Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 1995 / Notices 3295

information should contact the RTCA

Secretariat, 1140 Connecticut Avenue,

NW., Suite 1020, Washington, DC

20036; (202) 833–9339. Any member of

the public may present a written

statement to the committee at any time.

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 5,

1995.

David W. Ford,

Designated Officer.

[FR Doc. 95–956 Filed 1–12–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

Federal Highway Administration

[FHWA Docket No. 95–3]

Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning at the

State and Metropolitan Planning

Organization Levels; Interim Technical

Guidance

AGENCY: Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

SUMMARY: This notice publishes the text

of a joint FHWA and Federal Transit

Administration (FTA) document

entitled ‘‘Interim Technical Guidance

for Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning at

the State and Metropolitan Planning

Organization (MPO) Levels under the

Intermodal Surface Transportation

Efficiency Act (ISTEA).’’ A

memorandum issuing this Guidance

was released on November 28, 1994.

The Guidance provides legislative and

regulatory background to explain the

requirements for Bicycle and Pedestrian

Planning, and provides guidance on

components of bicycle and pedestrian

transportation plans. By publishing this

notice, the FHWA and the FTA seek to

inform the public and ensure the widest

possible dissemination of this

information. The FHWA and FTA also

will accept comments from all

interested people. After review of all

comments received, a final version of

this guidance will be issued. Until that

time, this interim version shall be used.

DATES: This interim technical guidance

became effective November 28, 1994.

Comments must be submitted on or

before March 14, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Submit written, signed

comments to FHWA Docket No. 95–3,

Federal Highway Administration, Room

4232, HCC–10, Office of the Chief

Counsel, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,

Washington D.C. 20590. All comments

received will be available for

examination at the above address

between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., e.t.,

Monday through Friday, except on

Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

John C. Fegan, Bicycle and Pedestrian

Program Manager, (202) 366–5007, or

Mr. Reid Alsop, Environmental and

Right-of-Way Law Branch, (202) 366–

1371, Federal Highway Administration,

400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington

D.C. 20590; or Mr. Sean Libberton,

Community Planner, (202) 366–0055, or

Mr. Scott A. Biehl, Assistant Chief

Counsel, (202) 366–0952, Federal

Transit Administration, 400 Seventh

Street, SW., Washington D.C. 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The ISTEA, Pub. L. 102–240, 105 Stat.

1914, expanded the eligibility of bicycle

and pedestrian projects for Federal

transportation funding, and required the

inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian

components in transportation planning

documents. The FHWA and FTA

developed this interim technical

guidance to ensure that States and

MPOs could implement bicycle and

pedestrian plans effectively. The text of

the guidance is set forth below:

[Memorandum]

Action: Distribution of Interim

Technical Guidance for Bicycle and

Pedestrian Planning at the State and

MPO Levels

From: Acting Associate Administrator

for Program Development, FHWA,

Associate Administrator for Grants

Management, FTA

To: Regional Highway Administrators,

Regional Transit Administrators,

Federal Lands Highway Program

Administrator, Director, Joint ITS

Program Office

Attached are copies of the FTA/

FHWA interim technical guidance for

conducting planning for bicyclists and

pedestrians at the State and MPO levels

as called for by ISTEA. Specifically, at

both the MPO and State levels,

transportation plans and programs are

required to ‘‘provide for the

development of transportation facilities

(including pedestrian walkways and

bicycle transportation facilities) which

will function as an intermodal

transportation system.’’ Final

regulations issued by FHWA and FTA

on October 28, 1993 [58 FR 58040],

contain specific references to the

inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian

planning in overall State or MPO

planning.

The purpose of this interim technical

guidance is to offer guidance to State

and MPO officials responsible for

conducting bicycle and pedestrian

planning. In addition, this guidance

outlines the items that should be

included in the bicycle and pedestrian

components of State and MPO

transportation plans.

