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RTPO White Paper

September 2018

Ohio Department of Transportation | Regional Transportation Planning Organizations

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Table of Contents List of Figures ............................................................................................ 3

Executive Summary ..................................................................................... 4

Current RTPO Role and Planning Practice ............................................................................. 4

Future Opportunities ....................................................................................................... 4

Introduction .............................................................................................. 5

Overview of Regional Transportation Planning Organizations .................................................... 5

Importance of RTPO Transportation Planning Functions ........................................................... 5

Where Are We Today? .................................................................................. 8

Development of RTPOs in Ohio ........................................................................................... 8

Ohio RTPOs State of the Practice ........................................................................................ 9

Where Are We Going? ................................................................................ 11

Impacts to Ohio’s Rural Planning Processes ......................................................................... 11

Findings and Future Direction for Ohio ........................................................... 13

Enhance Current Planning Efforts ..................................................................................... 13

Enhance ODOT/RTPO Partnerships .................................................................................... 13

Other Strategic Partnership Opportunities .......................................................................... 14

Implications for Access Ohio AO45 .................................................................................... 14


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List of Figures Figure 1 - MPO Vs. Non-MPO Areas in U.S. .................................................................................... 6 Figure 2 - Ohio MPOs & RTPOs .................................................................................................. 6 Figure 3 - RTPOs in Ohio ......................................................................................................... 7


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Executive Summary The purpose of this paper is to support the development of Access Ohio 2045 (AO45) by providing an overview of Ohio’s Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) Program. The program helps identify local transportation needs, assists local governments, and supports the statewide transportation planning process in non-metropolitan regions of the state. This baseline is informed by interviews with four designated Ohio RTPOs as well as online planning documents and resources. The RTPOs interviewed were Buckeye Hills Hocking Valley Regional Development District (Buckeye Hills), Logan-Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission (LUC), Maumee Valley Planning Organization (MVPO), and Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC). The information gathered strengthened the current understanding of state/local interaction and helped identify opportunities to enhance state/local planning practice.

CURRENT RTPO ROLE AND PLANNING PRACTICE RTPOs serve as the primary way to coordinate with non-metropolitan area local officials in Ohio’s Rural Consultation Process. With the guidance of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), and under the mentorship of a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Ohio’s RTPOs have been able to:

• Develop their own Regional Transportation Plans; • Conduct various transportation studies; • Assist in both the development and funding of transportation-related projects; and • Serve as a resource in transportation-related issues affecting local interests.

The Ohio RTPOs have seen increasing benefits from their designation, not the least of which is a direct channel to ODOT giving them a “seat at the table” in the planning process. These benefits have led to an additional Rural Planning Organization (RPO) opting to go through the RTPO designation process, and at least two other RPOs expressing interest in the program.

As they have gained experience in transportation planning and assessing transportation-related issues, the RTPOs are looking to focus on specific issues within their regions. The hope is to become better advocates for addressing their needs, which include transit funding, transportation options for aging populations, investments in broadband infrastructure, and addressing various safety issues.

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES While offering many benefits, the RTPO program in Ohio can evolve and mature in particular areas, including:

• Streamlining and conveying a comprehensive set of roles and responsibilities to execute the duties of designated RTPOs;

• Ensuring all transportation stakeholders, such as ODOT District Offices and MPOs, understand RTPOs’ purpose, role, and capabilities to enhance the regional and statewide planning process;

• Assist local stakeholders in actively pursuing project funding from existing state and federal programs to keep those stakeholders better engaged in the planning process; and

• Increasing engagement and knowledge transfer with local partners (such as economic development organizations) to inform studies or decisions with transportation-specific data and resources.


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For counties not currently represented by either an MPO or RTPO, Ohio’s Rural Consultation Process provides ample opportunity for them to be involved in the statewide transportation planning process. These opportunities come primarily through coordination with the ODOT’s District Offices.

Introduction OVERVIEW OF REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS While a small number of states began forming Regional Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs) to better incorporate rural transportation planning at the regional level as early as the 1970s, it was not until the 2012 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) legislation that the structure and responsibilities of RTPOs were formally defined in federal statute. MAP-21 enhanced the engagement requirement between states and non-metropolitan local officials from that of merely consultation to one of cooperation and offered RTPO designation to non-metropolitan groups as a way to formalize that engagement. The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which was signed into law in December 2015, did not make any changes to the federal recognition granted under MAP-21. Ohio became the first state to grant the designation using the federal definition, resulting in five Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs) attaining the RTPO designation in January 2016.

