FHWA 50-15 Tuesday, July 14, 2015 Contact: Nicole Jones / Doug Hecox Tel: 202-366-0660

Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration Announce Year's Best

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today jointly announced the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission (RVARC) as one of this year’s eight Transportation Planning Excellence Award (TPEA) recipients.

“Building a world-class transportation system doesn’t happen overnight, and never by accident,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “These important awards recognize the critical role planning plays in meeting America’s future transportation challenges.”

The RVARC’s “Bus Stop Accessibility Study” was recognized as a national example of addressing the link between pedestrian and transit, and developing new ways to determine, evaluate and compare bus stop activity. It used survey data to identify the most active bus stops and those with the greatest number of mobility impaired riders. The study’s results led to more accessible bus stops with better overall system efficiency.

“Given the limited funds available for infrastructure improvements, data-driven tools like this one help to prioritize local transportation investments,” said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau. “Thanks to pioneering work like theirs, the transportation community is now able to specifically pinpoint the areas needing improvements, and why they are needed.”

Selected by an independent panel, the awards are a biennial recognition by the FHWA and FTA of outstanding transportation planning practices performed by planners and decision makers in communities across the country.

This year, eight winners were selected of 35 TPEA submissions from around the nation. Criteria for selection included: community, public involvement and partnerships; context sensitive solutions; innovation and effectiveness; equity; implementation and strategy; multi-modalism; and potential for long-term benefits. “It’s important to recognize the creative efforts of the nation’s transportation planners,” said Acting Federal Transit Administrator Therese W. McMillan. “The future of our infrastructure system begins with their vision.”

“It’s important to recognize the creative efforts of the nation’s transportation planners,” said Acting Federal Transit Administrator Therese W. McMillan. “RVARC’s innovative evaluation process led to a major bus route adjustment and pedestrian enhancements to bus stops along a high-activity, low-income corridor.”

This year’s other winners include:

4th Street/Prater Way Bus RAPID Transit Project Awardee: Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, Nev. Category: Planning and Environmental Linkages for Livability, Sustainability and Public Health

CHCNGA-TPO Community-Sensitive Performance-Based Planning Awardee: Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency Category: Planning and Environmental Linkages for Livability, Sustainability and Public Health

Humanizing Infrastructure: Design for the Replacement of I-95 Awardee: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 6 Categories: Public and Educational Planning, Training, and Outreach Planning and Environmental Linkages for Livability, Sustainability and Public Health

Minnesota State Highway Investment Plan (MnSHIP) Awardee: Minnesota Department of Transportation Categories: Public and Educational Planning, Training and Outreach Asset Management

Moving Forward Updated 2035 Regional Transportation Plan Awardee: Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Categories: Planning and Environmental Linkages for Livability, Sustainability and Public Health Asset Management

Mt. Hood Multimodal Transportation Plan Awardee: Oregon Department of Transportation Category: Emergency and Safety Planning

Project Connect North Corridor: Taking Transit Where No Transit Has Gone Before! Awardee: Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Texas Category: Public and Educational Planning, Training, and Outreach

Additional information about the 2015 TPEA recipients can be found at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/tpea/2015/

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