Fix It First/Context Sensitive Designs And Solutions
Policy Paper
Definition:
Fix It First/Context Sensitive Design: Includes calls for reinvestment in public transit and other travel options to revitalize existing communities, improved operations and system management, better design of development around highways, taking a new look at pricing strategies and tolls to better manage traffic demand on existing highways, improvements to existing facilities to address environmental impacts, such as water pollution. This reinvestment strategy also will allow the region to preserve and protect its natural, cultural, and historic resources. It also includes efforts to ensure traffic modeling is based upon realistic projections for population and employment.
Best Practices:
Context Sensitive Designs And Solutions
· Michigan Land Use Institute - People and Pavement (2002)
Recommendations:
- Define context-sensitive design and fully commit to it.
- Amend state laws that inhibit context-sensitive design.
- Adopt design guidelines that respect local land use.
- Consider all alternatives to meet transportation needs.
- Launch demonstration projects.
Fix It First
· Surface Transportation Policy Project Decoding Transportation Policy and Practice (January 2004)
Conclusions:
- Investments in road and bridge repair create 9 percent more jobs per dollar than building new roads or bridges.
- Investments in public transportation produce almost 9 percent more jobs per dollar spent than road and bridge repair and maintenance projects, and nearly 19 percent more jobs than new road or bridge projects. For every $1.25 billion spent on public transportation projects (assuming half of the funds are spent on new capital projects and half are spent on operations) nearly 51,300 people are employed.
· Safety Agricultural Villages Environment (S.A.V.E.) 41 – Chester County, Pennsylvania
This organization organized against a proposed widening of PA 41 in Chester County near Philadelphia. S.A.V.E hired a professional engineer to develop a two lane alternative with roundabouts and other traffic calming techniques. PENNDOT has now agreed to incorporate S.A.V.E’s alternative into its analysis.
· “Second Nature: Improving Transportation Without Putting Nature Second” - Surface Transportation Policy Project and Defenders of Wildlife (April 2003)
Recommendations:
- Integrate conservation planning into transportation planning.
- Use conservation banking in concert with large-scale conservation plans to mitigate for unavoidable impacts of transportation.
- Coordinate with resource agencies early, substantively and continuously throughout transportation planning and project development.
- Build wildlife crossings where necessary to repair ecological damage and restore habitat connectivity.
- Provide alternative transportation and maintain roads on public lands in a manner consistent with surrounding natural resources.
- Use only native species in right-of-way vegetation management on public lands.
Policy Recommendations:
1. PENNDOT, SPC, DCED, and other state, regional, and local agencies/authorities are urged to adopt a Fix It First policy by emphasizing that repairing and maintaining what already exists (roads and bridges, public transportation systems, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, park and ride facilities, commuter assistance vans, Intelligent Transportation Systems to reduce congestion, and water/sewer) will take priority over new major roadway construction or widenings and other capital improvement projects. Criteria should be developed to target investments based on the Fix It First principle to make redevelopment in existing communities a priority.
2. PENNDOT, SPC, DCED, and other state, regional, and local agencies/authorities are urged to prioritize funding for infill development and redevelopment of greyfields and brownfields sites versus greenfield sites. Additionally, funding prioritization should be assigned to projects that meet LEED certification standards.
3. The Counties and public transportation agencies in cooperation with SPC are urged to adopt the PENNDOT Context Sensitive Solutions manual to guide roadway planning and design projects listed in their capital improvement programs and to identify pilot projects where Context Sensitive Solutions can be tested and adapted systemwide.
4. SPC is urged to consider adding a representative of the Department of Environmental Protection to the Transportation Technical Committee to address design conservation planning issues such as wildlife crossings, conservation banking, and protection of natural habitat.
5. SPC is urged to commit to enforcing the use of realistic population and employment forecasts in determining the need for improvements to the transportation system.