The benefits of establishing RTPOs stem from the enhanced level of engagement between the state and local officials, and the resulting framework with which they use to coordinate their planning efforts. The RTPO designation allows for funding, resources, and increased capacity that was not previously available to these organizations. The enhanced coordination is especially useful given the onset of performance-based planning, with some RTPOs working with state DOTs on identifying measures as they determine their roles in the states’ adherence to federal requirements.

IMPORTANCE OF RTPO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FUNCTIONS States have traditionally relied on Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to incorporate urban transportation needs in their statewide transportation planning process. However, the importance of explicitly incorporating rural transportation needs is evidenced in Figure 1, which shows that considerable

In 2016, Ohio became the first state to grant the RTPO designation using the federal definition.


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amounts of the U.S. are comprised of non-metropolitan areas. To address this, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), has in place a Rural Consultation Process meant to engage non-metropolitan area local elected officials in its statewide transportation planning efforts. RTPOs play an important role in this process, serving as the primary way to coordinate with non-metropolitan area local officials. Figure 2 shows 69 out of Ohio’s 88 counties are now covered by either an MPO (solid shading) or RTPO (grid shading). RTPOs serve to ensure that Ohio can better integrate regional input and identify rural needs/issues.

The Rural Consultation Process also offers many opportunities for non-metropolitan areas not represented by either an MPO or RTPO to participate in statewide planning efforts. Groups invited to participate include County Engineers, County Commissioners, Township Trustees, City and Village Mayors, Engineers, Councils, Public Transit Operators, Port Officials, Sheriffs, and other local safety responders. The opportunities offered include participation in Rural Consultation meetings, LRTP Steering Committee meetings, responding to preference surveys, and providing feedback on materials posted to the LRTP website. Much of the coordination with the non-metropolitan counties is handled through ODOT’s District Offices. Details on the Rural Consultation Process can be found here.

Prior to being designated an RTPO, an organization must meet certain federal requirements, namely: • Be established as a multi-jurisdictional organization of non-metropolitan local officials and representatives of local transportation systems; • Have a policy committee, with a majority of members being non- metropolitan local officials, and as appropriate, representatives from the State, private business, transportation service providers, economic development practitioners, and the public in the region; and • Have a fiscal and administrative agent to provide professional planning, management, and administrative support.

FIGURE 1 - MPO VS. NON-MPO AREAS IN U.S.

Source: ODOT FIGURE 2 - OHIO MPOS & RTPOS

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/SPR/StatewidePlanning/Documents/ODOT%20Rural%20Consultation%20Process_Final.pdf


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The planning tasks RTPOs will carry out can be categorized into deliverables and other duties. The two main deliverables RTPOs are responsible for developing are:

1. Regional Multi-modal Long-Range Transportation Plans (LRTPs) 2. Regional Transportation Improvement Programs (RTIPs)

The other duties the RTPOs perform are:

1. Coordinate local planning, land use, and economic development plans with state, regional, and local transportation plans and programs;

2. Provide technical assistance to local officials; 3. Participate in national, multistate, and State policy and planning development processes; 4. Provide a forum for public participation in the statewide and regional transportation planning

processes; and 5. Consider and share plans and programs with neighboring RTPOs, MPOs, and, where appropriate,

Indian Tribal Governments.

RTPOs in Ohio Prior to the formation of the RTPOs, Ohio’s MPOs were responsible for the state’s regional transportation planning. The decision to formally designate RTPOs started with a recognition by ODOT for a larger rural coordination and engagement need in regional/statewide planning. ODOT realized RTPOs could (1) provide local officials and stakeholders a better participation opportunity, (2) make more informed decisions in rural areas, and (3) increase regional transportation planning coverage throughout the state. There are currently five designated RTPOs in Ohio covering 34 counties:

1. Buckeye Hills Hocking Valley Regional Development District (Buckeye Hills);

2. Logan-Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission (LUC);

3. Maumee Valley Planning Organization (MVPO);

4. Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association (OMEGA); and

5. Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC).

Additionally, the Central Ohio Rural Planning Organization (CORPO), which represents seven non-metropolitan counties surrounding greater Columbus, is currently working towards its RTPO designation having started the process in July 2016. The locations of those six organizations are shown in Figure 3.

FIGURE 3 - RTPOS IN OHIO


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Where Are We Today? DEVELOPMENT OF RTPOS IN OHIO In early 2013, ODOT issued a request for proposals (RFP) for an RTPO pilot program. Five existing Ohio RPOs covering 34 non-metropolitan Ohio counties took part in the pilot, which officially began in July of 2013. As the RPOs lacked transportation planning experience, each was paired with an MPO mentor. The arrangement was particularly helpful in the development of the RPOs’ Regional Transportation Plans.

