RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE CHANGES IN PPMS Bike Paths Vdot Implementation Guide For Locality Involvement
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BIKE & PEDESTRIAN IMPLEMENTATION
GUIDE FOR LOCALITY INVOLVEMENT
November 2006
1 of 9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Topic Page(s)
Encouraging development of Bike and pedestrian plans by localities 3 – 5
Involving localities in Pre-Scoping & Scoping 6
Documenting locality involvement and positions through the public
hearing process 7
Steps for conflict resolution between VDOT and localities 8
Implementation of Bike and Pedestrian Policy with Locally Initiated or
Locally Administered Projects 9
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Encouraging Development of Bike and Pedestrian Plans by Localities
Transportation planning in Virginia is largely a bottom-up process, with decisions
regarding economic development and land use residing with localities and most of the
responsibility for transportation residing with the state.
Localities develop local comprehensive plans, which include a transportation component
that focuses on the specific issues and needs of the locality. These local plans may or
may not include a specific bicycle and pedestrian component. Many localities have
specific bicycle and/or pedestrian plans.
Regional plans, such as Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Long-Range
Transportation Plans, Small Urban Area Plans, and Rural Long-Range Transportation
Plans take a larger geographic perspective with respect to transportation and address, to
varying degrees, bicycle and pedestrian needs.
As described in the following table, these local and regional plans should serve as a
resource for VDOT project managers in determining where and what type of bicycle and
pedestrian accommodations are desired by localities.
In the absence of a local or regional bicycle and pedestrian plan, the Statewide Bicycle
Plan should be used as a resource for determining appropriate bicycle accommodations
on US Numbered Bicycle Routes 1 and 76. While bicycle and pedestrian
accommodations are not required to be in a local, regional, or state plan for inclusion in a
highway project, documenting the need for accommodations and existence of a bicycle or
pedestrian network in the context of an adopted planning document demonstrates the
locality’s commitment, serves as a guide for future improvements, and provides a basis
for investment decisions.
On the following pages, more detailed discussion of these plans and expected steps are
provided to guide project development activities of VDOT project managers.
¾ It is the responsibility of the District Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator and/or
District Planner, in coordination TMPD staff, to encourage development and use
of bicycle and pedestrian elements of transportation plans.
¾ It is the responsibility of the District Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator and/or
District Planner to bring information regarding the content of applicable bike/ped
plans to the scoping meeting.
¾ It is the responsibility of the assigned project manager that appropriate bike and
pedestrian features are considered and included in all projects as detailed in the
CTB policy.
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Encourage development and use of bicycle & pedestrian plans
by localities
Team Member
Responsible
Local Plans
¾ The Code of Virginia requires localities to prepare
comprehensive plans to guide development. These plans
must include a transportation element, and as of July 1,
2007, a transportation plan, that addresses bicycle and
pedestrian accommodations. Many localities also have a
local bicycle and/or pedestrian plans.
¾ Beginning in July 2007, the VA Code (see 15.2-2222.1)
requires VDOT to review and provide comments on new
or amended local comprehensive plans and traffic impact
statements for activities that will substantially affect
transportation on state-controlled highways. Local
governments are the resource for obtaining individual
plans.
¾ Local plans should be the primary resource for determining
where and what type of bicycle and pedestrian
accommodations are desired by localities.
TMPD,
Residency
Administrators
Regional Plans
Rural Long-Range Transportation Plans
¾ Through the Rural Transportation Planning Program,
TMPD is encouraging PDCs and localities to develop rural
long-range transportation plans.
¾ These plans will be developed in three phases and include
an inventory of bicycle and pedestrian facilities and
recommended improvements. TMPD provides technical
support for this initiative, with VDOT district staff
responsible for coordinating with the PDC on the plan’s
development. TMPD will maintain a library of the Rural
Long-Range Transportation Plans.
