportunities. The dispari- suburban home ownership for many white
schools, healthcare facilities, and food ties in transportation burdens and benefits households, often in racially segregated
outlets,” says CDC Director Rochelle are, in large part, a result of historic and developments. Communities living in urban
Walensky, M.D., M.P.H. “Community present-day disinvestment in underserved areas were also disproportionately displaced
design requires working with multiple communities and underrepresentation for the construction of parking lots, major
agencies such as public health, transporta- of disadvantaged communities in the roads, transit hubs, and highways. Infra-
tion, housing, and economic development. planning, project development, construc- structure for private vehicles constructed
Collaboration can lead to increased physical tion, operations, and maintenance of the through residential areas created barriers
activity as well as better places to live, safer transportation system. to transportation by other modes, such as
communities, and greater health equity.” Many of the present-day disparities walking, bicycling, and transit.
Transportation infrastructure can faced by underserved communities stem Today, Black, Indigenous, and people of
connect people to opportunities such as safe from decisions that were made through color communities, immigrant populations,
housing, nutritious food, physical activity, the construction of the Interstate Highway and those with limited English proficiency
education, and job opportunities. Some System that began in the 1950s. Under continue to live, on average, in communities
transportation infrastructure decisions, the Federal-aid Highway Act of 1956, the exposed to higher concentrations of harmful
however, have exposed some groups to Federal Government extended funding to air and noise pollution, in part due to the
disproportionate burdens—including poorer State transportation agencies to construct transportation system. Additionally, people
safety outcomes (i.e., fatal and serious the interstate system. Planning decisions living in lower-income areas are less likely to
injury crashes), higher noise and pollution resulted in the destruction of many homes have access to safe and comfortable walking
impacts, and higher rates of displacement and neighborhoods in disadvantaged urban and biking facilities. For example, sidewalks,
and impacts to community cohesiveness areas and facilitated car ownership and adequate lighting, crosswalk markings, and
other safety features are not as common in
low-income neighborhoods.
Integrating Equity throughout
the Transportation Process
Historic advocacy by underserved commu-
nities led to the enactment of several
Federal statutes to prevent discrimination
and promote opportunities for all. First,
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
(Title VI) prohibits discrimination on the
basis of race, color or national origin in
programs that receive Federal funding. In
1973, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
(29 U.S.C. 794) prohibited discrimination
on the basis of disability in Federally assisted
programs. In 1990, the Americans with
Disabilities Act expanded civil rights protec-
tions for people with disabilities. These
watershed civil rights statutes were followed
by the signing of EO 12898—Federal
Transportation infrastructure can
play a key role in reducing health
disparities or expose some groups Workers who travel by bus have commute
to disproportionate burdens. American Indian and Alaska Native people have by far the times 1.7 times longer than workers who
Source: FHWA. highest traffic fatality rates per mile and per population. travel alone by car.
They were 5 times more likely to die walking than white people and close 47 minutes for bus commuters compared
to 3 times as likely to die in passenger vehicles, on a per-mile basis. to 26 minutes for car commuters.
(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Evaluating Disparities in Traffic Fatalities by Race, (USDOT, Equity Action Plan, 2022, [Link]
Ethnicity, and Income, 2022, [Link] .gov/sites/[Link]/files/2022-04/Equity_Action_Plan.pdf.)

8 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

Actions to Address Environmental Justice of 2022, submitted a Gender Action Plan To implement these programs and further institu-
in Minority Populations and Low-Income to the Gender Policy Council. The Gender tionalize equity across the Department, USDOT has
Populations—in 1994, which directed Justice Action Team and Gender Justice established an Equity Council chaired by the Secretary
Federal agencies to develop strategies to Advisory Group are working to advance and managed by the Departmental Office of Civil
address disproportionately high and adverse USDOT’s Gender Justice initiatives, Rights and the Office of the Under Secretary of Trans-
human health or environmental effects which include increasing incentives for portation for Policy. Council members will guide the
of their programs, policies, and activities transportation project partners to develop Department to further incorporate equity objectives
on minority populations and low-income strategies that improve gender diversity in into Department policies and operations.
populations to promote equitable access and the trades and other identified segments of
participation in Federal programs. FHWA the transportation sector; addressing gender
implements EO 12898 by including Envi- disparities in transportation safety; combat- small disadvantaged businesses to increase
ronmental Justice principles in the transpor- ting human trafficking through public their understanding of how to navigate the
tation planning and project activities of its private partnerships; improving USDOT USDOT contracting process, gain aware-
recipients, such as metropolitan planning utilization of small disadvantaged businesses ness of upcoming contract opportunities,
organizations (MPOs) and State depart- that are both women and minority-owned; and enhance their core competencies and
ments of transportation (DOTs). and increasing gender diversity within the skills. This will enable small disadvantaged
Despite these efforts, disparities persist USDOT workforce. businesses to more effectively compete for
for members of underserved communities. USDOT also developed Disability Policy USDOT contracting opportunities and
To address these disparities, President Biden Priorities which consists of four actions to build wealth.
signed EO 13985 on January 20, 2021, advance accessibility which are earmarked The Power of Community focus area
to direct Federal agencies to revise their for enhanced consideration due to their aims to empower individuals and communi-
policies to address racial inequities in the complexity and intersection with other ties, particularly those that are underserved
implementation of their programs and Administration priorities. The four actions and disadvantaged, to have a greater voice
take a whole-of-government approach to are: enable safe and accessible air travel; in the transportation decisions affecting
advancing equity for all. (Note: This EO enable multimodal accessibility of public them. USDOT is working to reinvigorate
was updated on February 16, 2023, as rights-of-way; enable access to good-paying its programmatic enforcement of Title VI
EO 14091—Further Advancing Racial jobs and business opportunities for people in order to proactively address potential
Equity and Support for Underserved with disabilities; and enable accessibility of disparate impacts on protected classes and
Communities Through the Federal electric vehicle charging and automated vehi- empower communities in transportation
Government—to extend and strengthen cles. The Disability Policy Priorities highlight decisionmaking. Under this focus area,
equity-advancing requirements for agencies.) work that USDOT is undertaking to achieve USDOT also aims to increase the number of
EO 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis disability-related goals, including addressing State DOTs and MPOs officially adopting
at Home and Abroad (January 27, 2021), gaps in data on persons with disabilities and a quantitative equity screening component
established the Justice40 program, which advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and and meaningful and representative public
aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall accessibility in the USDOT workforce. This involvement processes into their Statewide
benefits of relevant Federal investments in is noteworthy as it is a fundamental shift in Transportation Improvement Program and
climate and sustainable transportation to how the Department views accessibility and Transportation Improvement Program devel-
disadvantaged communities. The Bipar- ensures equal opportunity for all to use the opment processes. These equity-informed
tisan Infrastructure Law, which includes a transportation system. quantitative and public involvement
generational investment in transportation In response to EO 13985, USDOT processes will incorporate community vision
infrastructure, also integrated equity into developed an Equity Action Plan which and need into project selection and design
multiple new programs, including the highlights key actions that the Depart- processes. To support these efforts, USDOT
Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) ment will undertake to expand access and has developed multiple GIS-based quanti-
program and the Vulnerable Road User opportunity to all communities while tative equity screening tools, including the
Safety Assessment. To implement these focusing on underserved, overburdened, and Transportation Disadvantaged Census Tracts
efforts, USDOT is working to advance disadvantaged communities. The actions ([Link]
equity for all, including developing a Diver- elaborated in the plan fall under four focus /d6f90dfcc8b44525b04c7ce748a3674a)
sity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility areas—Wealth Creation, Power of Commu- and HEPGIS ([Link]
Strategic Plan; Disability Policy Priori- nity, Interventions, and Expanding Access. gov/fhwagis/). USDOT has also published
ties; an Equity Action Plan; and Gender Each focus area advances a goal, highlighted a guide titled Promising Practices for Mean-
Justice Priorities. actions, and key performance measures ingful Public Involvement in Transportation
In response to EO 14020 establishing to track meaningful implementation of Decision-Making ([Link]
the White House Gender Policy Council, the plan. .gov/sites/[Link]/files/2022-10/Promising
USDOT facilitated a series of internal and Under the Wealth Creation focus area, _Practices_for_Meaningful_Public_Involvement
external discussions to inform USDOT USDOT will provide technical assistance to _in_Transportation_Decision_making.pdf) that
Gender Justice Priorities, and in the summer provides examples for varied techniques of
Black or African American people were outreach and engagement throughout the
Lowest income households spend on roughly twice as likely to die per mile lifecycle of a program or project.
average 37% of their after-tax income on as white people. Under the Interventions focus area,
transportation, compared to 19% by middle (Fatality rates of 1.70 versus 1.04 per 100M person miles traveled). USDOT will work to ensure that
income households. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Evaluating Disparities in
(USDOT, Equity Action Plan, 2022, [Link] Traffic Fatalities by Race, Ethnicity, and Income, 2022, https:
.gov/sites/[Link]/files/2022-04/Equity_Action_Plan.pdf.) //[Link]/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813188.)

HTTPS://[Link] | 9
historically overburdened and underserved communities in urban or replacement of eligible transportation infrastructure facilities.
and rural areas benefit from access to a generational investment In fulfillment of Justice40, USDOT is also working towards the
in the Nation’s infrastructure through direct, hands-on technical goal that many of the USDOT’s grants, programs, and initiatives
support for transportation projects with local impact. USDOT allocate at least 40 percent of the benefits from Federal investments
will launch a national technical assistance center and shepherd to disadvantaged communities. For a list of USDOT’s official
the $25 million Thriving Communities Program to ensure that Justice40 covered programs list, visit [Link]
disadvantaged communities adversely or disproportionately affected .gov/equity-Justice40. To quantify this, USDOT will work to
by environmental, climate, and human health policy outcomes develop a national transportation cost burden measure.
have the technical tools and organizational capacity to compete for To implement these programs and further institutionalize equity
Federal aid and deliver quality infrastructure projects that enable across the Department, USDOT has established an Equity Council
their communities and neighborhoods to thrive and not succumb to chaired by the Secretary of Transportation and co-managed by
gentrification after transportation and community investments. the Director of the Departmental Office of Civil Rights and the
Finally, the Expanding Access focus area aims to increase social Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy. The Administrator
and economic opportunities for disadvantaged and underserved from each Operating Administration, will guide the USDOT to
communities through the provision of affordable multi-modal further incorporate equity objectives into Department policies
transportation options and the development of a transportation cost and operations.
burden measure. Multiple USDOT initiatives and discretionary
grant programs focus on improving safe mobility, including the ANTHONY BOUTROS is the Equity in Transportation Safety Program lead in
FHWA’s Complete Streets initiative and the $5 billion Safe Streets FHWA’s Office of Safety where he develops resources and delivers technical
and Roads for All Program. USDOT is also shepherding the RCP assistance to redress disparities in traffic fatalities. He holds bachelor’s
program, which is dedicated to reconnecting communities that were degrees in sociology, public health studies, and international studies from
previously cut off from economic opportunities by transportation Johns Hopkins University and is a Truman-Albright Fellow.
infrastructure. RCP program funding supports planning grants and
capital construction grants, as well SHARON FIELD, Esq., is the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Program team
as technical assistance, to restore leader in FHWA’s Office of Civil Rights where she oversees the National ADA
community connectivity through Program. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the
the removal, retrofit, mitigation, University at Buffalo School of Law and a B.S. degree
in Management from Binghamton University.

KEVIN RESLER is an FHWA National Title VI

Program coordinator who develops policy
and guidance regarding Title VI and related
nondiscrimination laws. He earned a B.A. degree
from Indiana University (IU) and a Juris Doctor
degree from the IU Robert H. McKinney
School of Law.

For more information, see [Link]

.[Link]/priorities/equity.

The USDOT will work to ensure that historically

overburdened and underserved communities 34 percent of respondents to a 2015 Transgender Individuals who are young, have low-incomes,
in urban and rural areas benefit from access Survey were denied equal treatment on public or have less formal education are less likely
to a generational investment in the Nation’s transportation where staff knew or thought they to attend public meetings.
infrastructure through direct, hands-on
technical support for transportation projects were transgender. The interests of these groups may be underrepresented
in the transportation decision-making process.
with local impact. (National Center for Transgender Equality, U.S. Transgender Survey, 2015,
[Link] (USDOT, Equity Action Plan, 2022, [Link]
© Leigh Trail / [Link]. /sites/[Link]/files/2022-04/Equity_Action_Plan.pdf. )

10 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

FHWA’s Transportation
Pooled Fund Program

Source: FHWA.