Ohio developed the following steps to formalize and grant RTPO designation:

1. Form a Rural Planning Organization (RPO) a. Find an existing planning agency to house RPO staff and committees

i. Regional Planning Commission (ORC § 713.21 and 713.23) or Regional Council of Government (ORC § 167)

ii. Have support from a public entity that serves as its financial agent as per the FAST Act (23 USC 135(m) and 23 CFR 450.210(d))

b. Develop a Committee name and structure for the RPO c. Develop a two-year pilot program scope and submit to ODOT

2. Complete two-year pilot program 3. Develop an RPO committee approved regional long-range transportation plan 4. Submit plan to ODOT for acceptance 5. ODOT submits request to Governor for RPO to be formally designated as an RTPO

The RTPO designation came with funding intended to assist in the planning efforts. The annual program budget for RTPOs is $930,748. The source of those funds is broken down as follows:

• 80 percent FHWA SP&R funds • 10 percent State funds • 10 percent Local funds (RTPO member dues)

The federal and state funds are allocated between the RTPOs as follows:

• $60,500 per RTPO • Balance distributed proportionally with 50 percent based on population and 50 percent based on

area

The funding allows for increased capacity, which the RTPOs have the discretion to use as they see fit if it goes towards the required transportation planning efforts. Unlike MPOs, there is currently no capital funding available for RTPOs.

Each Ohio RTPO was paired with an MPO to serve as a mentor in their transportation planning efforts.


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OHIO RTPOS STATE OF THE PRACTICE To get a better understanding of how the designation has impacted their regions, interviews with representatives from four of Ohio’s RTPOs were conducted. Those interviews provided insight into the benefits and challenges the RTPOs have experienced, the goals they have for themselves, and the goals they have for Ohio’s overall transportation planning process.

The RTPOs consistently expressed that the level of support and coordination with ODOT has been exceptional. They now have access to ODOT resources, opening the door to many opportunities to advance transportation planning in their regions. While most RTPOs chose to increase their internal staff capacity, LUC chose to outsource the day-to-day transportation planning duties to an MPO that conducts planning services for various entities as part of its service offering.

Benefits of RTPO Designation The most commonly cited benefit to the RTPO designation was the direct access to ODOT, giving RTPOs a “seat at the table” in the statewide planning process. Prior to the designation, there was little direct coordination between the RPOs and ODOT. The RTPOs now have a direct line to ODOT, which adds weight in their dealings with other regional entities and has increased awareness in planning and issues at the regional level.

Another benefit is the increase in skillset and capacity the funding and access to ODOT resources affords the RTPOs. For those that were already offering services related to community and economic development, the transportation component now complements those existing offerings, filling a gap in addressing local needs. This increased capacity has not only allowed the RTPOS to create the planning documentation required of them, but has also allowed them to serve as valuable resources to local interests in need of transportation-related technical assistance. An added benefit to this is that RTPOs are now involved earlier in the planning process for certain transportation projects. Many of groups seeking technical assistance focus on alternative transportation (e.g. trails, bikeways), which was interesting to one RTPO that stated prior to their entering into the RTPO program, they were not aware many of these groups even existed in their region.

One RTPO noted though that while it has benefited internally as an organization in so much as they can now incorporate transportation initiatives into their mission, the program is still relatively new, so they have not yet seen the benefits from these initiatives.

Ohio RTPOs Accomplishments Prior to the RTPO program, the RPOs had little experience in the field of transportation planning. ODOT’s inclusion of MPO mentors in the RTPO program served as a critical step in setting the pilot program up for success. The guidance provided by the MPOs was key in the development of the Regional Transportation Plans. The significance of that document is evidenced by the fact that multiple RTPOs cited the Regional Transportation Plan as one of their biggest accomplishments so far. One RTPO went on to state that while the document itself is important, the process and mindset it took to create the document was just as valuable.

Each RTPO was tasked with developing its own Regional Transportation Plan


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Other note-worthy accomplishments from the RTPOs included transportation-related studies covering topics such as seasonal traffic impacts, freight corridors, curve speeds, and safety and crash data. The studies have proven to be both insightful and complementary to the RTPOs’ planning efforts in terms of highlighting funding needs. LUC has conducted a study on its Indian Lake community as it relates to its impact on traffic as a popular summer destination, and another that focuses on ways to increase safety and efficiency within certain freight corridors. These types of studies help to better inform the region on needs and issues to be addressed in the planning process. Some accomplishments came in the form of partnerships with other organizations working within the RTPOs’ regions, be it transportation-related entities or otherwise. MVPO worked with the United Way to develop transportation options for zero-car households. OVRDC engaged with both the county engineers and ODOT District Offices to allow for better coordination between those two groups. In general, increased collaboration with transportation-related groups is a highlight for the RTPOs.

