Complying with Federal Regulations for Regional Transit Planning: Developing Planning Agreements for Transit Agencies and Metropolitan Planning Organizations

This paper describes how a statewide transit operator, NJ TRANSIT, negotiated a planning memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the three Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO’s) in which it participates. The agreement is required by Federal Regulation 23CFR450.310, Metropolitan Planning Regulations. This requirement affects all U.S. transit operators receiving Federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The paper discusses the background for the requirement, describes the scope of NJ TRANSIT’s operations and its participation in three MPO’s in New Jersey. It discusses evolution of the approach to developing the agreement and the structure of the MOU. The paper concludes with a discussion of how implementing the agreement prompted significant changes in the planning work programs for two MPO’s. In addition, the agreement was used as a model for another federally-required agreement between a transit operator and an MPO. Although unique circumstances attended the creation of this planning MOU, it is expected that other transit operators and MPO’s can take advantage of this experience.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Lutin, Jerome
  • Roberts, Richard T
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 88th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2009-1-11 to 2009-1-15
• Date: 2009

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: DVD
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 14p
• Monograph Title: TRB 88th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Federal laws; Metropolitan planning organizations; Public transit; Regional planning; Regulations; State government agencies; Transit operators; Transportation operations
• Identifier Terms: New Jersey Transit; United States Code
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01129446
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 09-0652
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 27 2009 10:17AM