Leveraging Resources to Achieve Common Research Goals

The Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) Program enables
public and private entities to combine resources to
conduct high priority research on a wide variety of shared,
highway related problems. Over more than 45 years, the
TPF Program has supported more than 750 successful
multi-agency projects.

Participate in Diverse Research

and Topic Areas
Investing in TPF studies helps partners stretch their
© 2019 Colorado DOT.
research dollars to support a diverse array of topic areas.

Make an Impact Through a TPF Study!

Learn more about initiating a pooled fund study
and browse the list of open solicitations on
the TPF website at [Link].
For more information, contact Tricia Sergeson,
TPF Program Manager, at [Link]@[Link].

© 2020 The Transtec Group, Inc.

© 2011-2022 National Cooperative Highway Research Program.

INTEGRATING EQUITY into
Transportation Funding
and Project Prioritization
Equitable transportation funding improves safety, health, and opportunity for all people.

The Colorado Department of Transportation Central 70

Project in Denver aims to reconnect people—especially
those from underserved communities—to opportunities by
capping a highway that had bisected the community.
© 2017 Colorado Department of Transportation.

12 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

by ANTHONY BOUTROS, KEVIN RESLER, and SHARON FIELD

H istorically, some transportation investment decisions divided

some communities. Further, some decisions had the effect of
neglecting the communities most in need of affordable transpor-
noise pollution, and access to economic opportunities and
community wellbeing.
To confront and address decades of underinvestment in
tation options, worsening social inequities. Of particular note is disadvantaged communities, the U.S. Department of Transpor-
the construction of the Interstate System following the passage tation is committed to ensuring that transportation investments
of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. During this process, increase opportunity; advance racial equity and environmental
Federal funders and State road owners planned and built some justice; serve rural, urban, and suburban communities equitably;
interstates, highways, and roads that disproportionately displaced and promote affordable access for all. To achieve this strategic
and divided communities, particularly objective, USDOT is reinvigorating its
Black and Hispanic ones. Compounding programmatic enforcement of Title VI of
this unjust situation, some public the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI),
agencies focused more on developing the National Environmental Policy Act
infrastructure for private automobiles of 1969, the Americans with Disabili-
rather than developing robust public ties Act (ADA), and Section 504 of the
transportation and pedestrian and bicy- Rehabilitation Act (Section 504). It is
clist networks, which particularly disad- also integrating equity considerations
vantaged people living in low-income across USDOT funding programs as part
communities who could not afford of the Justice40 Initiative and adminis-
an automobile. tering the Reconnecting Communities
Rural and tribal communities have Pilot (RCP) Program and Rural Surface
also faced decades of disinvestment in Transportation Grants established by
infrastructure. Currently, 13.1 percent the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
of rural roads and about 9.7 percent of USDOT is also working to provide
off-system bridges (a highway bridge tools and resources to support elimi-
located on a public road that is not on In 1964, the Crosstown Boulevard, a connector nating or minimizing adverse impacts
freeway skirting Pittsburgh, PA’s, “Golden Triangle,”
a Federal-aid highway) — 91.6 percent was constructed using Federal-aid urban funding. of investments, including displace-
of which are in rural areas — are in Source: FHWA.
ment and relocation of people and
poor condition. businesses from underserved commu-
As a result of this disinvestment and the underrepresentation nities. Additionally, USDOT encourages States and
of underserved community members in transportation project metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to integrate
funding and prioritization processes, disadvantaged communi- equity into their project prioritization process to mean-
ties have experienced stark disparities in fatalities and serious ingfully direct investments to, and build capacity for,
injuries from traffic crashes, health outcomes related to air and disadvantaged communities.

Disinvestment has contributed to a lack of maintained and improved roads

in this Tribal community near the Oljato–Monument Valley in Arizona.
© alenamozhjer / [Link].

HTTPS://[Link] | 13
 This article reviews USDOT efforts to integrate equity into Additionally, FHWA is continuing to advance compliance
Federal formula and discretionary grant funding, and it highlights with ADA and Section 504. ADA prohibits discrimination on the
innovative resources and practices from State and local governments basis of disability by public entities in their programs and services,
for integrating equity into project prioritization processes. including transportation programs. Section 504 includes similar
requirements for recipients of Federal funds. The FHWA ADA/
Reinvigorating Civil Rights Enforcement Section 504 program ensures that pedestrians with disabilities have
Under the BIL, the Federal Highway Administration is distributing an equal opportunity to use the public rights-of-way in the trans-
billions of dollars in Federal funding to portation system. The FHWA ADA team
advance transportation initiatives across is committed to ensuring that BIL funding
the country. To ensure the proactive 8.5 percent of Americans live in households that is used to advance equity and accessibility
integration of equity into decisionmaking do not have access to a vehicle. for people with disabilities. The team has
processes throughout the planning, 32.5 percent live in a household with one car. provided input on the development of
design, implementation, and operation Black households are least likely to have access to Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFO)
of the transportation system, USDOT is vehicles: 18 percent of Black individuals live in for discretionary grant programs, grant
reinvigorating the enforcement of Civil households with zero cars. reviews, and project selections, as well as
(Based on census data collected in 2020.)
Rights programs to ensure proactive oversight and risk management for FHWA
compliance with nondiscrimination stat- Division Offices, all emphasizing the
utes. USDOT is also integrating equity into the review of discre- importance of ADA transition plans in providing safe and accessible
tionary grant funding to ensure agencies applying for funding—and facilities that can be used by all pedestrians, including those with
the projects they aim to implement—meaningfully address equity. disabilities. FHWA is also working to assist State and local agencies
First, USDOT is reinvigorating its programmatic enforcement to identify and clarify funding opportunities that they can use to
of Title VI, including reemphasizing agency review of the poten- meet specific equity and accessibility needs.
tial discriminatory impact of grantees’ proposed activities, before
awarding Federal funds—as opposed to waiting until a project is Justice40
delivered to enforce civil rights protections—to prevent disparate To further ensure that the BIL’s generational investments in trans-
impacts on protected classes and empower communities in trans- portation infrastructure equitably benefit disadvantaged communi-
portation decisionmaking. Title VI prohibits entities that receive ties, USDOT is implementing the Justice40 Initiative, which sets a
Federal assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or goal of delivering 40 percent of the benefits of certain Federal invest-
national origin in their programs and activities. In 2021, USDOT ments to disadvantaged communities. The Justice40 Initiative was
revamped its Title VI program with a new Title VI order. The created by Executive Order 14008 to bring resources to commu-
order aims to strengthen reporting requirements, agency oversight, nities most impacted by climate change, pollution, and environ-
and proactive compliance with Title VI. Rather than relying on mental hazard. On August 18, 2022, the White House announced
complaints from the public, the order addresses compliance with USDOT’s official Justice40 covered programs, including multiple
nondiscrimination requirements from the very start of projects surface transportation programs. Justice40 is an opportunity to
and programs. FHWA is advancing these efforts by developing address gaps in transportation infrastructure and public services.
new guidance and providing technical assistance for recipients to Through Justice40, USDOT will work to increase affordable
conduct Title VI data collection and analysis. transportation options that connect Americans to good-paying
jobs, fight climate change, and improve access to
resources and quality of life in communities in every
State and territory in the country. The initiative allows
USDOT to identify and prioritize projects that benefit
rural, suburban, Tribal, and urban communities
facing barriers to affordable, equitable, reliable, and
safe transportation.
Under the BIL, 69 percent of transportation
funding will be allocated by formulas set by statute.
As part of Justice40, USDOT will also encourage State
departments of transportation and MPOs receiving
this formula funding to prioritize projects by using
quantitative equity screenings, centering meaningful
public involvement throughout the planning process
and project lifecycle, and adhering to proactive
civil rights and environmental justice requirements.
USDOT has demonstrated its commitment to
providing technical assistance to support disadvantaged
communities by developing the Promising Practices
for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation
Decision-Making guide ([Link]
Community planners engage members of the public to gather necessary
information on needs and concerns during project development.
/sites/[Link]/files/2022-10/Promising%20Practices%20
for%20Meaningful%20Public%20Involvement%20in%20
© 2023 City of Los Angeles.
Transportation%[Link]). This guide

14 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

 Justice40 Covered Programs

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

• Carbon Reduction Program (CRP)
• Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grants
• Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
Improvement Program (CMAQ)
• Congestion Relief Program
• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Supportive Services (DBE/SS) Program
• National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
(NEVI) Competitive Program
Civil rights activist Rosa Parks sat and moved a Nation. Transportation has always been inseparable from
America’s struggle for racial and economic justice. Today, transportation decisionmakers have the opportunity to • National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
(NEVI) Formula Program
ensure equity and accessibility for every member of the traveling public, looking to fulfill the dreams of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. when he said: “until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” • Nationally Significant Federal Lands
and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP)
© Nate Hovee / [Link]. • On the Job Training Supportive Services
• Promoting Resilient Operations for
Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving
provides funding recipients with strategies to and freight, and generate regional economic Transportation (PROTECT) Formula Program
meaningfully involve the public in various growth and improve quality of life. • Protect Grants
stages of transportation decisionmaking. The Tribal Transportation Program • Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities
USDOT is using baseline methods to Safety Fund, which the BIL increased from • Transportation Alternatives (TA) (Surface
Transportation Block Grant set-aside)
determine if covered programs are meeting a 2-percent to a 4-percent set-aside of the • Tribal High Priority Projects Program
the 40-percent goals. USDOT will also Tribal Transportation Program funds, is • Tribal Transportation Program Bridge Program
assess the negative impacts of transpor- awarded to federally recognized Indian (Bridge Investment Program Set Aside)
tation projects and systems on disad- Tribes to address transportation safety issues • Tribal Transportation Program Bridge Program
(Bridge, Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation,
vantaged communities and will consider that will reduce fatal and serious injury Protection and Construction Set Aside
if local community leaders have been transportation-related incidents, like motor • Tribal Transportation Program
consulted in a meaningful way during the vehicle crashes. In 2021, FHWA awarded
project’s development. 58 projects with $8.9 million. Additional Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
funding available for fiscal years 2022–2026
Discretionary Grants will further advance efforts to reduce • All Stations Accessibility Program
Focused on Equity roadway deaths. • Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program
• Buses and Bus Facilities Formula Program
The BIL established grant programs to • Low or No Emission Vehicle Program
support the goal of advancing equity for Capacity Building and
• Capital Investment Grants Program (CIG)
disadvantaged communities, particularly Technical Assistance for
• Electric or Low Emitting Ferry Pilot Program
those that have been bisected by transpor- Underresourced Communities • Passenger Ferry Grant Program
tation infrastructure and those living in USDOT is committed to helping commu- • Innovative Coordinated Access and
rural areas. nities access resources by consolidating Mobility Pilot Program
• Public Transportation on Indian Reservations
The new RCP discretionary grant NOFOs to simplify applying for funds, Program; Tribal Transit Competitive Program
program, authorized up to $1 billion over simplifying the language in NOFOs to make • Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning
the next 5 years, is the first ever Federal requirements easier to understand, devel-
program dedicated to reconnecting commu- oping tools like the Historically Disadvan-
Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST)
nities that were affected by transporta- taged Census Tract to assist applicants in
tion infrastructure that erected barriers developing their applications, and offering • National Infrastructure Project Assistance
Program—Mega Grant Program
to community connectivity, including webinars that walk potential applicants • Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight &
barriers to mobility, access, and economic through the general requirements of funding Highway Projects—INFRA Grants Program
opportunity. Funding supports planning opportunities and provide technical assis- • Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure with Sustainability
and Equity—RAISE Discretionary Grants
grants and capital construction grants, tance on specific aspects of application
• Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program
as well as technical assistance, to restore requirements. To easily access technical • Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program
community connectivity through the assistance resources across USDOT, click on • Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing
removal, retrofit, mitigation, or replacement the online portal: [Link] Transportation (SMART) Grants Program
of eligible transportation infrastructure .gov/dot-navigator. For user-friendly tools • Thriving Communities Program
facilities. On February 28, 2023, USDOT and information on technical assistance
announced a historic $185 million in grant addressing rural transportation, explore Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
awards for 45 projects for RCP. See more the USDOT ROUTES initiative at
• Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and
at [Link] [Link] Safety Improvements Program
/reconnecting-communities. In addition, to ensure that disadvan- • Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail
The Rural Surface Transportation taged communities have the technical tools • Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program
Grant Program, funded with $2 billion and organizational capacity to compete for
over the next several years, will support the generational investment provided in
Maritime Administration (MARAD)
projects to improve and expand surface the BIL and deliver quality infrastructure
transportation infrastructure in rural areas products that allow their communities • America's Marine Highway Program
to increase connectivity, improve the safety and neighborhoods to thrive, USDOT is • Port Infrastructure Development Program

and reliability of the movement of people administering the new $25 million Thriving