Aside from providing transportation stakeholders with data and analyses from their studies, the RTPOs can now offer technical assistance and grant writing services. OVRDC developed workshops on funding programs as well as seminars on various transportation topics based on suggestions from local stakeholders. MVPO focused heavily on grant writing and has been able to secure over $6 million in funding for various transportation projects using existing funding programs such as the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). It has also assisted in the establishment of Transportation Improvement Districts (TIDs) in four counties, granting them access to additional funding opportunities. In terms of direct funding, OVRDC has opted to use some of its planning funds to provide small technical assistance planning grants to its local government members. Through an RFP process, it was able to award two preliminary project planning grants totaling $20,000.

The RTPOs have conducted various transportation studies, provided technical assistance & grant writing services, & built/enhanced regional partnerships

One RTPO has secured over $6 million in project funding using existing funding programs


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Where Are We Going? IMPACTS TO OHIO’S RURAL PLANNING PROCESSES The development of the Regional Transportation Plans and RTIPs set the stage for better planning at the local level that should translate into better planning in general for the state. The process to create those documents compelled the RTPOs to interact with local transportation stakeholders to gather the information needed. Those stakeholders were similarly motivated to engage with the RTPOs understanding that they would serve as a conduit to ODOT in communicating the area’s priorities and needs.

As RTPOs continue to gain experience in transportation planning, and transportation-related activities, they will look to focus more on becoming advocates to address issues such as the lack of transit, providing transportation options for an aging population, dealing with the technological advancements in the transportation field, and, perhaps most importantly, issues of safety.

Transit An ODOT transit needs study found that in rural areas there is currently a need to provide an additional one million transit trips a year. This need is expected to grow to more than four million trips each year by 2025. This projection does not consider the 27 counties that currently do not have any public transit service.1 ODOT has since released a report titled Justification for ODOT Human Service Transportation Coordination Regions, which looks to provide better mobility options for all of Ohio, including RTPO regions. Subsequently, ODOT’s Office of Transit is sponsoring a pilot program to expand service coverage and availability by bringing together federal, state and local transportation resources to develop Specialized-Transportation Planning Regions for the state based on the existing MPO/RTPO map, as well as the 11Area Agency on Aging Regions in Ohio. Counties included in the OMEGA RTPO will be included in the pilot, with the transportation regions ultimately being designated through a data driven process with an emphasis on origin/destination data, trip generators and information gathered from the pilot project.

Demographics The transit needs study also found that the most rural counties in Ohio will see the greatest increases in the percentage of people over the age of 60. In fact, many of the RTPOs cited aging population as a concern, particularly as it relates to providing transportation services when they can no longer drive. In terms of poverty, the U.S. Census Bureau 2015 ACS 5-Year Estimate shows that, when compared to incomes in the urban and suburban areas, incomes in the more rural counties in Ohio tend to be lower. This is particularly true in southeastern Ohio where there is a concentrated area of 10 contiguous counties that all have poverty rates over 20 percent. Many of those counties also account for the highest percentages of population with a disability. To be certain, not all counties served by RTPOs are homogeneous in terms of demographics, but in general, populations in RTPO regions have less access to transportation. RTPOs can ensure that in the planning process these are recognized as issues that need to be addressed.

1 Ohio Statewide Transit Needs Study. ODOT. January 2015.

https://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/Transit/TransitNeedsStudy/Documents/OhioStatewideTransitNeedsStudyFinalReport.pdf


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Technology Some RTPOs stated that a lack of broadband infrastructure to support technology advancements in transportation as an issue. However, one RTPO noted that ODOT has installed fiber optic cables along U.S. Route 33 in a neighboring county, primarily for the testing of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs). While there is concern that the overall lack of high-speed internet may result in rural areas not benefiting from advancements in AVs, there is a corresponding concern that AVs might bring with them their own issues. For example, if truck drivers are no longer needed, then the service jobs that cater to them may also be at risk. Also, the proliferation of AVs may add to the stress on the road network causing higher maintenance costs. Again, RTPOs are in the best position to make sure these concerns are properly assessed.

