FHWA's STEP: Federal Research Program Linking Practice

1. Federal Highway Administration’s (FWHA)Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP) STEP: A Federal Research Program - conducting research that links to practice. www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP

2. Agenda • What is FHWA’s STEP • STEP Background, Objectives, Emphasis Areas, Legislative Guidance, Funding, Challenges & Implementation Activities • STEP Stakeholders • Stakeholder Involvement, Outreach , Tier I, II, & III Stakeholders • STEP Emphasis Areas • Estimated FY09 Funding, Research Highlights, Implementation Timeline, Next Steps & Emphasis Area Contacts www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 1

3. What is FHWA’s STEP? • STEP Background • A federally-administered nationally oriented research program • Authorized in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy of Users (SAFETEA-LU) • Section 5207 – Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP) • Section 5208 – Transportation Research and Development (R&D) Strategic Planning www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 2

4. What is FHWA’s STEP? • STEP Objectives • Improve understanding of the complex relationship between surface transportation, planning, and the environment • Help identify, address, and reassess national research priorities for environment, planning, realty, and tools to support these areas • Help achieve national objectives for streamlining, congestions, reduction, safety, and security www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 3

5. FHWA’s STEP Emphasis Areas www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 4

6. FHWA’s STEP Legislative Guidance • SAFETEA-LU requires, to the maximum extent practicable, that: • Best projects and researchers based on merit, open solicitations, and selection by a panel of appropriate experts; • DOT has a qualified, permanent core staff; • Stakeholders are involved in program governance; and • No duplication with the Future Strategic Highway Research Program (Section 5210 of SAFETEA-LU) www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 5

7. How is FHWA’s STEP funded? • SAFETEA-LU authorized $16.875 million per year for FY2006-2009 • Part of Title V Research – funds authorized in 5101(a)(1) • Title V Research – over designated (i.e. funds designated exceed funds authorized • Approximately $14 million anticipated to be available in FY09 due to obligation limitations and rescissions www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 6

8. Who gets FHWA’s STEP money? • STEP funds can be awarded to: • State governments • Metropolitan planning organizations • Local governments • Universities • Federal agencies • Private sector www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 7

9. How are FHWA’s STEP funds awarded? • A variety of procurement mechanisms are used to award STEP funds including: • Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (ID/IQ) • Interagency agreements • Grants • Cooperative agreements • Small purchase contracts • Broad Agency Announcements are used to obtain broad & diverse perspectives and options for advancing research initiatives www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 8

10. FHWA’s STEP Funds Match Requirement • Congress mandated a 50% non-Federal match for grants & cooperative agreements • “Non-Federal match” requirement does not apply to contracts or Federal Interagency Agreements • SAFETEA-LU does not allow University Transportation Center or State Planning and Research funds to be used as the non-Federal match for STEP www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 9

11. FHWA’s STEP Challenges • Sole source of funding for all FHWA Planning and Environment research • 50% match required for grants/cooperative agreements • Must encompass existing national mandates, mandated studies and projects • Support research that impacts a broad array of stakeholders www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 10

12. Stakeholder Involvement • On-going outreach & stakeholder feedback are used to refine & implement the national STEP research agenda • Partnerships are formed to leverage funds with other sources including: • Federal, State and Local agencies • National Cooperative Highway Research Program • Future Strategic Highway Research Program • Pooled funds & foreign jurisdictions • Examples of outreach activities include: • National workshops • Annual community of practice conferences • Program advisory groups • Peer reviews www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 12

13. STEP Tier I Stakeholders • Federal Agencies and Tribes: • Departments of Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, Agriculture, Energy, Interior (DOI) and Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) • National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management within the DOI • Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Federal Railroad, Aviation, Research and Innovative Technology, National Highway Traffic Safety Maritime Administrations, and Office of the Secretary of Transportation within DOT • Over 500 federally recognized Native American Tribes www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 14

14. STEP Tier II Stakeholders • State and Local Government: • State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs) • Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) • Local government units • Transit operators • County public works departments • City transportation departments • State and local environmental and natural resource agencies • State Historic Preservation Officers • State and local health agencies www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 15