HTTPS://[Link] | 15
 economy, and truck volumes under freight
considerations—in addition to a mobility
category. Additionally, agencies may use
level of service and traffic delay as the
primary metrics for directing transporta-
tion investment. These scoring processes,
among others, could disproportionately
favor expanding highway capacity, often at
the detriment of safe and equitable proj-
ects for all road users. Moreover, political
pressure for “ribbon-cuttings” may drive
Children living in rural areas should be
able to safely access school buses.
prioritization for highway expansion and
© bilanol / [Link].
large projects, as opposed to asset manage-
ment or smaller multimodal network
improvement projects.
Discretionary Funding to Support Equity of community partners will receive 2 years Another barrier is that Federal funding
of direct, individualized, and comprehensive may be perceived as being committed to
Pittsburgh, PA, was awarded $11.3 million technical assistance, planning, and capacity specific modes and types of projects. It
in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with building support that will help them to plan should be noted that FHWA encourages
Sustainability and Equity Federal assistance and develop a pipeline of comprehensive State and local road owners to use Federal
to fund construction activities associated with transportation, housing, and community funds for a wide range of projects that
improvements to the public right-of-way in revitalization activities. TCP will also prioritize safe and equitable mobility and
the Hill District. Improvements will include support and build local capacity to improve access for all road users. Funding sources
the reconstruction of intersections, street project acceleration, access to and manage- that support pedestrian and bicyclist
corridors, and city steps, and the installation ment of Federal funding, and deployment opportunities can be viewed at [Link]
of traffic calming measures, sidewalks, and of local hiring, workforce development, and .[Link]/environment/bicycle_pedestrian
green infrastructure. The project will revitalize inclusive community engagement practices. /funding/funding_opportunities.cfm. Addition-
the Hill District, a community that has suffered ally, Federal law allows Federal-Aid Highway
deterioration as well as disconnection from State and MPO Project Program funding to be made available for
the business district of Pittsburgh through Prioritization Criteria public transportation projects.
historical disinvestment. By making pedestrian State, regional, and local transportation
infrastructure improvements compliant with agencies determine how to distribute
ADA requirements, the project will safely Federal law (23 U.S.C. § 104(f); 49 U.S.C.
funding to meet multiple goals, including
connect low-income residents to transit hubs § 5334(i)(1)) allows Federal-Aid Highway
safety and access for all road users, manage-
and employment opportunities. New electric Program funding made available for public
ment and maintenance of existing infra-
vehicle charging options and low-impact transportation projects to be “flexed” (or
structure, stewardship for the human
development stormwater infrastructure will transferred) to be administered by the
and natural environment, and equitable
contribute to environmental sustainability Federal Transit Administration for public
outcomes for people living in underserved
([Link] transportation projects. More information
communities. To ensure that investments concerning potentially eligible programs
/nationwide-building-better-america-tour-fhwa are equitable, effective, and efficient, agen-
-acting-administrator-announces-funding-0). that support public transportation can be
cies are increasingly integrating data-driven, found at [Link]
“We see the New Pathways to Equity grant as
performance-based methods into their deci- /funding/grants/grant-programs/flexible
a huge opportunity to overcome the chasm
sionmaking frameworks in planning, project -funding-transit-and-highway-improvements.
between the Hill District and Pittsburgh, enable prioritization, and project development
residents to fully access their neighborhood, processes. Integrating equity into transpor-
and use mobility to grow the connections tation agencies’ project prioritization criteria Additional factors that may impede the
both within and beyond the Hill District and decisionmaking processes is an integral ability of disadvantaged communities to
community,” says Kim Lucas, director of the step to redress disparities and meet the goals benefit from Federal funding include funds
department of mobility and infrastructure. of Justice40. matching requirements and discretionary
“Whereas outside interests have decimated Long-standing structures and processes grant application requirements. Under-
the Hill District in the past, the RAISE grant may continue to favor certain investments served and disadvantaged communities may
program instead adds to the neighborhood in over others that would better serve disad- not have the funding or staff capacity to
many ways that have not been seen for years. vantaged communities and meaningfully match Federal or State funding or compose
We’re excited that this grant will help the Hill advance safe, health-promoting access and competitive applications.
District continue its transformation into a safe, opportunities for all people. For example, Like many States across the nation,
vibrant, accessible, and growing community.” agencies may use complex scoring frame- Ohio DOT recognizes that severe crashes
works that artificially inflate the scores happen more frequently in low-income
of highway expansion projects by repeat- communities, and individuals in these
Communities Program (TCP), established edly counting mobility metrics in nested communities experience significant barriers
by the Consolidated Appropriations Act subcriteria—such as time savings under to accessing the healthcare and financial
of 2022. Beginning in 2023, awarded teams accessibility, travel time reliability under resources needed to recover from them.

16 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

To address these disparities, Ohio DOT practices being piloted by States and underserved communities. As part of these
began to integrate equity metrics into the localities across the country. Of particular efforts, USDOT is reinvigorating civil rights
project prioritization and funding processes note, a February 2021 report sponsored programs, including the landmark Title VI
within the Highway Safety Improvement by the Center for Transportation, Equity, of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the
Program in 2021. Jeremy Thompson, Ohio Decisions, and Dollars (CTEDD), a Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,
DOT safety engineer, elaborates: “Most of USDOT (Tier-1) University Transpor- and encouraging State and regional govern-
our funding is allocated through compet- tation Center, reviews Virginia DOT’s ments to prioritize equity in the distribution
itive project application processes, where SMART program and provides the of formula funding. Additionally, USDOT
applications are scored based on a variety following recommendations: is conducting research and updating guide-
of factors. After recognizing the disparities • Establish flexible funding programs lines to address relocation and displacement
lower income communities face, we added through which different project types impacts of transportation projects as well as
equity metrics to our application scoring can compete on equal footing. revising processes and developing measures
criteria, so that we are considering factors • Choose comprehensive, outcome- of performance to routinely plan, design,
like local poverty rates when allocating oriented evaluation criteria. build, operate, and maintain safe, multi-
project funding.” Thompson continues, • Maximize the benefits per dollar spent. modal street networks for people of all ages
“Additionally, municipalities in our State The report also suggests simplifying and abilities.
may be burdened by the typically required scoring frameworks to limit the number of
10-percent local funding match on proj- scoring categories and evaluation criteria, ANTHONY BOUTROS is the equity in transportation
ects. Knowing this, we’ve incorporated a while shifting focus toward fewer, more safety program lead in FHWA’s Office of Safety. He
process to reduce or remove that local match comprehensive, outcome-oriented criteria. focuses on developing resources and delivering
requirement if a municipality is in fiscal Additionally, CTEDD developed a technical assistance to redress disparities in
distress and/or is implementing a project Transportation Equity Toolkit that supports traffic fatalities. He holds bachelor’s degrees in
in a low-income community. Since severe local agencies in selecting and prioritizing sociology, public health studies, and international
crashes are overrepresented in locations projects through an equity-informed studies from Johns Hopkins University and is a
where poverty rates exceed 10 percent, we approach ([Link] Truman-Albright Fellow.
are leveraging other funding sources such as /transportation-equity-toolkit/).
State funds and toll revenue credits to use in As previously noted, all programs and KEVIN RESLER is an FHWA national Title Ⅵ program
place of a local funding match in communi- projects must comply with Title VI and coordinator who develops policy and guidance
ties that exceed that threshold.” ADA requirements. Proactive integration regarding Title Ⅵ and related nondiscrimination
Of particular importance for equity of Title VI and ADA as part of decision- laws. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from
is the prioritization processes for asset making screenings to ensure the mean- Indiana University and a juris doctor degree from
management and maintenance, particularly ingful consideration of race, color, national the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School
for sidewalks and lighting. For example, origin, and disability factors into programs of Law.
complaint-based prioritization processes and projects is an important step toward
may inadvertently exclude underserved advancing equity. SHARON FIELD, Esq., is the ADA program team
communities that may not have the leader in FHWA’s Office of Civil Rights where she
resources or influence to receive timely Conclusion oversees the national ADA program. She earned a
service. Implementing systematic processes USDOT is centering equity as a priority juris doctor degree from the University at Buffalo
for asset management may improve lifetime in the distribution of discretionary grant School of Law and a bachelor of science degree in
performance and the safety benefits of infra- programs to meet the goals of Justice40, and management from Binghamton University.
structure. “Instead of maintaining lighting it is administering new statutory programs
based on user feedback, Detroit invested to redress historic harms of transporta- For more information, see [Link]
in a systematic approach to replacing street tion infrastructure and build capacity for .[Link]/priorities/equity.
lighting throughout the city. Following the
systematic replacement of nonfunctioning
streetlights, the city’s pedestrian death rate
fell nearly 40 percent in just 2 years, in the
context of a rising death rate for all nonmo-
torists in the State,” says De’Andre Brooks,
director of government and commu-
nity relations at the Detroit (MI) Public
Lighting Authority.
Project prioritization is an evolving
process, and State, regional, and local
transportation agencies play a key part
in transforming the data and decision-
making frameworks to achieve the Federal
Justice40 goal of distributing 40 percent of
the benefits of transportation investments
to disadvantaged communities. Multiple Adequate lighting can improve safety and comfort
studies have examined the innovative for all road users, including pedestrians.
© 2022 WSP.

HTTPS://[Link] | 17
INTEGRATING EQUITY
into Transportation
Planning
While urban highways are critical to meet
transportation needs and future planning,
urban highways often have overtaken small
or underserved communities and have been
bisected by implementation of infrastructure.
© chungking / pashabo / j-mel / [Link].

Equity data screenings and meaningful public involvement can

promote safe, healthful, and livable communities for everyone.
by MACK FROST and ANTHONY BOUTROS

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s The Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Planning Process and
Equity Action Plan highlights key actions (FHWA’s) Office of Planning, Environ- State DOT/MPO Planning Products
the Department will undertake to expand ment, and Realty, in cooperation with the Transportation planning is a cooperative,
access and opportunity to all communities Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA’s) collaborative, and comprehensive process
while focusing on underserved, overbur- Office of Planning and Environment, and designed to foster involvement by all users
dened, and disadvantaged communities. USDOT’s Office of the Assistant Secretary of the system, including individuals, busi-
The Plan’s Power of Community focus area for Transportation Policy, conducted a nesses, community groups, environmental
aims to empower individuals and communi- survey in 2022 to support the implemen- organizations, safety officials, and freight
ties—particularly those that are underserved tation of the Power of Community. The operators through a proactive public partic-
and disadvantaged—to have a greater voice survey helped USDOT establish a base- ipation process. Within metropolitan areas
in the transportation decisions affecting line understanding of how transportation not designated as transportation manage-
them. To achieve this goal, USDOT intends agencies address equity in the planning ment areas (TMAs), the planning process
to increase the number of State departments process, and how they provide opportu- is conducted by the State and/or the public
of transportation (DOTs) and metropolitan nities for meaningful public input into transportation operator(s), in cooperation
planning organizations (MPOs) officially decisionmaking. Although the results of the with the MPOs. In areas designated as
adopting a quantitative equity screening survey are still being analyzed, preliminary TMAs (urbanized areas with a population
component and a meaningful representative analysis shows a few MPO respondents have of 200,000 or more), the transportation
public involvement process to their State- policies in place to address equity in the planning process is conducted by the MPO
wide Transportation Improvement Program transportation planning process. in consultation with the State and public
(STIP) and Transportation Improvement Below is an overview of the transporta- transit operator(s). In rural areas, trans-
Program (TIP) projects. These quantitative tion planning process and how equity can portation planning processes are carried
equity screening and public involvement be integrated into those plans to empower out by the State, in cooperation with local
processes will incorporate community vision individuals in traditionally-underserved and officials in nonmetropolitan areas and
and needs in planning, project selection, disadvantaged communities. transit providers. The process often involves
and design. creating vision statements, long-term