Safety Each RTPO interviewed said that safety issues are a concern in their region. For its part, ODOT has in place a robust safety program to support RTPOs in this regard. It provides the RTPOs with detailed crash data (location, type, severity, driver details) for every recorded crash in their regions. Coupled with ODOT’s project selection criteria, the collaboration between ODOT and the RTPOs is advancing efforts to mitigate crashes in nonmetropolitan areas. The RTPOS have greatly improved their ability to analyze crash statistics, create baseline data for comparative purpose, and conduct their own safety studies. RTPOs realize that these data gathering efforts will eventually help in building support for any future funding requests.


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Findings and Future Direction for Ohio RTPOs in Ohio have made tangible progress since the pilot program and formal designation was started. Through interview feedback and review of current efforts, RTPOs agree more opportunities for maturation and enhanced planning practice can be achieved. The following opportunities should be considered when shaping AO45’s vision, goals, and strategies.

ENHANCE CURRENT PLANNING EFFORTS The Ohio RTPOs interviewed invariably cited the lack of dedicated capital funding for proposed projects as a significant challenge, noting that it is difficult to keep members engaged in the planning process without the resources to implement. ODOT is aware of the RTPOs’ desire for a capital budget allocation, but both the department and the RTPOs realize that funding is a longer-term prospect given that the program is relatively new. The RTPOs also realize that by focusing on data collection and studies, they are building the case for funding by detailing more precisely their needs.

As previously noted, one RTPO has worked around the lack of dedicated capital funding by focusing heavily on grant writing, resulting in its securing over $6 million in funding for transportation projects. Accordingly, RTPOs could place a focus on helping its stakeholders in applying for project funding. Given the current funding environment, which depends heavily on competitive grants, RTPOs are in a good position to ensure applications incorporate the proper transportation data and expertise. One RTPO also suggested that funding applications include a checkbox that would give credit to projects supported by an RTPO, like the ODOT TRAC Program that includes a checkbox to highlight MPO support.

ENHANCE ODOT/RTPO PARTNERSHIPS Another common theme expressed by the RTPOs was uncertainty around all the roles and responsibilities the RTPO designation entails either by statute or as expectations from ODOT. An example was given of a road classification change that a municipality was told now must go through the RTPO, with the RTPO only finding out about this change in process when the municipality reached out to them for review. While the RTPO was amenable to being included in that process, it was left wondering what other responsibilities they were now expected to perform. In general, the RTPOs acknowledged that this is still new to both them and ODOT, however they believed that having a comprehensive list of all that is expected of them would help them better prepare and plan.

Like the uncertainty faced by RTPOs, there have also been cases of unfamiliarity by other transportation stakeholders (e.g. district office staff, county engineers, MPOs) as to the role of the RTPOs in the overall planning process. One RTPO informed an ODOT representative about this, to which the representative expressed surprise as he felt that their outreach efforts had been quite adequate. While this issue will likely lessen as the program continues over time, more outreach is likely needed to make sure RTPOs are properly included in their respective region’s planning efforts.

While the RTPOs generally feel that the level of support and coordination with ODOT has been exceptional, a more established physical presence was mentioned by two RTPOs as an opportunity to enhance coordination, however in different contexts. One was to have ODOT present at certain public meetings to give more weight

The RTPOs are collecting data and conducting studies to build up the case for funding needs


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to what the RTPOs are presenting. The other RTPO thought an annual meeting or forum, which would include ODOT and the other RTPOs, would provide an opportunity to better align their efforts and share best practices.

OTHER STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Alternative transportation groups are an obvious partnership opportunity for RTPOs to develop. Those groups have the interest but need RTPOs to help connect them to funding sources or data to support their initiatives. Similarly, safety groups and non-profits in need of data and studies can work with RTPOs to advocate for more resources to implement transportation-specific projects to address their concerns.

Another opportunity would come from partnerships with local institutions such as the Chamber of Commerce or other economic or community development organizations. While some level of partnership may already be in place, it could now be bolstered with the capacity and resources at the RTPO’s disposal. Combining their efforts to leverage more resources and funding would be mutually beneficial to both parties.

IMPLICATIONS FOR ACCESS OHIO AO45 Through the creation of its RTPO program, Ohio has taken a significant step in better incorporating regional input into its planning process, with both ODOT and the RTPOs extolling the benefits of having a direct line of communication between non-metropolitan areas and the state. Through funding and the prudence to assign MPO mentors, ODOT has greatly increased the capacity of the RTPOs to serve their local interests in the statewide transportation planning process. However, both ODOT and the RTPOs acknowledge this concept is still relatively new to everyone and growing pains are expected as they continue to refine and improve the program.

Nevertheless, the inclusion of the RTPOs in the development of the Access Ohio 2045 Long-Range Transportation Plan is a major advancement for the state as it continues to assess how best to prioritize it transportation resources.