# Presentation: 525700

## Federal Highway Administration’s (FWHA)Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP)

*** “******Using stakeholder input to fund surface transportation, environment and planning research” ***

## 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**

**1**

## 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

**2**

## 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

**3**

## FHWA’s STEP Emphasis Areas

**4**

## 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)

**5**

## 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

**6**

## Who gets FHWA’s STEP money?

**STEP funds can be awarded to:**
- State governments
- Metropolitan planning organizations
- Local governments
- Universities
- Federal agencies
- Private sector

**7**

## 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

**8**

## 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

**9**

## 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

**10**

## 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

**12**

## 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**

**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

**15**

## STEP Tier III StakeholdersNongovernmental Transportation and Environmental Stakeholders

- 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

**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

## 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

## 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

## 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)

## 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

**13**

## 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

**17**

## 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

**18**

## 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

**19**

## 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).

**20**

**Notes:**
Photo of actual NM highway (ROW) 

## 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.

**21**

## 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)

**22**

## 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

**23**

## 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

**24**

## 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

**25**

## 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

**26**

## 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

**27**

## 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)

**28**

## 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 Program** **Management
**Environmental Process Improvement**
- Environmental Streamlining Stewardship 		_Shari.Schaftlein@dot.gov_
- Context Sensitive Solutions 			_Shari.Schaftlein@dot.gov_

**30**

## 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 _

**31**

## 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 **

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**Notes:**
The Program Management and Outreach is its own emphasis area and should be listed as such.

## Program Management and Outreach Emphasis Area Contact	

**Contact: **_**Felicia.Young@dot.gov**_

**33**

## This information has been provided by the Federal Highway Administration’s Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP)

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