18 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

planning, project planning, and conducting
system-level analyses.
Equity is an integral part of the plan-
ning process. There are multiple require-
ments to conduct public involvement,
including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 (Title VI); Executive Order 12898,
Federal Actions to Address Environmental
Justice (EJ) in Minority Populations and
Low-Income Populations; and the National Urban thoroughfares reflect the multiuse nature of the transportation right of way,
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Mean- and reveal opportunities for safety and accessibility improvements.
ingful public involvement is a process that © Frode / [Link].
proactively seeks full participation from the
community, considers public comments,
and incorporates feedback into a project,
program, or plan.
The USDOT Equity Action Plan
encourages proactive equity screenings as
part of the STIP and TIP development
processes to incorporate community vision
and need in project selection and design.
Considering equity early and through
methods such as public participation,
data collection, and analysis improves
the likelihood that the planning process
will adequately be able to respond to the
Planners look to accommodate pedestrians, vehicular traffic, as well as street parking
needs of the community it serves. Early for visitors patronizing the stores along rural streets across the Nation.
consideration of equity may also improve © Kirk Fisher / [Link].
project delivery by preventing costly and
time-consuming delays that could arise from
previously unrecognized conflicts as projects
move from planning to implementation. A Federal-aid Essentials video on projects and statewide planning requirements (https:
“Using an equity lens to identify resi- //[Link]/federal-aidessentials/[Link]?id=66) highlights the roles and
dents and communities who have been responsibilities of State DOTs and local public agencies in the transportation planning
historically excluded, and assess the barriers process. Resources to learn more about transportation equity in the planning process can
that prevent them from participating, will be found on the FHWA/FTA Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program’s Planning
ensure that engagement is more representa- Topics’ website ([Link]
tive and inclusive,” says Jane Grover, a prin-
cipal at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency are policy and/or project documents that are realistic and achievable. Equity is an
for Planning in Illinois. outline strategies and actions for addressing integral part of the data-driven process
FHWA and FTA jointly provide stew- transportation issues and needs within States that improves the planning process’s ability
ardship and oversight on the statewide, and metropolitan areas. These documents to adequately respond to the needs of the
nonmetropolitan, and metropolitan trans- provide the framework for preparing community it serves.
portation planning process. project-specific transportation programs, Title VI provides that recipients
Transportation planning is a cooperative, such as STIP and TIP. of Federal financial assistance cannot
performance-driven process by which long- STIP and TIP are Federally-required discriminate on the basis of race, color,
and short-range transportation improve- documents that show upcoming projects or national origin in their programs and
ment priorities are determined. State DOTs that will be funded with Federal dollars activities. FHWA regulations specify that
and MPOs have the responsibility for over the next four years. These programs States must collect demographic data on
programming and prioritizing projects while highlight how State DOTs and MPOs fund race and ethnicity to show the effects of
considering the Federal funding eligibility projects, and how the programs are fiscally transportation programs and activities
for each program and project. constrained based on reasonably expected and conduct Title VI reviews using the
State DOTs must prepare several revenues. STIPs and TIPs are publicly avail- data. The demographic data are typically
planning documents related to Federal able documents, which give the public an derived from the American Community
planning requirements. Long-Range opportunity to review and help determine Survey, the Decennial Census of Popula-
Statewide Transportation Plans (LRSTPs) funded projects within their State or region. tion and Housing, or other public sources
and Metropolitan Transportation Plans or surveys. After the data are collected,
(MTPs) are two types of foundational Quantitative Equity Screening States must pair demographic data
planning documents that help guide the Transportation planning efforts should with information on potential impacts
development of transportation planning use a data-driven process to ensure that from programs and activities, such as
programs and projects. LRSTPs and MTPs policy priorities and investment decisions relocations, noise, and maintenance.

HTTPS://[Link] | 19
 Transportation research is vital for improving the knowledge of practitioners, and the public, on how to improved pedestrian, bicycle, and
implement a more efficient planning process. The primary funds State DOTs use for research are State public transportation infrastruc-
Planning and Research funds (SP&R) and MPOs use Metropolitan Planning (PL) Funds for transportation ture. Also, some zip codes have
planning and research. States document the projects and programs funded with SP&R in their SP&R a higher percentage of seniors,
Work Program and MPOs document the use of PL funds in their Unified Planning Work Program. minorities, or low-income
MPOs demonstrate equity principles within their research programs by investing in activities or developing
residents, and transportation
policies to promote equity. The Boston (MA) Region MPO, for example, has included funding and tasks providers can target a neighbor-
to ensure that all people receive comparable benefits from, and are not disproportionately burdened hood to provide specific services.
by, MPO investments, regardless of race, color, national origin, age, income, disability, or sex. The MPO For example, certain Las Vegas
coordinates public engagement efforts through implementation of the Public Participation Plan to ensure transit routes for seniors have
that all members of the public, including populations that have been traditionally underserved by the pick-up points in areas where
transportation system, are provided with the opportunity to participate in the planning process. there are senior homes.
One of the main tasks for
RTC is to monitor the prioriti-
States must then determine whether: Broward MPO to help form a consistent zation of transportation projects
• Impacts are disproportionate or evaluation process among its various plans in the Access 2040 Regional Transporta-
disparate between populations based and programs. tion Plan and the changes to RTC transit
on race, color, or national origin. The Regional Transportation Commis- routes. RTC continues to analyze any major
• There is a justification for the sion of Southern Nevada (RTC) in decision made to the overall transportation
disproportionality or disparity. Las Vegas actively engages minority system, particularly if it negatively affects
• There is a less discriminatory way to communities in transportation planning. areas with a high concentration of any EJ
achieve similar program results. Individuals in high equity need communi- group. The composite equity factors map is
FHWA’s Office of Civil Rights provides ties may be unable to drive or lack access intended to serve as a resource for identi-
multiple resources to support stakeholders to a car, resulting in an increased need for fying potentially disadvantaged populations
in conducting Title VI data collection and
disparate impact analysis. These resources
can be found at [Link]
/civilrights/programs/title_vi/. FHWA has
developed multiple geographic information
systems (GIS)-based quantitative equity
screening tools, including the Transporta-
tion Disadvantaged Census Tracts and Plan-
ning, Environment, Realty GIS (HEPGIS),
an interactive, web-based geographic map
server that enables users to navigate, view,
and print geospatial maps using only their
web browser.
HEPGIS allows users to access multiple
data layers to assist in transportation
decisionmaking. The Screening Tool for
Equity Analysis of Projects is an extension of FHWA’s HEPGIS tool allows users to add multiple economic and socioeconomic
HEPGIS that allows users to screen project data layers to inform the transportation decisionmaking process.
locations to support Title VI, EJ, and other Source: FHWA.
socioeconomic data analyses.

MPO Equity Screening Tool Examples

The Broward MPO in Fort Lauderdale, FL,
has developed a process to evaluate its plans
and programs under Federal EJ and Title VI
regulations. The identification of Transpor-
tation Planning Equity Areas is intended
to be one of many approaches used in the
transportation planning process to facilitate
informed conversations.
The Transportation Planning Equity Area
composite or equity score calculated for
each block group within Broward County is
based on selected demographic indicators.
The map ([Link]
/7b81b04ead3b4d5c9aae8735e3b48434) The USDOT’s Transportation Disadvantaged Census Tracts map highlights what is available on its website.
is one of several resources used by the State and local agencies are able to use this map to identify historically disadvantaged communities.
Source: USDOT.

20 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

within Southern Nevada and assessing organizations are adequately informed about voices of their communities in transpor-
equity in the planning process. how programs or activities will potentially tation decisionmaking and to build trust
Georgia’s Atlanta Regional Commission impact affected communities. Diverse views with members of underserved communities.
(ARC) Equity Analysis is another example must have an opportunity to be heard and Public involvement is not an afterthought
where an MPO is using equity in perfor- considered throughout all stages of the in the decisionmaking process, but rather
mance-based planning and programming consultation, planning, and decisionmaking a core tenet for agencies, organizations,
to demonstrate compliance with Federal process. A community participation plan, partners, and individuals who work on
guidance, including Title VI, Executive which may be an update to an existing USDOT-funded projects to evaluate, plan,
Order 13166 on Limited English Profi- public participation plan or other policies, prioritize, design, construct, and maintain
ciency (LEP), Americans with Disabilities should provide information about the transportation improvements and invest-
Act of 1990, Executive Order 12898 on organization’s overall public involvement ments. Engaging the public early, and often,
EJ, and FHWA and FTA’s Title VI and EJ activities. can also help avoid costly re-work and
documents. DASH—an interactive, online USDOT operating administrations will delays later in the project lifecycle, including
tool—is used by ARC to better commu- issue guidelines establishing expectations for potential litigation or complaints from
nicate and visualize regional trends related the community participation plans for their community members.
to transportation and equity. DASH is grant recipients. USDOT and the Federal Historically, decisionmaking in trans-
intended to help both policymakers and Government must also ensure that indi- portation (e.g., determining community
Atlanta area residents explore the region’s viduals who have LEP, including a limited needs and project priorities, planning, and
performance. ([Link] ability to read, speak, write, or understand implementation) may not have always
/DASH/[Link]) English, have meaningful access to informa- considered all the communities those
“As the Minnesota Department of tion that affects their lives. Under USDOT’s decisions impact. Following the “we’ve
Transportation (MnDOT) developed our Departmental Office of Civil Rights, and as always done it this way” thinking can result
first National Electric Vehicle Infrastruc- described in Policy Guidance Concerning in the treatment of public involvement
ture [NEVI] Plan, we used the Justice40 Recipients’ Responsibilities to LEP Persons, as a one-time event or a box to check in
mapping overlay provided through the this obligation extends to organizations the project lifecycle rather than an inten-
Drive Electric website as well as our own and State and local agencies that receive tional, dynamic process that continues
Tribal Nations boundaries layer to ensure monetary assistance from USDOT and the throughout all stages of project develop-
we were including these communities as we Federal Government. Funding recipients ment. When agencies use limited commu-
created our longer term vision for charging serving LEP populations should develop an nication and outreach methods, such as
in Minnesota. Using these tools helped LEP implementation plan to address the only advertising a single meeting in an
to visualize where we could combine the identified needs of the LEP populations area’s largest newspaper, they frequently do
location criteria the NEVI program requires they serve. The U.S. Department of Justice not reach the broader audience who may
for Alternative Fuel Corridors with disad- provides resources and further guidance at not read the newspaper or who get news
vantaged communities and where there [Link] from other sources. USDOT developed
are gaps,” says Beth Kallestad, principal Transportation practitioners have the the guide, Promising Practices for Mean-
sustainability planner in MnDOT’s Office power and obligation to incorporate the ingful Public Involvement in Transportation
of Sustainability and Public Health.
1. Understand community
Meaningful Public Involvement demographics
USDOT seeks full representation from the
community, considers public comments and
feedback, and incorporates that feedback
into a project, program, or plan whenever
possible. The impact of community contri- 6. Document and 2. Build durable
butions encourages early and continuous share community’s community
public involvement, identifies potential or impact on decisions relationships
latent impacts to the communities, and
brings diverse viewpoints and values into the
transportation decisionmaking process.

Requirements for Public Involvement Public

The Title VI program requires USDOT’s Involvement
operating administrations to develop
comprehensive community participation
5. Use community- 3. Understand
requirements that applicants and recipients preferred engagement community
must satisfy as a condition of receiving an techniques wants and needs
award for Federal financial assistance. A
community participation plan facilitates full
compliance with Title VI through mean-
ingful public participation and engage-
ment to ensure funding recipients and 4. Involve broad
representation of community Source: USDOT.