In addition to this guidance, a 1-day

training course, ‘‘Bicycle and Pedestrian

Planning Under ISTEA,’’ is being

offered by FHWA through the National

Highway Institute (NHI). The course

presents the requirements for this

planning, and the recommended items

to be included in the bicycle and

pedestrian part of the State and

metropolitan level transportation plans

and the transportation improvement

programs. The course also explains how

this planning can be accomplished and

the role of public involvement in the

process. The NHI course number is

15135. The NHI contact is Harry Hersey

who can be reached at (703) 285–2778.

This course has been presented in nine

sessions across the country. Additional

presentations of the course are available

upon request to NHI.

This interim technical guidance will

be published in the Federal Register to

obtain comments from all interested

persons. After review of all comments

received, a final version will be issued.

Until that time, this interim version

shall be used.

Please distribute the attached copies

of this technical guidance to FHWA

Division offices, to transit providers,

and to State and MPO personnel

responsible for conducting the bicycle

and pedestrian planning for the

statewide and MPO transportation

plans, and let them know of the

availability of the NHI course. Questions

on the Interim Guidance should be

directed to John Fegan (FHWA, HEP–50,

on (202) 366–5007) or to Sean Libberton

(FTA, TGM–21, on (202) 366–0055).

(Original signed by)

Robert H. McManus (Federal Transit

Administration)

William A. Weseman (Federal Highway

Administration)

[Technical Guidance]

FHWA/FTA Interim Technical

Guidance for Bicycle and Pedestrian

Planning at the State and MPO Levels

under the Intermodal Surface

Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA).

This Interim Guidance covers

planning for bicycle transportation

facilities and pedestrian walkways

regardless of facility type ranging from

on-road treatments to separate off-road

facilities. A one day training course,

‘‘Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Under

ISTEA,’’ (course number 15135) is

available to expand upon this guidance

upon request to FHWA’s National

Highway Institute.
3296 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 1995 / Notices

Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation

Planning

Introduction: Sections 1024 and 1025

of the Intermodal Surface

Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991

(ISTEA) require that States and

Metropolitan Planning Organizations

(MPOs) develop transportation plans

and Transportation Improvement

Programs (TIPs) which consider and

include, as appropriate, bicycle and

pedestrian projects and programs. These

plans and TIPs will be used to define

transportation projects and programs for

Federal transportation funding at State

and metropolitan levels.

Purpose: This document offers

technical guidance on meeting the

requirements for consideration and

appropriate inclusion of bicycle and

pedestrian elements in Statewide and

MPO transportation plans and TIPs.

Federal Transportation Policy: It is

Federal transportation policy to promote

the increased use and safety of bicycling

and walking as transportation modes.

Specific Legislative Requirements:

Specifically, Section 1024 of the ISTEA,

‘‘Metropolitan Planning,’’ amends

Section 134 of Title 23, United States

Code (U.S.C.) as follows:

‘‘* * * metropolitan planning

organizations, in cooperation with the

State, shall develop transportation plans

and programs for urbanized areas of the

State. Such plans and programs shall

provide for the development of

transportation facilities (including

pedestrian walkways and bicycle

transportation facilities) which will

function as an intermodal transportation

system for the State, the metropolitan

areas, and the Nation.’’

Similarly, Section 1025 of the ISTEA,

‘‘Statewide Planning,’’ amends Section

135 of Title 23 U.S.C. as follows:

‘‘Subject to section 134 of this title,

the State shall develop transportation

plans and programs for all areas of the

State. Such plans and programs shall

provide for the development of

transportation facilities (including

pedestrian walkways and bicycle

transportation facilities) which will

function as an intermodal State

transportation system.’’

In addition, in Section 1025 of the

ISTEA, 23 U.S.C. 135 is amended to

read:

‘‘Each State shall undertake a

continuous transportation planning

process which shall, at a minimum,

consider the following:

(3) Strategies for incorporating bicycle

transportation facilities and pedestrian

walkways in projects where appropriate

throughout the State.’’