15. American Automobile Association American Road & Transportation Builders Association American Highway Users Alliance Surface Transportation Policy Project Defenders of Wildlife American Association of Retired Persons Sierra Club Conservation Law Foundation American Council of Engineering Companies American Planning Association League of American Bicyclists National Trust for Historic Preservation International Right of Way Association National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies STEP Tier III StakeholdersNongovernmental Transportation and Environmental Stakeholders www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 16

16. STEP Implementation Stages Stage 1: Strategy Development/Outreach • Update Implementation Strategy • Publish Federal Register Notice • Solicit feedback on research topics via STEP Feedback System on STEP website www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP

17. Stage 2 – Overall STEP Plan Development • Emphasis area contacts review feedback • Assess national priorities/status of existing research • Develop research recommendations for each emphasis area • Associate Administrator approves draft FY STEP Plan • Draft Plan is posted on STEP website • FYSTEP Plan is subject to completion of annual appropriation www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP

18. Stage 3 – Emphasis Area Work Plan Development/Implementation • Emphasis Area contacts develop FY work plans for each emphasis area • Identify specific projects for funding • Identify procurement methods/develop Statements of Work • Solicit request for proposals, when appropriate www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP

19. Stage 4: Research Deployment and Dissemination • Best practices, reports, presentations, brochures, newsletters, etc. • Peer exchanges, workshops, conferences ▪ Coordination with stakeholder groups/ other research programs (on-going) www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP

20. FY09 STEP • A Federal Register notice in June 2008 requested public comment on FY09 STEP Implementation Strategy • 424 comments were received • Approx. $14.5 million anticipated for FY09 • Funding levels subject to completion of FY09 appropriations • STEP Plan posted on STEP website January 2009 www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 13

21. STEP Emphasis Areas & Estimated FY09 Funding • Environment • Water/Wetlands/Vegetation/Wildlife/ $1,070,000 Habitat/Brownfields • Environmental Streamlining and Stewardship $1,663,500 • Air Quality & Global Climate Change $1,250,000 • Outdoor Advertising Control/Realty Program $585,000 • Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) $500,000 • Noise $390,000 • Bicycle & Pedestrian Health $270,000 • Historic Preservation $225,000 www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 17

22. STEP Emphasis Areas & Estimated FY09 Funding • Planning • Activities that Support State/Local/ $2,600,000 Tribal Planning Capacity Building • Congestion $750,000 • National Security, Defense, and Interstate $600,000 Planning • U.S./Canada and U.S. Mexico Border Planning $525,000 • Public Involvement, Environmental $200,000 Justice, Visualization in Planning • Freight $200,000 • Safety Planning $100,000 www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 18

23. STEP Emphasis Areas & Estimated FY09 Funding • Tools to Support Environment & Planning • Travel Modeling $1,170,000 • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) $405,000 • STEP Program Management and Outreach • Program Outreach $350,000 • Financial Management Support $350,000 • Web site support for Research and Programs $300,000 www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 19

24. STEP Environment Research Highlights Climate Change Local Mitigation and Impacts • Pilot program with the New Mexico DOT to determine how much carbon dioxide can be captured in plants and soils along highway right-of-way (ROW). www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 20

25. STEP Environment Research Highlights Ecological Grant Program • Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects outlines an ecosystem approach that identifies and addresses the greatest conservation needs associated with mitigation for infrastructure projects. • Awarded 15 cooperative agreements to organizations in 10 states that will demonstrate how infrastructure development and ecosystem conservation can be integrated to harmonize economic, environmental, and social needs and objectives. www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 21

26. STEP Environment Research Highlights International Best Management Practices (BMP) Stormwater Database • Provides scientifically sound information to improve the design, selection and performance of BMPs • Includes participation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 22

27. STEP Environment Research Highlights Interim Report to the U.S. Congress on the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program • Demonstrates the extent to which bicycling and walking can carry a significant part of the transportation load, and represent a major portion of the transportation solution • Summarizes the progress and initial results of the FHWA and the four pilot communities' participation www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 23