HTTPS://[Link] | 21
Decision-Making, which can assist funding their voices heard. VPI is not intended to
recipients meet the need of meaningful completely replace in-person engagement,
public involvement. but it is a valuable tactic to reach those who
Meaningful public involvement: have historically been without options to
• Increases trust between the make an impact in their communities.
organization and the community.
• Increases the likelihood that projects, Conclusion
programs, or plans will be accepted. Planning is an integral part of the trans-
• Creates more effective solutions. portation equation that ensures an equi-
• Improves a community’s knowledge of table approach is applied to project and
the project, program, or plan. program development. Public engagement
• Empowers people from different strategies that are implemented must be
backgrounds to become involved in forward-thinking, forward-moving, and
transportation decisionmaking. place high value on not only listening to
• Delivers a better project, program, or all road users and members of the public,
service with diverse ideas that promote but also finding actionable solutions to
equity and inclusion. their substantial concerns and challenges.
• Ensures against compliance concerns Source: USDOT.
Meaningful engagement and listening with
with authorities such as Title VI intention will ensure that future infrastruc-
and NEPA that require public input virtual tools into their overall public involve- ture improvements can—and will—lead to
and nondiscrimination. ment approach. Virtual Public Involvement equitable, and more accessible communities
Public involvement strategies should (VPI) tools ([Link] across the Nation.
involve a combination of in-person, digital, /public_involvement/vpi/) can enhance and
virtual, and print tools, in languages broaden the reach of public engagement MACK FROST is a transportation specialist in
spoken by community members. Public efforts by making participation more acces- FHWA’s Office of Planning, focusing on advancing
involvement should also include intentional sible, convenient, affordable, and enjoyable the Planning and Environment Linkages approach
and varied outreach methods to ensure for greater numbers of people. VPI tools can and Equity in Transportation Planning. He holds
that people with disabilities and diverse provide the public with increased transpar- a bachelor’s degree in communication from the
needs and experiences are aware of and ency and access to transportation planning University of Maryland, and a master’s degree in
can participate in opportunities to have activities and project development and environmental health sciences from the University
a meaningful impact on decisionmaking. decisionmaking processes, including: of Maryland.
When specific to a project or program, • Crowdsourcing.
public involvement strategies should also • Digital tools to enhance ANTHONY BOUTROS is a transportation spe-
be tied to the expected impacts of the in-person events. cialist in FHWA’s Office of Safety, focusing on
project or program. Of particular impact are • Do-it-yourself videos. advancing Complete Streets and equity in
engagement opportunities that meet people • Mapping. safety programs. He holds bachelor’s degrees in
in underserved communities and provide • Mobile applications. sociology, public health studies, and international
them with culturally sensitive methods of • Project visualizations. studies from Johns Hopkins University, and is a
expressing themselves. • Virtual town halls. Truman-Albright Fellow.
In-person public meetings are a common While using VPI techniques do not
strategy, but for some people these meet- change existing public involvement require- For more information, please visit
ings can be inconvenient or impossible to ments established by statute, regulation, or [Link]
attend. Physical meeting locations can be executive order, VPI does open up oppor- /topic_transportationequity.aspx or contact
inaccessible for persons with disabilities tunities for underserved communities to Mack Frost at [Link]@[Link].
or for community members that might actively participate in the process and have
not feel comfortable attending events
at government facilities, or whose work
schedules do not fall within typical daytime
business hours. Additionally, people in
underserved communities may lack child
care, access to convenient transportation,
or may need communication in alternate
formats or languages. To ensure the needs
and concerns of underserved populations
are represented, it is important for trans-
portation professionals to reduce barriers to
participation and to expand opportunities
for engagement.
Transportation agencies can increase Engaging the public within the transportation decisionmaking and planning process is vital to a
meaningful public involvement in planning project’s success. As part of an equitable decisionmaking process, it is important to include the
perspective and comments from a diverse group of community members and stakeholders.
and project development by integrating
© Fitz / [Link].

22 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

 by EWA FLOM

E quity in transportation seeks fairness

in mobility and accessibility to meet
the needs of all community members. A
central goal of transportation equity is to
provide equitable access to affordable and
reliable transportation options based on a
population’s needs (particularly for under-
served communities).
An equity-based approach to transpor-
tation operations examines the specific
circumstances impacting a community’s
mobility and connectivity needs to deter-
mine the measures needed for providing
a reliable network to individuals. Past
transportation actions have often inade-
quately considered, and adversely impacted,
disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.
Management and operation practices offer
opportunities to help address inequities that
exist in the current transportation system
to improve transportation mobility and
accessibility. By integrating equity into the
day-to-day decision-making processes for
transportation operations, transportation
professionals improve the mobility and
accessibility of the transportations systems
for all users.

INCORPORATING Equity in Freight Operations

For freight operations, equity concerns are

an EQUITY-BASED
especially common. Freight facilities, such
as airports or seaports, have often been
built in or near areas of persistent poverty.

APPROACH into
Communities have also developed near
industry because of employment opportu-
nities or segregation practices that isolated

TRANSPORTATION
minority populations in areas that would
suffer lower levels of investment. Growth
in freight infrastructure can adversely affect

OPERATIONS
these communities by adding congestion,
noise, and pollution. Supporting networked
communities that are intermodal—those
located near ports, airports, freight, and rail
facilities—is one of the major focus areas
An overview of current activities, resources, of the Thriving Communities Program to
and planned approaches for operating an address mobility, access, environmental
equitable transportation network. justice, and economic issues, including ways
to leverage their proximity to these facilities
for wealth-building and economic develop-
ment opportunities.
An equity-based approach has also
become a part of the Nation’s freight system
through the National Highway Freight
Program (NHFP). Established to improve
the efficient movement of freight on the
National Highway Freight Network, NHFP
funding is distributed to States based on

Intermodal freight being transported

from ports by rail and on highways.
Source: FHWA.
HTTPS://[Link] | 23
 USDOT Discretionary Grant Programs

formulas specified in Federal law for freight communities/populations or areas

Another area where equity is getting increased
projects that, among other criteria: of persistent poverty. Examples include focus is in the USDOT discretionary grant programs.
• Strengthen the economic • Increasing affordable The FHWA Office of Operations administers
competitiveness of the United States. transportation choices. eight discretionary grant programs, four of
which are led by the Office of the Secretary:
• Reduce congestion and improve the • Improving access to essential
reliability of freight transportation. services. • The Advanced Transportation Technology and
• Increase productivity of industries and • Increasing walkability and Innovation program (ATTAIN) (formerly known
as Advanced Transportation Technologies and
businesses that create high-value jobs. accessibility for pedestrians. Innovative Mobility Deployment) provides up
• Improve the safety, security, efficiency, • Proactively addressing disparities to $60 million in grants annually to encourage
the use of cutting-edge technologies that
and resiliency of freight transportation. and barriers to opportunity. will improve safety and reduce travel times
• Reduce the environmental impacts of The ways a project could demonstrate for drivers and transit riders. “As we level the
freight movement. a proactive focus on equity and barriers to playing field and improve the travel experience
for everyone, we need to promote the use of
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law opportunity include: state-of-the-art technologies, and the ATTAIN
amended the NHFP to increase the • Equity impact analysis. program does just that,” said former FHWA
intermodal freight funding allowance and • Sponsoring adoption of an equity Acting Administrator Stephanie Pollack.
broaden eligibility for intermodal projects and inclusion program/plan or • The Congestion Relief Program advances
for freight rail or marine facilities, including otherwise instituting equity-focused innovative, integrated, and multimodal
solutions in the most congested
ports. Elements of such projects should policies in the overall project metropolitan areas of the United States.
proactively address racial equity, workforce delivery and implementation.
development, and economic development • Comprehensive planning and • Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port
Facilities grants fund projects that reduce
as well as remove barriers to opportunity, policies to promote the hiring of emissions at ports, including through the
including redressing prior inequities in both individuals from underrepresented advancement of port electrification.
rural and urban communities. communities. • The Strategic Innovation for Revenue
An equity-based approach is also • Physical-barrier-mitigating land Collection provides funding to State and local
being applied to examine the impact of bridges, caps, lids, linear parks, and governments as well as metropolitan planning
organizations (MPOs) to experiment with
freight-related transportation projects. multimodal mobility investments user-based fees for the Highway Trust Fund.
Federal Highway Administration created that either redress past barriers or
a document (updated in 2018) about proactively create new connections • The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with
Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants help
best practices for conducting community and opportunities. communities around the country carry out
impact assessments for transportation • New or improved freight access projects with significant local or regional impact.
projects, Community Impact Assessment: to underserved communities • The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America
A Quick Reference for Transportation. In a to increase access to goods and (INFRA) program—known statutorily as the
freight-related project located in a predom- job opportunities. Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight
and Highway Projects—awards competitive
inantly minority and low-income Camden, Applicants were also directed to grants for multimodal freight and highway
NJ, neighborhood, these best practices were describe how the project has or will projects of national or regional significance to
applied to improve regional highway access meaningfully engage affected communi- improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability
of the movement of freight and people
in support of neighborhood revitalization ties through effective, accessible public in and across rural and urban areas.
and provide alternate routes for heavy- participation in the planning, develop-
truck traffic. ment, and implementation of transporta- • The Rural Surface Transportation Grant
program will invest approximately $2 billion
tion investments. If USDOT determined through 2026 for projects that improve
Equity Through USDOT that applicants selected for a grant award highways, bridges, and tunnels, address
Discretionary Grants highway safety, increase access to agricultural,
had not sufficiently considered equity commercial, energy, or freight facilities that
While the purpose and goals of these grants support the economy, and bring flexible
differ, the U.S. Department of Transpor- transit services to rural and Tribal areas.
tation includes language in the notices of • The Mega Program (known statutorily
funding opportunity (NOFO) and appli- as the National Infrastructure Project
cation criteria that encourage applicants Assistance program) will support complex
projects that generate national or regional
to incorporate equity into projects for all economic, mobility, or safety benefits.
these grants. For instance, the NOFO
for the Multimodal Project Discretionary
Grant program set forth evaluation
criteria seeking projects that proactively
address equity and barriers to opportu-
nity, including automobile dependence,
or redress prior inequities. The evaluation
criterion “Equity, Multimodal Options,
and Quality of Life” directed applicants to
describe how their project will proactively
address equity and barriers to opportunity,
improve quality of life in rural or urbanized Trucks transporting shipping containers.
areas, and benefit historically disadvantaged Source: FHWA.

24 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

 Project Examples

operations planning process.