Final regulations implementing the

State and MPO requirements for

transportation plans and programs were

published in the Federal Register on

October 28, 1993, by the Federal

Highway Administration (FHWA) and

the Federal Transit Administration

(FTA) as 23 CFR Part 450.

23 CFR 450.214, ‘‘Statewide

transportation plan,’’ states that the

Statewide transportation plan shall:

‘‘(3) Contain, as an element, a plan for

bicycle transportation, pedestrian

walkways and trails which is

appropriately interconnected with other

modes;’’

23 CFR 450.216, ‘‘Statewide

transportation improvement program

(STIP),’’ states:

‘‘In addition the STIP shall: (6)

Contain all capital and non-capital

transportation projects (including

transportation enhancements, Federal

lands highway projects, trails projects,

pedestrian walkways, and bicycle

transportation facilities), or identified

phases of transportation projects * * *’’

23 CFR 450.322, ‘‘Metropolitan

transportation planning process:

Transportation plan,’’ states:

‘‘In addition the plan shall: (2)

Identify adopted congestion

management strategies including, as

appropriate, traffic operations,

ridesharing, pedestrian and bicycle

facilities * * * and (3) Identify

pedestrian walkway and bicycle

transportation facilities in accordance

with 23 U.S.C. 217 (g).’’

23 CFR 450.324, ‘‘Transportation

Improvement Program: General,’’ states:

‘‘(f) The TIP shall include: (1) All

transportation projects, or identified

phases of a project, (including

pedestrian walkways, bicycle

transportation facilities and

transportation enhancement projects)

within the metropolitan area proposed

for funding under title 23, U.S.C.,

* * *’’

Note: These items are presented as specific

references to bicycling and walking in the

metropolitan and statewide planning

requirements of the ISTEA. All other

provisions of the ISTEA and the final

regulations issued on October 28, 1993, by

the FHWA and the FTA also apply as

appropriate to the bicycle and pedestrian

elements of State and MPO plans and TIPs.

Deadlines: The final regulations

published in the Federal Register on

October 28, 1993, by the FHWA and the

FTA require that the statewide

transportation plans must be completed

by January 1, 1995. The MPO Plans for

nonattainment areas requiring

Transportation Control Measures were

due on October 1, 1994, and all other

metropolitan areas shall comply by

December 18, 1994.

Scope: The inclusion of the bicycle

and pedestrian elements in

transportation plans and programs may

be accomplished by addressing bicycle

and pedestrian issues throughout the

transportation planning process and

integrating bicycle and pedestrian

elements as appropriate in the

transportation plan and programs. A

separate section on bicycle and

pedestrian specific issues in addition to

or in place of an integrated element may

be appropriate. This approach would

address the ISTEA mandate of

developing transportation facilities that

will function as an intermodal

transportation system.

The bicycle and pedestrian plan

elements should contain policy

statements and goals as well as,

whenever possible, the inclusion of

specific projects and programs. The plan

and the TIP should identify the

financial resources necessary to

implement the bicycle and pedestrian

projects and programs.

Bicycle and pedestrian projects may

be on- or off-road facilities. For off-road

trails, all such facilities that serve a

transportation function must be

consistent with the planning process.

A trail serves a valid transportation

purpose if it serves as a connection

between origins and destinations. Trails

funded through programs requiring

FHWA or FTA approval, except for the

National Recreational Trails Fund Act

(NRTFA), are determined to serve

primarily a transportation purpose.

These must be included in statewide

and MPO plans.

For Statewide Transportation

Improvement Programs (STIPs), if a

bicycle or pedestrian project is

determined to be regionally significant

(as defined in the Planning Rule) and is

funded by or requires an action by the

FHWA or the FTA, it must be included.

If it is funded using other Federal or

non-Federal funding, it should be

included for informational purposes.

Projects can be grouped in STIPs.

For Metropolitan Transportation

Improvement Programs (TIPs), if a

bicycle or pedestrian project is

determined to be regionally significant

(as defined in the Planning Rule) and is

funded by or requires approval of the

FHWA or the FTA, it must be included.