¾ In the absence of a local plan that provides specific
information regarding bicycle and pedestrian needs, the
bicycle and pedestrian element of the applicable Rural
Long-Range Transportation Plan should be used to
determine appropriate bicycle and pedestrian
accommodations.
Small Urban Area Plans
¾ Planners update the Small Urban Area Plans for "small
urban areas" (towns and cities with populations less than
50,000 people) across the Commonwealth. These plans
TMPD, District
Planners,
Residency
Administrators
TMPD,
District
Planners
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Encourage development and use of bicycle & pedestrian plans Team Member
by localities Responsible
address transportation issues in each community.
¾ While the primary focus of these plans is on the highway
system, bicycle and pedestrian facilities and needs will be
identified. TMPD maintains a library of the Small Urban
Area Plans.
¾ In the absence of a local plan that provides specific
information regarding bicycle and pedestrian needs, the
bicycle and pedestrian element of the applicable Small
Urban Area Plan should be used to determine appropriate
bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.
MPO Long-Range Plans
¾ TMPD administers the federal funding for the state’s 14
metropolitan planning organizations to conduct the
federally required continuing, cooperative, and
comprehensive transportation planning process.
¾ The transportation plans developed through this process
must include a bicycle and pedestrian element. TMPD
maintains a copy of the current long-range plan for each
MPO and VDOT District Planners participate in the
development of these plans.
¾ In the absence of a local comprehensive plan that provides
specific information regarding bicycle and pedestrian
needs, the bicycle and pedestrian element of the applicable
MPO’s Long-Range Plan should be used to determine
appropriate bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.
State Bicycle Plan
¾ TMPD will produce a State Bicycle Plan in 2007 that will
focus on improvements needed to US Numbered Bicycle
Routes 1 and 76.
¾ In the absence of a local or regional bicycle plan, the State
Bicycle Plan should be used to determine appropriate
bicycle accommodations on US Numbered Bicycle Routes
1 and 76.
TMPD,
District
Planners
TMPD
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Involving Localities in Pre-scoping and Scoping
A critical decision point in the development of any project is the scoping. It establishes
the vision and goals of the project, as well as the budget and schedule for achieving them.
As each and every project is built in a locality of the commonwealth, often with funds
raised and/or prioritized by local officials, local government involvement in the scoping
process is essential. As the Department moves forward on the CTB’s policy for bike and
pedestrian features, it is necessary that localities are involved in the decision making
process for where and how these features will be included on highway projects. To that
end, the following table outlines the procedural steps to be taken to ensure locality
involvement in establishing the bike and pedestrian features on a project.
Specify how localities are to be included in scoping of projects
Team Member
Responsible
¾ At least 14 days prior to the scoping meeting, a formal
letter will be sent to affected local governments, inviting
them to participate in pre-scoping and scoping meetings.
This letter should be sent to the county administrator, town
manager, or other executive leader.
¾ Within 14 days following a scoping meeting, local
government shall submit a written letter of agreement or
disagreement with the scope of the project as established at
the scoping meeting. Further, this response must explicitly
agree or disagree with the bike and pedestrian features
being planned for the project. If no letter is received, it
will be assumed that the locality concurs with the scope of
the project as established at the scoping meeting.
¾ The scoping form will be elevated to the District
Administrator for resolution in the event that a locality has
formally expressed disagreement with bicycle and
pedestrian design features as proposed.
¾ The District Administrator will meet with the locality and
subsequently provide a written response explaining the
final direction for the project.
¾ Appeals of decisions made by the District Administrator
will be made to the Chief Engineer. The Chief Engineer’s
decision will be final.
VDOT Project
Manager
Local
Government
VDOT Project
Manager
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Documenting Locality Involvement and Positions through the Public Hearing
Process
Involving the locality in project scoping should build consensus on the vision for the
project and minimize objection to the design features.
The District Administrator notifies the locality via letter of the Public Hearing results and
design approval with or without accommodations. Further, this response must explicitly
detail the planned bike & pedestrian features and costs.