The following are a few examples of INFRA and RAISE
FHWA, along with State and projects with equity benefits that were awarded in 2022.
local TSMO advocates, recognize
the role of active transportation
Downtown Mile Safety and
and demand management, shared Connectivity Improvement Project
mobility, mobility on demand,
and other innovative approaches The city of Flagstaff, AZ, received an INFRA grant
to enhance the movement and in the amount of $32,460,000 for the Downtown
access of travelers and their Mile Safety and Connectivity Improvement
Project. The project will deliver pedestrian safety
communities. For example, improvements and freight and passenger rail
FHWA’s The Role of Transpor- infrastructure enhancements along a 1-mile
segment of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe
tation Systems Management and Southern Transcontinental Corridor. In addition
Operations in Supporting Liva- to track realignment along this section of the
bility and Sustainability: A Primer corridor, project improvements include the
construction of two pedestrian underpasses
defined connections between and the installation of pedestrian gates at two
TSMO and goals for livability at-grade rail crossings. This project provides
and sustainability. The role and strong equity benefits by constructing pedestrian
underpasses and pedestrian crossing gates to
approach supported in the primer reduce the physical barrier of the railway between
may also be expanded to support areas of persistent poverty and the essential
services located in downtown Flagstaff.
transportation equity to balance
needs across the transportation
I–375 Community Reconnection Project
system and all its users and to
understand the tradeoffs that The Michigan DOT received an INFRA grant
Cover of The Role of Transportation Systems may occur. in the amount of $104,657,051 for the I–375
Management and Operations in Supporting Community Reconnection Project in Detroit. The
Livability and Sustainability: A Primer. According to Joe Gregory, an FHWA
project will provide significant equity benefits
Source: USDOT. transportation specialist: “Transportation by reconnecting neighborhoods divided by the
agencies can face numerous equity-related current highway design. The project will realign
and barriers to opportunity in their project challenges, such as technological barriers the freeway and convert the existing footprint
of I–375 to a slower speed at-grade boulevard
planning, they would be required to do so and disproportionate impacts and burdens through the project limits. Located in a historically
before receiving funds for construction. in underserved communities. While TSMO disadvantaged community, this project will provide
equitable mobility benefits by reconnecting
would not completely solve all these prob- neighborhoods in areas of persistent poverty.
Transportation Systems lems, its various strategies provide many
Management and Operations cost-effective options to contribute to solu- US 71 Reconnecting Neighborhoods
Another program area connected to trans- tions. Equity-related considerations when
portation equity is Transportation Systems selecting and deploying TSMO strategies, The city of Kansas City, MO, received a RAISE
Management and Operations (TSMO). such as impacts of detour routes to under- grant in the amount of $5 million for a planning
project to reconnect the neighborhoods split by
TSMO involves applying an integrated set served communities and balance among US 71. This planning project includes a Planning
of strategies, technologies, mobility services, modes of travel, can also provide ways and Environmental Linkages study, National
and programs to improve the security, to incorporate equity into how agencies Environmental Policy Act analysis, and conceptual
design for US 71, from 85th Street north to
safety, congestion delay, and reliability of deliver operations.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Kansas
the transportation system. Transportation For example, in the past a TSMO City. This project will create safe, accessible,
nonmotorized travel routes for a multimodal
agencies have increasingly been looking strategy of timing signals may have transit system that eliminates mobility barriers
to apply TSMO strategies to optimize the primarily focused on vehicular traffic and reconnects an underserved community
performance of their existing transpor- flow, which might result in transportation bisected by a six-lane highway, demonstrating
quality of life and connectivity benefits.
tation system, lower costs, and develop inequities for bicyclists and pedestrians,
more sustainable solutions to meet safety, such as a lack of safe mobility and access. Valentine Pontoon Bridge Replacement
mobility, and reliability challenges. However, through a comprehensive analysis
By definition, TSMO focuses on of goals, context, and objectives, the needs The parish of Lafourche, LA, received a RAISE
optimizing multimodal and intermodal of all users would be considered for the Grant in the amount of $2,626,679 to replace the
operations—enhancing the movement of strategy. Another example is the project existing closed, dilapidated Valentine Pontoon
Bridge over Bayou Lafourche on State Highways 1
people and goods rather than just focusing decisions made to support program goals. and 308 between Lockport and Larose with a more
on moving vehicles. As TSMO programs When decisions are made on where to focus modern pontoon bridge. The project supports
environmental sustainability and economic
mature and data, technology, and tools signal retiming efforts, if the primary input competitiveness. The new bridge structure
become increasingly available, a more is customer complaints, an agency may not will reduce environmental harm and maximize
comprehensive systemwide management have a representative understanding of the the hydraulic flow of the Bayou Lafourche. By
reopening the bridge, the project will decrease
will broaden the scope from traffic manage- needs across all communities. Combining travel time between small rural communities,
ment toward optimizing a multimodal customer complaints with a more systematic cut the travel distance between Lockport
system. The continual improvement of review of all signals over time may better and Larose in half, and improve emergency
response time. The bridge will also increase
TSMO programs creates the opportunity identify the full set of needs and result in opportunities for redevelopment of a former
and need to integrate transportation equity a more equitable distribution of services. industrial site and access to employment centers
for a historically disadvantaged community.
into the transportation management and The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality

HTTPS://[Link] | 25
 Meaningful engagement can inform design and deployment of TSMO strategies that address issues raised by community members.
Source: FHWA.

Improvement (CMAQ) Program provides Professional transportation organizations in turn, were founded on a 2016 Metro
funding for transportation projects designed like the American Association of State plan to advance racial equity, diversity, and
to reduce traffic congestion and improve air Highway and Transportation Officials have inclusion. The roots of this equity decision
quality, particularly in areas of the country also pushed for equity in its practices. The tree—which is used to address the barriers
that do not meet national air quality stan- AASHTO Committee on Transportation experienced by people of color and other
dards. By not considering a broader view, Systems Operations (CTSO) established a disadvantaged groups—are three questions:
when CMAQ funding is used for a project Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. • Context: “What are the transportation
to improve vehicular traffic flow, signal Originally developed in 2018, CTSO’s disparities or inequities that exist
timing related to that project may result in policy and procedures were recently updated in the context of TSMO that affect
longer wait times for bicycle and pedestrian to state the value of diverse participation quality of life?”
crossings. Improved vehicular traffic flow and its commitment to “ensure diversity, • Choices: “How can TSMO affect
could also result in higher traveling speeds equity, and inclusion in conducting the transportation choices broadly as well
or intersection designs that are better for committee’s business,” and procedures to as meet individual needs in historically
motorized vehicles but less safe for bicyclists enhance equity in its committee work. marginalized communities and expand
and pedestrians. Another opportunity to The task force has organized webinars and their access to economic, health, and
integrate equity into operations is through sessions at committee meetings to engage recreational opportunities?”
the deployment of TSMO strategies, such members in discussion and sharing of their • Voices: “Who is voicing a problem
as snow removal, freeway service patrols, State’s efforts to incorporate equity in trans- and related impacts? What steps follow
or micromobility options. Equity consid- portation projects and business practices. regional efforts to build capacity to
erations can be incorporated in the criteria Operations staff can look for other meaningfully participate, including for
used for determining the geographic distri- opportunities to engage the public in people without formal organization
bution of the operation services. identifying transportation needs that might or influence?”
An approach that seeks to meet the be addressed through TSMO. For example, Regular public engagement for a trans-
needs of all users of a given transportation Metro, the Federally designated MPO for portation project can build public trust and
facility or service leads to transportation the Portland, OR, region, developed a give a voice to those who are impacted. This
equity. Though there are often competing TSMO strategy document that puts equity feedback can inform design and deploy-
priorities within a project for agencies to at the forefront of their transportation ment of TSMO strategies that address issues
address, defining transportation equity and system planning. Metro began the transpor- raised by these community members. This
the goals or factors considered for achieving tation system planning process by creating engagement also provides transparency
it is important. an equity decision tree. ([Link] in how solutions are identified and what
Developing equity goals helps a transpor- .[Link]/sites/default/files/2021 factors are considered in selecting and
tation agency better define the issues to be /05/18/Equity%20Decision%[Link]) implementing solutions. Additional public
addressed and supports the identification of The equity decision tree was built upon involvement beyond a project’s planning
TSMO-related solutions to communicate to evaluations supporting the 2018 regional phase can also help agencies understand
the public the role that TSMO can play in transportation plan and more focused equity whether the proposed solutions will result in
creating an equitable transportation system. studies for arterial projects. Those efforts, the intended outcomes.

26 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

 FHWA is continuing to explore oppor- Equity, Multimodal Options,
tunities for State and local transportation Score: Example
and Quality of Life Criterion
agencies to advance TSMO while simultane-
ously considering and supporting transpor- The project negatively impacts this project
tation equity. This effort will lead to sharing 0 outcome area.
NA
noteworthy practices and ideas.
Example 1: The project sponsor has
EWA FLOM, P.E., M.B.A, is the senior advisor for
developed and published a general equity
FHWA’s Office of Operations where she initiates policy statement for their agency but
and conducts projects to support the program The project’s claimed benefits in this outcome has not demonstrated any other equity
mission and goals. She earned a B.S. in Civil Engi- area are plausible but minimal OR the considerations for the actual project.
neering from Florida State University and an M.B.A.
1 project’s claimed benefits in this area are Example 2: The project sponsor has
from George Mason University. She is a registered not plausible. created additional multimodal access in
professional engineer in the Commonwealth conjunction with the project, but only as a
of Virginia. minimum project requirement, and not as
a result of intentional planning efforts.
For more information, visit:
Community Impact Assessment: A Quick Example: The project sponsor is
supporting workforce development
Reference for Transportation: [Link] The project produces non-trivial, positive programs, including labor-management
.[Link]/view/dot/50870 2 benefits in this outcome area that are well programs, local hire provisions, and
RAISE Discretionary Grants website: supported by the evidence in the application. incorporating workforce strategy into
[Link] project development in a manner that
The INFRA Grants Program website: produces non-trivial benefits.
[Link]
/infra-grants-program Example: The project sponsor includes
Thriving Communities Program website: new and/or greatly improved multimodal
and transit access across previously
[Link] The project produces significant,
bifurcated disadvantaged neighborhoods,
/thriving-communities transformative benefits in this outcome
3 area, that are well supported by the
and demonstrates how specifically
Cramer Hill Access Improvements/ the disadvantaged neighborhoods
Truck Management Study—Camden, NJ: evidence in the application.
will be positively impacted, and how
[Link] those improvements were as a result of
/resources/cramer_hill/ intentional planning and public input.
The Role of Transportation Systems
Source: USDOT. ([Link]
Management & Operations in Supporting Project%20Discretionary%20Grant%20-%20NOFO_Amendment%201%[Link])
Livability and Sustainability: A Primer:
[Link]
/fhwahop12004/[Link]

Multimodal system operations enhance the movement of people and goods at

this Salt Lake City (UT) TRAX Red Line Trolly Square Station.
© Andrew / [Link].

HTTPS://[Link] | 27
 Meeting
by SHAUN CUTTING

I magine a 6,267-foot-long (1,910-meter-long) bridge at the end

Transportation
of its useful life, crumbling. Yet, it still serves as an economic
backbone for the State of Colorado, carrying major, daily traffic—
over 220,000 vehicles a day—in the middle of a low-income and
minority community in northeast Denver. This bridge, known as
the Interstate 70 (I–70) viaduct, is located in a zip code known as

Goals with
the most polluted area in the Nation. How can these transportation
issues—infrastructure deterioration, gridlock, and environmental
hazards—be solved? More specifically, how can they be solved while
providing the historically underserved communities with the same

Equity
benefits afforded to everyone else utilizing the highway facility?
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) decided
to collaborate with the affected neighborhoods to find a solution.
CDOT, in an unprecedented manner, worked closely with the local
community to understand, from their perspective, how to address
the major concerns. After 14 years in the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) process (between 2003 and 2017), with count-
less hours spent evaluating different alternatives, CDOT developed
a mitigation plan with the surrounding community that would
The Colorado Department of ensure that they would have equitable access to the benefits offered
by the highway improvements. Ultimately, CDOT committed to
Transportation successfully addresses replacing the I–70 viaduct with a tunnel and a 4-acre community
key transportation needs and park built over the interstate.
Project Background and Community Impacts
provides equitable benefits within CDOT’s plan eventually evolved into the Central 70 Project,
low-income and minority communities which involved:
• Rebuilding a 10-mile stretch of I–70 between Brighton
through its Central 70 Project. Boulevard and Chambers Road.
• Adding a new toll express lane in each direction.

Aerial view of new 4-acre park built over Interstate 70 in Colorado.

© 2022 CDOT.

28 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

 • Removing the aging, 57-year-old effort to the surrounding communities. creating, publishing, and distributing
I–70 viaduct. The outreach process was designed to newsletters, mailings, and advertisements;
• Placing a portion of the interstate in a be personal and extensive; it began at a publishing a website; and organizing
1,000-foot (305-meter) tunnel. one-on-one level and expanded to bring monthly meetings with community leaders,
• Creating a 4-acre public park over a together the many interests in the corridor. telephone town halls, and public sit-down
portion of the tunnel. A variety of opportunities were made avail- meetings (with small tables for exchanging
To implement these improvements and able for the community to get involved and information with participants).
upgrades, CDOT worked with many stake- stay informed about the project, including: Despite a unique outreach effort by
holders to understand and address concerns. • Hiring residents from nearby CDOT to reach as many members of the
Most notably, the agency worked with the neighborhoods to help share surrounding communities as possible—and
residents of Globeville and Elyria-Swansea project information. after the project’s initial Draft Environ-
(GES), two low-income, minority neigh- • Using flyers to notify residents and mental Impact Statement (DEIS) was
borhoods negatively impacted by the I–70 local businesses of meetings to discuss published in 2008—the message from the
viaduct’s construction in the 1960s. Given the project. community was clear: It wasn’t acceptable to
the history, these communities opposed • Conducting door-to-door outreach as simply widen the existing interstate in their
widening the interstate; some GES residents a first contact in many neighborhoods. back and front yards. If CDOT was going
wanted I–70 completely removed from • Holding block meetings within to be successful in addressing Colorado’s
the area. neighborhoods. transportation needs, they had to take a step
“They came through neighborhoods, • Attending neighborhood association back to rethink the entire situation.
tore neighborhoods up, [and] divided meetings and business meetings. With the communities unsatisfied with
neighborhoods. [They] ended and destroyed • Conducting neighborhood and larger the levels of mitigation offered, CDOT
businesses and the livelihoods of many corridor-wide meetings. and the Federal Highway Administration
people without apology or without engage- • Providing translation, childcare, and remained determined to better understand
ment,” says current Mayor of Denver meals at meetings. the impact of the Central 70 Project on the
Michael Hancock, referencing highway • Establishing working groups to address communities. The two government agencies
construction’s history of perpetuating racial specific issues. agreed they needed to establish a process
injustice. Hancock believes it is important • Involving the media in a proactive that brought the community leaders to the
that neighborhoods impacted by transporta- manner. table alongside other project stakeholders to
tion projects have a loud voice. • Meeting frequently with local and exchange ideas more effectively. The result
CDOT embraced the loudness in State elected officials. was the creation of the I–70 East Preferred
carrying out an unprecedented outreach Other outreach activities included Alternative Collaborative Team (PACT).