In air quality nonattainment or

maintenance areas, if it is funded using

other Federal or non-Federal funding, it

shall be included for informational

purposes. Projects can be grouped in

TIPs.

A trail serving a recreational purpose

with no transportation function is a

recreational trail. For example, a closed

loop trail within a park or recreation
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 1995 / Notices 3297

area would be a recreational trail.

Similarly, a linear facility serving only

recreational users would be a

recreational trail. Any trails funded

through the National Recreational Trails

Fund Act (NRTFA) are determined to be

primarily recreational in nature and are

intended to enhance the recreational

opportunity and resources of the park or

recreation area. The NRTFA planning

requirements are met in each State’s

Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor

Recreation Plan (SCORP). Except as

noted below, projects funded under the

NRTFA are not required to be on

statewide or metropolitan plans or TIPs.

However, their inclusion is

recommended.

It is essential to coordinate the

statewide and metropolitan

transportation plans with the SCORP

document with regards to trail policies

and plans. Also, it is essential to

coordinate recreational trail projects

with the STIPs and TIPs. This

coordination will help protect the

continuity of existing and proposed trail

and greenway corridors.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Considerations

in a Transportation Planning Process

The bicycle and pedestrian element of

transportation plans should include:

1. Vision and Goal Statements, and

Performance Criteria: The vision

statements express concisely what the

plan is expected to accomplish. For

example:

The vision of this program is a nation

of travellers with new opportunities to

walk or ride a bicycle as part of their

everyday life. The vision of this program

is the creation of a changed

transportation system that offers not

only choices among travel modes for

specific trips, but more importantly

presents these options in a way that

they are real choices that meet the needs

of individuals and society as a whole.

The goals to reach the vision, and the

time frame for reaching each goal

should be spelled out. They should be

clear and objectively measurable. For

example, some goals would be:

To double the percentage of trips

taken by bicycling and walking for all

transportation purposes, and to reduce

by 10 percent the number of bicyclist

injuries and fatalities by the year 2000.

To increase the number of bicyclists

and pedestrians or to increase facility

mileage by a certain amount by a given

year.

To improve the connections among

bicycle, pedestrian, and transit systems.

To allow people to bicycle safely,

conveniently, and pleasurably within

five miles of their homes, and to make

streets and roads ‘‘bicycle friendly’’ and

well-designed to accommodate both

motorized and nonmotorized modes of

transportation.

Network performance criteria also

should be developed. Some applicable

criteria would be accessibility,

directness, continuity, route

attractiveness, low numbers of conflicts

with other route users, number of

bicycle links with transit, cost, ease of

implementation, etc.

Specific State and MPO goals and

performance criteria should be

developed to support locally

determined bicycle and pedestrian

program implementation efforts.

2. Assessment of Current Conditions

and Needs: A baseline of information

should be collected on which to base

strategies and actions necessary to reach

the vision and goal statements. The

information collected in this step

should determine the extent to which

the existing transportation system meets

the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians.

The Intermodal Management System

should provide information on existing

and needed bicycle and pedestrian

access to major intermodal

transportation terminals such as

commuter rail stations. Specifically, this

assessment could include:

Determination of current levels of use

for bicycling and walking transportation

trips, and current numbers of injuries

and fatalities involving bicyclists and

pedestrians.

Evaluation of the existing

transportation infrastructure (including

on- and off-road facilities) to determine

current conditions and capacities and to

identify gaps or deficiencies in terms of

accommodating potential and existing

bicycle and pedestrian travel.

Determination of the capacities and

the type and security level of bicycle

parking offered at intermodal

connections such as transit facilities and

destination points.

Identification of desired travel

corridors for bicycle and pedestrian

trips.

Examination of existing land use and

zoning, and the patterns of land use in

the community.

Planning, design standards, and

agency policies and the extent to which

they affect the accessibility of the

transportation system for bicyclists and

pedestrians, e.g., do they meet policies

and design guidance issued by the

American Association of State Highway

and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

for bicycle and pedestrian facilities?

