Summary
AMT is highly experienced in Transportation Facility Planning. The Facility Planning Process is a two phased process that encompasses preliminary planning activities in Phase I, such as Purpose and Need and alternatives analyses, through to 35% completion of final design by the end of Phase II, with public outreach activities ongoing throughout the process.
Phase I
Mobility Action Plan - The MAP involves project initiation activities including identifying a project team, project scooping, goals, public involvement strategy and schedule development.
Background Data Collection & Public Input - The project's "base" conditions are established by weaving together existing conditions with planned traffic and development data and known public concerns. Data or information collected would include:
- Property boundaries
- Master Plan/zoning information
- Traffic counts (intersection turning volumes; average daily traffic volumes)
- Ridership forecasts; existing and proposed transit service
- Other transportation projects or planning efforts in the Study Area
- Environmental features inventory (e.g. wetlands; specimen trees; parks, historic sites; etc.)
- Noise sensitive locations (schools; parks; churches; etc.)
- Floodplain areas
- Accident data
- Existing road geometry
- Existing traffic controls (traffic signals; stop signs; turning restrictions; weight limitations; etc.)
Public involvement activities include one or more public briefings on the project.
Travel Demand Forecasting - Baseline (current year) and future projected (10 and 20 years from start of study) traffic data are developed. Data includes planned roadway improvements and land use development and annual traffic growth to produce the future travel demand data including ADT's, turning movements, peak period volumes, directional distribution, travel patterns, delay, traffic generators, bike/pedestrian volumes.
Purpose And Need - The project is then evaluated to determine whether it is or will be needed in the future [NEED]. Future demand versus existing roadway capacity is examined. If the project is deemed to be necessary, then the project as proposed is evaluated to determine if it will address future travel demand in the Study Area.
Conceptual Alignments and Typical Sections/Concept Plans - Prior to developing concepts, existing features are identified and mapped including environmental resources and engineering constraints. Once the base mapping has been prepared, typical section(s) and alignment concepts are developed for consideration by the project team. A range of improvements are presented including a low cost alternative and include pedestrian and bicycle facilities and landscape components.
Preliminary Impacts - A Preliminary Impacts Assessment of each alternative is prepared and findings documented in an impacts matrix for comparison purposes. The natural and socioeconomic elements assessed may include: wetlands, floodplains, historic sites/compatibility, archeological potential, noise, affected residents and businesses. Traffic impacts assessment are also carried out and would include results of the travel demand modeling comparing baseline conditions to future improvement scenarios.
Project Prospectus - After Phase I has been completed, a Project Prospectus is prepared to document the effort involved, including detailed analyses, Purpose and Need, concepts developed, impacts/engineering assessments, public outreach results, and the final decisions and recommendations including whether to continue with the development of the project.
Public Participation - All the recommended concept(s) are finalized and the impacts assessment summarized for presentation to the community in a final public informational briefing.