HTTPS://[Link] | 29
Early phases of the Interstate 70 viaduct construction project.
© 2021 CDOT.

including community members, were able

to talk with other State and local officials
about their experiences with collaborating
with community members. They were
also able to talk with engineers to under-
stand lessons learned and best practices
in addressing elements common to this
type of project (e.g., drainage, utilities,
and security).
Ultimately, with the expertise and knowl-
edge gained from feedback and exchanges,
CDOT designed and built the park to unite
the Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods, split by
the I–70 viaduct’s construction on opposite
sides of the roadway. A ribbon-cutting
ceremony was held in November 2022
marking the completion of the I–70 viaduct
renovations. The newly created public
space will feature a small amphitheater, a
splash park, a sports field, play areas, more
than 100 new trees, and room for farmers’
markets and community events. The park
The PACT involved a group of stakeholders will be instrumental in enhancing commu-
representing Federal and State agencies, Mitigation: New Community Park nity cohesion and connectivity. A sentiment
local governments, and community and Building a public park on top of a roadway shared by Denver Councilwoman Debbie
business interests. At the conclusion of this was a novel project for CDOT; having Ortega: “Working collaboratively with the
planning process (after meeting monthly never done it before in Colorado, CDOT State and local partners, we were able to
for over a year), CDOT agreed to consider wanted to first gather lessons learned from achieve unprecedented commitments to
replacing the I–70 viaduct, lowering it other States. FHWA provided such help via the community, including the park that is
underground, and building a public park their Technology Transfer (T2) Program opening here today.”
over the interstate. CDOT also decided that aids in implementing innovation at Colorado Governor Jared Polis spoke at
to establish a job program and continue the Federal, State and local levels. CDOT the ribbon-cutting ceremony and was proud
to incorporate community feedback into was awarded a T2 grant and worked with of what came to fruition: “It’s really one
the project construction. Although there the FHWA Colorado Division to facilitate thing to have seen this drawn on paper years
were still some that wanted I–70 relocated, a trip to Washington State and Texas. The ago, it’s another to be standing here with
this concept, called the partially lowered two States previously constructed covers a field on one side, an amphitheater, and
alternative, garnered enough support from over their interstates and parks on top of a state-of-the-art playground on the other
residents for CDOT to move forward in them to benefit the adjacent communities. side, really seeing the power of community
the NEPA process—an FHWA-led review With these trips, CDOT and local officials, and the power of connectivity.”
process to ensure transportation agencies
consider potential impacts to the social
With Interstate 70 running quietly underneath, a view of the
and natural environment when planning new playground, splash park, amphitheater, and soccer field.
highway projects. Source: FHWA.
A supplemental DEIS was re-issued by
CDOT in 2014, adding the alternative to
replace the elevated interstate structure with
a lowered interstate roadway. CDOT then
began to work on finalizing their preferred
alternative and exploring more options
for effective mitigation. In 2017, each of
the mitigation concepts were finalized as
commitments in the Record of Decision
(ROD)—the final step in the environ-
mental NEPA process. In August 2018,
at the groundbreaking ceremony, then-
FHWA Deputy Administrator Brandye L.
Hendrickson noted that “the Central 70
Project will give more options to the people
of Colorado along one of the State’s most
economically important routes.”

30 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

 Sitting atop of Interstate 70, a view of the artificial turf soccer field
where members of the community can gather, play, and exercise.
Source: FHWA.

One of the many playground features constructed

and unveiled in November 2022 as part of the new
community park on top of Interstate 70.
Source: FHWA.

Mitigation: Hiring Individuals Mitigation: Tolling Discount Program committee, stakeholder advisory group,
from Local Communities A common concern from all parties, GES residents, and Denver City council
Another clear message from meeting with including CDOT, was how to build toll members. A public survey was also circu-
the surrounding communities appeared: if lanes through a low-income area without lated to residents to solicit feedback and
CDOT was investing over a billion dollars excluding the area’s residents in having gain an understanding of the community’s
on the estimated 5-year construction equitable access to the new lanes. To address needs and travel patterns. The survey was
project—further disrupting the communi- this issue, a commitment to add a discount particularly successful, garnering almost 300
ty’s quality of life—residents wanted access program was added into the NEPA ROD. responses. The survey responses along with
to the high-paying construction jobs that When the project was nearly two years the information from interviews conducted
were sure to accompany the renovations. from being completed, the High Perfor- with the five agencies (State departments of
Hence, CDOT requested a local hiring and mance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE), transportation, counties, and a metropolitan
workforce development program for the a government-owned business within planning organization) and information on
project from FHWA. Though local hiring CDOT, embarked on a year-long process the committee meetings can be found in
preferences are not typically allowed per to fulfill the commitment and provide CTIO’s “Central 70 Globeville & Elyria-
Federal requirements, FHWA was willing to discounted access to the toll lanes for the Swansea Tolling Equity Program Memo-
pilot the program to provide employment GES neighborhoods. HPTE, now known randum” ([Link]
opportunities to the surrounding communi- as the Colorado Transportation Investment /ctio/agenda-item-documents/2022-agenda
ties bearing the brunt of construction. Office (CTIO), has the legal responsibility -item-documents/march-2022/5-central-70
Utilizing funding from the U.S. Depart- to seek out opportunities for innovative and -[Link]).
ment of Transportation’s Ladders of Oppor- efficient means of financing and delivering Finalizing the details of the discount
tunity initiative, CDOT, in 2016, partnered important surface transportation infrastruc- program (such as deciding the discount
with the Community College of Denver’s ture projects in the State. program eligibility requirements, ideal type
(CCD) Center for Workforce Initiatives to The discount program included signif- of discount program, program funding
establish an overarching workforce program icant engagement with peer agencies structure, and program length) took signifi-
called WORKNOW. This program special- nationwide, including FHWA, the GES cant effort. After nearly a year-long effort of
ized in placing, retaining, and advancing community, and other local stakeholders. collaboration, CTIO developed a program
workers on the Central 70 Project (as well With equity and the environment being with the following two main highlights
as on future regional infrastructure proj- key focus areas for the Federal government, for participants:
ects). Through various outreach events and FHWA Colorado Division frequently • Free in-vehicle transponders (devices
partnerships, CDOT, WORKNOW, and communicated with their Office of Envi- that automatically charge for road
CCD were able to catch the attention of a ronment to keep them informed throughout use) with a $100 credit to express toll
local private foundation, Gary Community the program’s development. accounts the first year.
Investments. The foundation invested nearly Like the park’s construction above the • For future years, the option of free
$2 million into the workforce development I–70 tunnel, this initiative was the first transit passes or additional credit
program that mitigated barriers to employ- tolling discount program in Colorado. applied to express toll accounts (a
ment, such as the affordability of personal CDOT first reached out to five agencies split based on input provided by
protective equipment, transportation, around the country that had implemented, GES residents).
and childcare. Unlike the I–70’s original or were implementing, a similar toll Transit passes from the Regional Trans-
construction, community members could program and collected best practices and portation District—metro Denver’s transit
financially benefit and establish careers lessons learned. This exchange of knowl- agency—would be provided to the commu-
through the Central 70 Project. edge provided CTIO with an intellectual nity. CTIO also coordinated with local
To date, the Central 70 employment foundation for developing its tolling organizations to become distribution centers
training program has proved to be a discount program. to create accessible locations for eligible resi-
huge success. Over 600 individuals have A short time later, CTIO established a dents to pick up passes. Eligibility require-
completed the training program, and steering committee and stakeholder advisory ments include being a resident of GES with
CDOT exceeded their on-the-job training group to guide the process. Numerous an income below the 200 percent Federal
goal of 200,000 hours. meetings were held with the steering poverty level household income threshold

HTTPS://[Link] | 31
 September 2021

Fun Facts on
the Public Park Students, parents and members of the
The straight scoop on the Central 70 Project surrounding community were involved
in designing the park’s amenities

Columbine Street

Acres of park space will extend over I-70 Similar highway The park connects
between Columbine and Clayton streets parks across the Elyria-Swansea
equivalent to more than 3 football fields the nation neighborhoods

A family anticipates the completion of a new fun place to play as workers wrap up
a day of construction on the new 4-acre community park atop Interstate 70. Park Two 25 x 50 yard Splash pad
amenities soccer fields five water features,
Source: FHWA. for use of the elementary designed with sustainability
school during school hours and energy conservation

Amphitheater Tot lot and additional

artfully designed pavilion playground area
(an exception is granted for any displaced household members due structure with tree-lined
events lawn
1,500 square feet with seat
walls for easy supervision
to the Central 70 Project). Approximately 5,623 GES residents were
eligible for the program, corresponding to just over half (53 percent)
of all households in these communities. Funding for this program
will come from CTIO’s commitment to dedicate 15 percent of the
net toll revenues from the Central 70 toll managed lanes. Number of trees People the Year the park Year the concept
that will be , events lawn can 2023 of building a park
will open to

Mitigation Goals Met planted accommodate over I-70 was first

the public
presented to
the public
Although it took a significant amount of time and resources,
CDOT was successful at meeting their critical infrastructure goals Did you know? The ‘bookends’ or areas that An adventure playground Public restroom facilities,
extend west of Columbine and with iconic climbing bottle-filler and drinking
by listening and establishing partnerships. When a construction east of Clayton streets were
added to the design and paid for
equipment is one of the
elements in the east side
fountains will be available.

project affects the lives of those in surrounding communities, by the City and County of Denver. community space.

it is necessary to spend the time to understand the surrounding [Link]

communities’ perspectives on those impacts and engage them in Hotline: 833-C70-INFO

Text Central70 to 77948

the development of mitigation plans. Similarly, learning from and Fun facts about the new Interstate 70 park.
listening to State and Federal agencies, city and county govern- © 2021 CDOT.
ments, and local organizations should also be intuitive. CDOT
did all these things to such a high degree, and the outcome is a
world-class I–70 facility not only for use by more than 220,000 faced between the choice of wallowing in the mistakes of the past
vehicles a day, but also for use by the communities that have the and making new choices in the present for the future, we must
interstate in their backyard. For these communities, the new I–70 choose to build our infrastructure with the intention and impact of
facility reduces noise and dust pollution and restores connectivity connecting our communities.”
and community cohesion. “We can’t turn back time and change the
fact that a highway was built through the middle of this neigh- SHAUN CUTTING, a licensed professional engineer, is a program delivery team
borhood, an emblem of how infrastructure was built in the 1950s leader with the FHWA Colorado Division Office and holds a bachelor’s degree in
and 1960s,” says Stephanie Pollack, former acting administrator engineering from Union College.
of FHWA. “But we can be very clear moving forward. The purpose
of transportation must always be to connect and not separate. And For more information, see [Link]

32 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

 ALONG THE ROAD

Sessions like the AASHTO RAC Annual Meeting bring together transportation
professionals to share innovation and knowledge, and expand partnerships.
© MoiraM / [Link].

Along the Road is the place to look for information about current and upcoming activities, developments, trends, and items of general interest to the
highway community. This information comes from U.S. Department of Transportation sources unless otherwise indicated. Your suggestions and input
are welcome. Let’s meet along the road.