State and local laws and regulations

affecting the vision and goals, e.g.,

growth management and trip reduction

laws, or constitutional restraints on

expending highway funds on bicycle

and pedestrian facilities.

Availability of bike-on-bus or bike-onrail access; including hours service is

available, routes where available, and

incentives and barriers to using the

service (i.e., training, permit, or

additional charges required).

3. Identification of activities required

to meet the vision and goals developed

above. These activities or strategies

could include:

Basis of the need for modifications to

the transportation system through

surveys, origin destination studies,

public input, or other data collection

techniques.

Needed modifications to the existing

transportation system of on- and offroad facilities to meet the vision and

goal statements.

Development and application of

criteria to prioritize and to identify

specific facility-related improvements.

Identification of changes required to

planning, design standards, and agency

policies.

Specification of education,

encouragement, and law enforcement

components to support facility

development.

Identification of nonconstruction

activities such as mapping, parking

facilities, etc., that are needed to reach

the vision and goals developed above.

Investigation of the effects on bicyclist

and pedestrian safety.

The relationship of statewide, MPO,

and local plans for bicyclists and

pedestrians, i.e., ensuring that such

plans are coordinated among the

involved jurisdictions.

The consideration, as appropriate, of

the 23 statewide transportation planning

factors and the 15 metropolitan

planning process factors in the

development of bicycle and pedestrian

projects and programs.

The inclusion of recreational

bicycling and walking facilities such as

recreational trails is encouraged, but not

required. Nevertheless, the coordination

of transportation and recreational

bicycle and pedestrian facilities and

programs is essential.

Provide a mechanism for evaluating

the performance of the transportation

system containing implemented projects

against the performance of the original

system.

4. Implementation of the bicycle and

pedestrian elements in the statewide

and MPO transportation plans and

transportation improvement programs:

Inclusion in the Plans: The bicycle

and pedestrian elements as a set of

policy statements and/or a list of

projects will be included in statewide

and metropolitan transportation plans
3298 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 1995 / Notices

and will be updated appropriately as

statewide and MPO plans are updated.

Inclusion in the TIPs: The bicycle and

pedestrian element of the transportation

plan should be implemented by

including identified projects in the TIP

in accordance with priorities

established by MPO’s, States, and transit

operators, and in accordance with 23

CFR Part 450, sections 216 and 324.

5. Evaluation of progress: Using the

performance measures developed

previously, regularly determine progress

in reaching the identified vision and

goals. Appropriate changes to either the

vision and goals or to the strategies and

proposed projects should be made.

6. Public Involvement: As required by

the ISTEA and the FHWA/FTA joint

planning regulations published on

October 28, 1993, public involvement is

essential in the development of

transportation plans and programs

including the bicycle and pedestrian

components. Public involvement should

include, to the extent possible, input

from individuals who will be affected

by the transportation plan and

programs. This involvement must meet

the requirements for statewide planning

spelled out in the regulations in 23 CFR

450.212, and those for MPO planning

spelled out in 23 CFR 450.316(b). Any

subsequent policy statements and

guidance provided by the FHWA and

FTA also needs to be considered.

The regulations require that State

departments of transportation and

MPO’s have public involvement

processes which are followed in

preparing transportation plans and

programs. Bicycle and pedestrian

groups should be aware of the

opportunity to participate in the

development of these public

involvement processes and to comment

on them before they are adopted. This

is in addition to the opportunity to

participate according to the public

involvement processes in the

development of transportation plans

and programs. Public involvement will

occur at key decision points as

described in the public involvement

procedures for the planning process.

7. Transportation Conformity

Requirements for Air Quality: Per 40

CFR Parts 51 and 93, bicycle and

pedestrian facilities are exempt from

transportation conformity requirements.

Their inclusion as part of a larger

project that does not meet the

conformity requirements could result in

delay while the requirements for the

larger project are satisfied.

