DOI

10.5703/1288284314301

Abstract

Federal legislation, such as the Safe Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), mandates that each state’s Department of Transportation (DOT) coordinate with the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) within the state in the development and implementation of their Long-Range Transportation Plans. However, federal legislation does not indicate how the DOT and MPOs should work together, resulting in varying collaborative strategies from case to case. Developing a set of collaborative strategies that MPOs in the state of Indiana and the DOT could use during the transportation planning process could result in faster information processing and improved communication between the agencies. The purpose of this study was to develop and provide transportation agencies with coordination and collaborative strategies that could be used to help the various agencies work together on multiple projects. This study was based on a study of the literature in disciplines such as economics, management, and social sciences to investigate collaborative structures and management strategies. Surveys based on the results of the literature review were developed and distributed to the six Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Districts, the MPOs, and selected state DOT officials. The surveys helped identify issues regarding collaboration and coordination in transportation and collaborative strategies currently being used. A collaborative structure and management technique for INDOT-MPO collaboration was formulated based on the literature and responses from transportation officials. The collaborative structure consists of planners, engineers, and supervisors from the MPOs and INDOT at each level in the organization. The stakeholders would use the backward mapping process to identify issues and solutions to transportation projects.

Report Number

FHWA/IN/JTRP-2009/04

Keywords

collaboration, coordination, INDOT, MPO, transportation planning, SPR-3096

SPR Number

3096

Project Number

C-36-74F

File Number

3-9-6

Performing Organization

Joint Transportation Research Program

Publisher Place

West Lafayette, Indiana

Date of this Version

4-2009

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