Public Information and Information Exchange

AASHTO RAC Meeting Slated for July In 2021, Dr. Regal participated in panel discussions, while other

T wice every year, subject matter experts from the Federal

Highway Administration attend the American Association of
State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Research
FHWA staff presented updates on the State Planning and Research
(SPR)-Subpart B Program—the regulatory actions and eligibility
activities—as well as an overview and update on the Transportation
Advisory Committee (RAC) Annual National Meeting. While Pooled Fund Program.
one session is conducted on the Sunday before the Transportation In 2022, Dr. Regal delivered a presentation entitled, “FHWA
Research Board Annual Meeting in January, the second meeting Update for AASHTO RAC: View From the Top,” where she gave
is a more extensive four-day event in July—where transportation attendees an overview of the impacts of the Infrastructure
professionals gather in one of the four AASHTO regions. Each of Investment and Jobs Act, the current status and look ahead at
the four regional RACs typically meet once a month as well. RD&T activities, and updates on SPR.
The RAC community serves as an advocate for transportation The 2023 AASHTO RAC meeting is scheduled for
by promoting the value of research and applying research findings July 24-27, 2023.
to improve State transportation systems, and supports the activities
of the Special Committee on Research & Innovation. FHWA’s 2022 NLTAPA’s National Program Achievement Awards
participation in regional and national RAC meetings provides
division office research coordinators with firsthand knowledge.
FHWA has traditionally used a multipronged approach to the
F ormed in 1991, the National Local Technical Assistance
Program Association (NLTAPA) represents the Local Technical
Assistance Program (LTAP) and Tribal Technical Assistance
deployment of transportation innovations, including collaboration. Program (TTAP) member centers across the Nation and Puerto
In years past, Dr. Kelly Regal, the Associate Administrator for Rico. LTAP assists State and local highway agencies in maintaining
Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) and the and rehabilitating roads and bridges; TTAP provides transportation
Director of TFHRC, has been an active participant in this event. training and technical assistance to Tribal communities.

HTTPS://[Link] | 33
 The National Program Achievement Award is presented by location of a vehicle to a crosswalk. The primer also affirms that,
NLTAPA to individuals in recognition of their dedication, “Effective pedestrian lighting installations are a means of
leadership, and effectiveness in promoting the goals and purposes addressing the vulnerability of pedestrians during dark conditions
of the association. The 2022 award recipients, announced at the and improving the safety and security of all road users spanning
LTAP/TTAP Annual Conference, included Dr. Earl “Rusty” Lee different ages and abilities, including wheelchair and other
(director of the Delaware Center for Transportation and the mobility device users.” To review the primer in its entirety, visit,
director of the Delaware T²/LTAP Center) and Kim Carr (program [Link]
coordinator of Operations, Outreach, and Communication at the _Lighting_Primer_Final.pdf.
West Virginia LTAP Center). Lee and Carr, in their 35 years of
combined LTAP service, have demonstrated leadership and a
commitment to work collaboratively with partners and peers
nationwide. NLTAPA notes that both individuals demonstrate true
dedication to going above and beyond in support of the association
as well as the transportation industry and related workforce.
For more information and a listing of State LTAP Centers and
representatives, visit: [Link]

More Pedestrians Killed in Evening Hours

A n important piece of safety data led the Federal Highway

Administration to publish the Pedestrian Lighting Primer in
April 2022—most pedestrian fatalities resulting from vehicles
occur during nighttime hours. This primer was published as
a resource for transportation practitioners, especially those
professionals installing and improving pedestrian lighting at
locations with existing and future pedestrian activity.
According to the 2022 primer, lighting plays a key role in
increasing the safety performance of the road network for all users.
Crossing the street can oftentimes be a tricky task for
pedestrians. Pedestrians must predict vehicle speeds; when drivers
will slow down or stop; and how to time crossings safely. Under
low light or nighttime conditions, these types of predictions are
made more challenging by vehicle headlights, which can make it
more difficult to correctly judge vehicle speeds and the relative Lighting plays a key role in increasing the safety performance of the road network
for all users.
Source: FHWA.

Technical News
Houston ConnectSmart App

H ouston ConnectSmart is a new smartphone mobility app, a

one-stop shop for mobility options, designed for Houston,
TX, and launched in September 2022. The app is part of an effort
• Plan, buy, store, and use bus and light rail tickets.
• Receive alerts when entering school zones,
helping protect vulnerable road users.
to help residents beat Houston traffic and improve the region’s air • Access roadside cameras to view conditions along their route.
quality by providing a more connected, less congested commuting • Receive notifications before a trip about
experience. With the app, users can: disruptions along upcoming routes.
• Discover sustainable mobility • Find and plan trips using available bikeshare rentals.
options (carpooling, biking • Earn rewards for free transit tickets and gift cards.
routes, and transit).
• View real-time traffic information The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Houston
including travel times, delays, District received an Advanced Transportation and Congestion
and traffic incidents. Management Technologies Deployment grant from the U.S.
• Plan and schedule trips by Department of Transportation. With it, and alongside regional
seeing and using different partners, they launched the app with the safety, reliability, and
transportation modes and services. efficiency of Houston’s regional transportation system in mind as
• Get turn-by-turn navigation well as maintaining the area’s quality of life and economic vitality.
for their selected trip for For more information visit the ConnectSmart website:
all travel modes. [Link]
• Find on-street and parking lot
availability and be navigated to it.
ConnectSmart is a smartphone mobility app designed for Houston to help residents
• Access no-cost emergency beat traffic congestion, improve air quality, and provide different mobility options.
roadside services.
© TxDOT.

34 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

Policy, Regulations, and Grants
FDOT Awarded $37 Million to Enhance Transportation Safety

I n August 2022, the Florida Department of Transportation—

in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Transportation—
announced two grants to help reduce barriers to affordable
transportation for all Americans. This reduction of barriers will
improve access to jobs, schools, and healthcare for members of the
traveling public without favor or bias.
With over $37 million in recent funding, the first grant—with
$25 million—will be used to enhance safety along the Florida East
Coast Corridor, which stretches across Miami-Dade, Broward,
Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, and Brevard counties. The
construction of supplemental safety measures at 328 roadway- THE U.S. NATIONAL The U.S. National Blueprint
BLUEPRINT FOR for Transportation
railroad grade crossings and installation of 33 miles of pedestrian TRANSPORTATION Decarbonization is the
protection features is included in this grant. DECARBONIZATION roadmap for how the
A Joint Strategy to American transportation
The second grant, utilizing the remaining $12 million for Transform Transportation system can provide better
technology, will go to improve the movement and safety of options, expand affordable
residents and visitors to the city of St. Augustine. The city of St. and accessible options
to improve efficiency, and
Augustine—as the Nation’s first city and home of the Florida transition to zero-emission
School for the Deaf and Blind—attracts millions of visitors each vehicles and fuels.
year; hence, accessibility to better parking and travel information is Source: USDOT.
needed as well as smart traffic signals, sensors to detect street
flooding, audible crosswalk signals; and mobility hubs with First-Ever National Blueprint for
information kiosks for parking, bicycles, and electric Transportation Decarbonization
vehicle charging.
For more information, visit [Link]
/news/2022/08122022.
I n January 2023, the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation
Decarbonization: A Joint Strategy to Transform Transportation
(the Blueprint) was published—a first-of-its-kind, interagency
framework of strategies and action plans to remove all greenhouse
Wilmington MPO Amends Inequities with emissions from the transportation sector by the year 2050.
Transportation Justice Initiative Created via a partnership between the Departments of Energy,

T he Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO), a

metropolitan planning organization (MPO) in the State of
Delaware, has established a transportation equity initiative that was
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and
Environmental Protection Agency, the Blueprint calls upon actions
from Federal, State, local, regional, and Tribal governments,
20 years in the making. In carrying out the transportation planning non-profit and philanthropic organizations, and private industry to
process for New Castle County, DE, and Cecil County, MD, address the growing climate crisis via a series of timed, coordinated
WILMAPCO created the Transportation Justice (TJ) Plan from behaviors. For example, years prior to 2030 will address research
nearly six other initiatives the MPO generated through the decades. and investments to support the deployment of clean solutions;
With each initiative building upon the next, WILMAPCO 2030-2040 will scale up the deployment; and 2040-2050 will
gathered all equity-related MPO and Federal requirements (i.e., support the full transition to a sustainable and equitable future.
Title VI, Environmental Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act, A well-planned transition will help counter the negative effects
and Limited English Proficiency) into a single, comprehensive plan. emissions have on the health and well-being of millions, especially
The TJ initiative, designed in conjunction with partner those in disadvantaged communities across the Nation. The
agencies, does not employ a one-size-fits-all approach to all transportation sector accounts for a third of all domestic
neighborhoods and projects. It utilizes several different indices to greenhouse gas emissions, and transportation costs are the second
identify communities facing barriers (e.g., environmental justice largest annual household expense for the poorest Americans. In
neighborhoods, areas of high social determinants of health concern, implementing the Blueprint, a decarbonized transportation system
and urban technology deserts), and investigates an area’s will result in more affordable and accessible transit options, more
transportation affordability, multimodal connectivity, and crash clean-energy transportation technologies, and more well-paying
frequency. The identification of such communities informs how jobs in all segments of the transportation sector.
projects are prioritized as well as community engagement January’s release of the Blueprint coincided with the
considerations and technical equity analyses. For example, to yield Transportation Research Board’s Annual Meeting held in
an accurate depiction of an area’s multimodal connectivity, an Washington, D.C., where components of the Blueprint were
assessment is conducted from each housing unit to key destinations discussed by many in leadership including U.S. Transportation
(e.g., work, education, healthcare, and grocery stores) by car, Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s extensive conversation on the
walking, biking, and bus. This information enables analysis of opportunities and benefits of utilizing electric vehicles.
connectivity equity for project alternatives to be better weighed For more information, visit [Link]
against one another and for stronger performance measurement. -national-blueprint-transportation-decarbonization-joint-strategy-transform
For additional information, and to view the latest TJ initiative, -transportation and [Link]
visit [Link] /files/2023-01/Factsheet_TransportationDecarbBlueprint2023.pdf.

HTTPS://[Link] | 35
TRAINING UPDATE © metamorwork / [Link].

Why Use Data Driven Safety

Analysis (DDSA)?
Source: NHI.
by THOMAS ELLIOTT and SABRINA SYLVESTER

D ata Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA) provides evidence-based

models that demonstrate how to quantify the safety impacts of
transportation systems. Transportation professionals can effectively
Knowledge from this WBT will provide transportation
professionals the tools to effectively communicate findings with
other transportation professionals and the public, supporting the
identify, apply, and explain DDSA to make the best decision in a disbursement of public funds for programs and projects to achieve
transportation project’s planning and process development. well-defined performance goals. DDSA will provide decision-
The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) National makers with the tools necessary to ensure safety protocols are in
Highway Institute (NHI) developed new virtual training that place for transportation systems. Visit NHI’s website and register
provides information on how to use reliable analysis methods to for this dynamic, engaging WBT.
make informed decisions and successfully discuss the results with
transportation peers and the community-at-large. How to Attend or Host a Course
NHI invites all transportation professionals interested in a course
Achieving successful DDSA with NHI to visit [Link] to learn more about registering
The Introduction to Data Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA) or hosting a course. The course catalog lists over 350 courses in
(FHWA-NHI-380125), is a Web-based Training (WBT) that 18 program areas.
identifies and applies data-driven analysis for safety protocols in NHI is an approved Accredited Provider by the International
transportation systems. Participants will learn aspects of DDSA, Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). As
including its terminology and benefits, how it impacts the an IACET Accredited Provider, NHI offers continuing education
transportation system’s safety performance, and the application of units for its programs that qualify under the American National
analysis results on performance-based decisions. Standards Institute/IACET Standard.
Additionally, participants will learn of possible restrictions of
current safety analysis methods (e.g., crash frequency and rate) and THOMAS ELLIOTT is a master trainer and training program manager for NHI.
more reliable methods (e.g., predicted and expected crashes). Also,
learners will be able to determine the appropriate scale and scope SABRINA SYLVESTER is a senior marketing analyst contractor for NHI.
of safety analysis efforts and associated data requirements.

36 | PUBLIC ROADS | SPRING 2023

Reporting Changes of Address

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