Requirements for the public hearing process are specifically identified in VDOT’s Public
Involvement Manual at the following web site:
http://www.extranet.vdot.state.va.us/locdes/electronic%20pubsPublic%20Involvement%
20Manual/Public-Involvement-Manual.pdf
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Steps for Conflict Resolution between VDOT and Localities
As the locality will be integrally involved in establishing the vision of the project through
the scoping process, it is not anticipated that there will be frequent objection to the design
features following public hearing.
There are matters that surface during the public involvement process that can raise
questions and concerns from a locality.
As discussed in the preceding section of this guide, the District Administrator (or
designee) will be responsible for providing a letter to affected localities explaining the
outcome of the public hearing. That letter will be explicit about the planned bike and
pedestrian features and estimated costs.
If a locality’s standards differ from AASHTO and VDOT standards, the design exception
process must be followed.
Upon such occasion that a locality disagrees with the decisions made by a District
Administrator, the procedures identified in the following table will be followed to
provide resolution.
Specifying steps for appeals/conflict resolution when localities
disagree with VDOT bike & pedestrian strategies on a project
Team Member
Responsible
¾ Within 14 days of receipt of documentation from a public
hearing, local government shall submit a written letter of
disagreement with the design features established
following the public hearing process. Further, this
response must explicitly disagree with the bike and
pedestrian features being planned for the project and
provide an explanation for the disagreement.
This letter will be sent directly to the District
Administrator.
¾ The District Administrator will meet with the locality and
subsequently provide a written response explaining the
final direction for the project.
¾ Appeals of decisions made by the District Administrator
will be made to the Chief Engineer. The Chief Engineer’s
decision will be final.
Local
Government
District
Administrator
Chief Engineer
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Implementation of Bike & Pedestrian Policy with Locally Initiated or Locally
Administered projects:
In recent years, locally administered projects have become more commonplace in the
VDOT improvement program. More and more localities are interested in administering
their own construction projects and the establishment of “the First Cities Initiative” has
shifted management of entire improvement programs to certain localities. In the 2005
Session of the Virginia General Assembly, as part of the Appropriations Act, the
Department was granted new tools to encourage local governments to assume more
responsibility referred to as the Local Partnership Initiatives. This included the Local
Partnership Fund Program whereby a locality that assumed responsibility for certain
projects could receive additional funding for administering the program. In 2006, the
General Assembly continued to provide incentives for localities to administer their own
projects.
In addition to localities managing their own construction projects and programs, many
localities are initiating road projects beyond those included in VDOT plans. These
projects range from constructing a turn lane with revenue sharing funds to building a road
for a new industry in the area to constructing a multilane facility that is part of the
locality Capital Improvement Program but not part of VDOT’s Six-Year Improvement
Program. These locality initiated projects may depend on partial VDOT funding through
the revenue sharing or access roads programs, or the locality may fully fund the
improvement.
As efforts continue to encourage localities to assume responsibility for all or part of their
highway systems, and in keeping with VDOT’s business plan, VDOT’s role in these
projects will move to an oversight and advisory role. VDOT’s role is to ensure that state
and federal requirements are met, but not to prescribe processes and procedures for the
localities.
Until March of 2004, VDOT’s policies often discouraged localities from including
sidewalks and bike lanes in their construction projects. Urban and suburban localities
have often requested these facilities and it is expected that they will include various types
of bike/ped facilities in locally initiated and locally administered projects.
When a locality chooses to initiate or administer a transportation project, it must adhere
to the Commonwealth Transportation Board Policy for Integrating Bicycle and Pedestrian
Accommodations. The locality will determine how and where bicycle and pedestrian
accommodations will be included in each project. Locally administered projects do not
have to follow VDOT processes; however, the locality must document in the project file
what accommodations are made. If no accommodation is made, the locality must
document which exception from the CTB policy was met.
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