Trails funded through the National

Recreational Trails Fund Act (NRTFA)

that may have an air quality impact in

air quality nonattainment areas must be

analyzed to determine if they conform

with the State Implementation Plan

(SIP). Such projects must be included in

the transportation plan and TIP. To be

eligible for Federal funding or approval,

such projects must come from a

conforming plan and TIP and may not

cause or contribute to a new or existing

violation of the air quality standards. In

air quality nonattainment areas only

projects from a conforming TIP shall be

included on the STIP. The following

kinds of projects are determined to have

no significant air quality impact:

Projects funded under the following

paragraphs of Section 1302(e)(1) of the

ISTEA: (A), (B), and (E); (F) except for

facilities that may cause air quality

impacts such as parking facilities; and

(C), (D), and (G–K) for nonmotorized

trails.

The following kinds of projects must

be analyzed for air quality impact: All

motorized recreational trail projects in

nonattainment areas; and provision of

parking facilities.

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; Sec. 1024, 1025,

1033, 1302 of Pub. L. 102–240, 105 Stat.

1914, 1955, 1962, 1975, 2064; 49 CFR 1.48.

Issued on: January 6, 1995.

Rodney E. Slater

Federal Highway Administrator.

[FR Doc. 95–889 Filed 1–12–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P

Environmental Impact Statement; City

of Houghton, Houghton County,

Michigan

AGENCY: Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this

notice to advise the public that an

Environmental Impact Statement will be

prepared for the proposed

improvements to US–41 (College

Avenue) from Vivian Street westerly to

Franklin Square in the City of

Houghton, Houghton County, Michigan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Norman Stoner, District Engineer,

Federal Highway Administration, 315

W. Allegan Street, Room 207, Lansing,

Michigan 48933, Telephone (517) 377–

1880 or Mr. Ronald Kinney, Manager,

Environmental Section, Bureau of

Transportation Planning, Michigan

Department of Transportation, P.O. Box

30050, Lansing, Michigan 48909,

Telephone (517) 335–2621.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

FHWA, in cooperation with the

Michigan Department of Transportation,

(MDOT), is preparing an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed

reconstruction of US–41 from Vivian

Street westerly to Franklin Square, City

of Houghton, Houghton County,

Michigan. The proposed project is

approximately 0.8 kilometers (0.5 miles)

in length, and is needed to

accommodate current and future traffic

volumes and to improve the operating

conditions and safety of the traveling

public. The present facility consists of

two 4.6 meter (15 foot) lanes with curb

and gutter through a mostly residential

area. The speed limit along College

Avenue is 55 kph (35 mph).

The alternatives under consideration

include (1) No Action, (2) Three Lane

Alternative, (3) Four Lane Alternative,

(4) Five Lane Alternative, (5) South

Boulevard, and (6) One-way Pair

Alternative, which requires construction

of a new westbound roadway along the

side of the bluff north of College

Avenue.

Letters describing the proposed action

and soliciting comments have been sent

to appropriate Federal, State, and local

agencies with scoping information

attached. Letters have also been sent to

organizations and citizens who have

previously expressed interest or are

known to have interest in this proposal

to provide them the opportunity to

comment. A public information meeting

was held on August 13, 1992, to provide

the public an opportunity to discuss the

proposed action. A public hearing will

also be held. Public notice will be given

of the time and place of the hearing. The

Draft EIS will be available for public

and agency review and comment prior

to the public hearing. No formal agency

scoping meeting is planned at this time.

To ensure that the full range of issues

related to this proposed action are

addressed and all significant issues

identified, comments, and suggestions

are invited from all interested parties.

Comments or questions concerning this

proposed action and the EIS should be

directed to the FHWA at the address

provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Number 20.205, Highway Research,

Planning and Construction. The regulations

implementing Executive Order 12372

regarding intergovernmental consultation on

Federal programs and activities apply to this

program.)

A. George Ostensen,

Division Administrator, Lansing, Michigan.

[FR Doc. 95–888 Filed 1–12–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M