28. STEP Planning Research Highlights Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Program • Provides information, training, and technical assistance to help transportation professionals create plans and programs that respond to the needs of the many users of their local transportation systems • The TPCB Peer Program provides opportunities for transportation planning professionals to share experiences and noteworthy, solution-based ideas and is designed to meet the specific needs of state, regional, local, or tribal governments www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 24

29. STEP Planning Research Highlights Border Wait Times • Measures travel times in freight significant corridors and border crossing times at major US land border crossings • Satellite technology is used to develop terrestrial technology to automatically measure travel time and border crossing times www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 25

30. STEP Tools to Support Environment & Planning Research Highlights Travel Modeling • Supports projects that implement synthetic population models, dynamic network models and development of activity based models such as the Atlanta Regional Commission • Supports technology deployment to planning agencies through technology transfer, training, and technical capacity building www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 26

31. STEP Tools to Support Environment & Planning Research Highlights Using GIS in Planning and Environment Linkages • Report of three case studies illustrates how GIS has been effectively implemented into the FHWA’s Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) approach • FHWA GIS Transportation Webcast that represents the beginning of a series to highlight efforts in applying geospatial technologies www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 27

32. STEP Implementation Timeline • Winter • Begin to implement current fiscal year, through appropriate procurement methods, agreements and partnerships. (May shift depending on appropriations) • Spring • Refine STEP Implementation Strategy/Goals/Emphasis Areas; publish Federal Register Notice and update website information to solicit feedback on next fiscal year STEP activities. Conduct outreach for next fiscal year by emphasis area, review research needs and identify gaps. • Spring/Summer • Develop priorities for and fund critical research. Develop next draft fiscal year STEP Plan for comment. • Fall/Winter • Post current fiscal year plan on STEP website. (May shift depending on appropriations) www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 28

33. Environment Emphasis Area Contacts • Natural Environment • Air Quality and Global Climate Change Cecila.Ho@dot.gov • Water/Wetlands/Vegetation/Wildlife/ Carol.Adkins@dot.gov Habitat/Brownfields • Human Environment • Historic Preservation MaryAnn.Naber@dot.gov • Bicycle/Pedestrian and Health Gabe.Rousseau@dot.gov • Noise Mark.Ferroni@dot.gov • Outdoor Advertising Control/ Arnold.Feldman@dot.gov Realty ProgramManagement • Environmental Process Improvement • Environmental Streamlining Stewardship Shari.Schaftlein@dot.gov • Context Sensitive Solutions Shari.Schaftlein@dot.gov www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 30

34. Planning Emphasis Area Contacts • Planning Focus Areas • Congestion Harlan.Miller@dot.gov • Safety Planning Lorrie.Lau@dot.gov • Freight Planning Spencer.Stevens@dot.gov • State/Local/Tribal Planning Capacity Building • Public Involvement, EJ, Visualization in Planning Brenda.Kragh@dot.gov • Other Activities that Support State/Local/Tribal Robert.Ritter@dot.gov Planning Capacity Building • National/International Planning • US/Canada and US Mexico Border Planning Roger.Petzold@dot.gov • National Security, Defense, and Interstate Planning Mike.Neathery@dot.gov www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 31

35. Tools to Support Environment & Planning Emphasis Area Contacts • Travel Modeling Fred.Ducca@dot.gov • GIS/Spatial Information for Improved Roger.Petzold@dot.gov Decision Making www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 32

36. Program Management and Outreach Emphasis Area Contact • Contact: Felicia.Young@dot.gov www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 33

37. How do I get more information? [Insert name and title of presenter] U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty Phone Number: E-mail address: Emphasis area contacts lead implementation of STEP research. To contact emphasis areas directly, please visit for the most up-to-date contact information:www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/step/strategy.htm#iii Or visit: www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/step/index.htm www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 34

38. “This research has been funded by the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Planning, Environment and Realty’s Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP)”. www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP 35