Learn - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions - General | Frequently Asked Questions - Municipal Partners

Are we the only ones doing this?
No; many other states have revised their design manuals or project development guidelines to emphasize the key principles found in Smart Transportation. For example, the Vermont Agency of Transportation revised its design manual to reflect context sensitive principles back in 1996. The Missouri DOT’s “Practical Design” initiative emphasizes “getting the best value for the least cost.” Many state departments of transportation have issued “context sensitive solutions” manuals that are compatible with Smart Transportation principles. New Jersey DOT jointly developed the Smart Transportation Guidebook with PennDOT and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

Is Smart Transportation here to stay?
Smart Transportation is intended to permanently change the way that PennDOT does business. The escalating financial and environmental costs of road-building, and the greater awareness of the importance of collaboration with the community, have fundamentally altered our approach to project development. PennDOT's Design Manuals are currently being updated to incorporate the Smart Transportation themes and principles, and Smart Transportation principles and practices are currently being integrated into a revised project development process that will be rolled out at the end of the year.

What is meant by integrating land use and transportation planning?
All transportation projects have an impact on how land is developed, and land development projects have an impact on how a transportation system evolves. PennDOT seeks to encourage transportation projects that foster sustainable communities, reduce sprawl, encourage alternative modes of transportation and reduce vehicle miles traveled. This means that we will need to have more dialogue with the communities on what the existing and future vision for land uses are within a corridor or facility’s context area, from the beginning and all the way through a project.

What is PennDOT’s role in land use?
In Pennsylvania, municipalities have authority for land use decisions. PennDOT affects land use decisions by how and where it invests money. Smart Transportation requires that we better understand the land development process and the future vision of the area so that we can develop a transportation project that is consistent with that vision, meets our transportation needs, is sustainable, and is affordable.

With whom should I be collaborating, and when should I get them involved?
Smart transportation requires partnership with MPOs and RPOs, local municipal zoning and planning officials, public works departments, land owners and developers, neighborhood residents, business owners, and other community stakeholders.

Smart Transportation works best when the partnership between PennDOT and local governments is durable and long term, involving:

all interactions on HOPs;
the almost daily interaction between local public works agencies and the District Traffic Unit;
corridor and area-wide transportation plans;
the project development process.

There is no one best time to begin partnering. The real question is how to improve the partnership in your specific area of responsibility.

For the contact information for your local community planner, click here (link to local planners list).

How does Smart Transportation address safety and congestion?
Safety must not be compromised in any project, and “safety first” is a key Smart Transportation theme. Some of the major ideas in the Smart Transportation Guidebook are intended to enhance safety. For example, the concept of “desired operating speed” encourages motorists to travel at a speed compatible with the surrounding community.

Transportation development projects will continue to address congestion, and project teams are encouraged to consider creative means of doing so. Rather than focus solely on intersection or mainline widening, projects should also consider strengthening the overall roadway network. Bicycling, walking and transit should be feasible options for more residents in a community. Techniques such as access management and signal coordination should be widely used.

How do I get communities to understand that Smart Transportation goes beyond adding amenities to projects (aesthetic treatments, street furniture, etc.)?
Through partnership with communities, Department personnel will better understand community planning goals. As projects are discussed and developed, Department personnel can bring forward project ideas and principles from the Guidebook that better focus the community on the project needs, and match those needs to the community vision. As is true of any project component, aesthetic treatments and street furniture must be shown to address project need. Consistent with the theme of “Money Counts”, we must understand the value, benefit and objectives of all project elements and amenities.

Will additional dedicated funding be allotted for Smart Transportation projects? Will there be flexibility for funding?
PennDOT believes that all projects should be Smart Transportation Projects. From this point forward, all projects will be assessed against the principles of Smart Transportation, and the revised project development process will include several decision points for this purpose. Accordingly, all projects and studies must compete for funding, and the criteria that will be used to determine if a project is placed onto a TIP will be consistent with Smart Transportation principles.

How does the bridge initiative fit into this?
The Accelerated Bridge Program supports a major theme of “leveraging and preserving our existing investments”. Smart Transportation principles will be applied to bridge replacement projects. Many projects across the state are already applying these principles by designing replacement structures that are in context with local character and by applying the appropriate design flexibility to encourage cost effective solutions.

How are we implementing this? What is the schedule?
PennDOT has a head start on implementing Smart Transportation; the existing initiatives of Right-Sizing, Context Sensitive Solutions and VE-ACTT reviews already serve to implement many Smart Transportation principles. The Department will soon be revising the project development process and pertinent chapters of the Design Manuals to formalize Smart Transportation principles in project development and design.

Check back soon for a detailed outline of the Department’s Strategic Plan and Schedule to implement Smart Transportation.

Are there performance measures for Smart Transportation?
Performance measures are being developed for Smart Transportation. In addition, some examples of performance measures can be found in the Smart Transportation Guidebook. Performance measures – also known as measures of success – are tied to the problem the project is attempting to solve and to insure that the contexts of the project are respected. Establishing performance measures is a partnering activity involving the community.

Where is FHWA in this effort? Are they supportive of this approach?
FHWA is supportive of this effort. The Pennsylvania and New Jersey Divisions of the FHWA participated in creation of the Smart Transportation Guidebook, and the FHWA just awarded the Smart Transportation Guidebook its 2008 Transportation Planning Excellence Award. Smart Transportation builds on important FHWA initiatives, such as its 1997 text, “Flexibility in Highway Design.”

Click here for a link to a video message of FHWA Pennsylvania Division’s Division Administrator Renee Sigel on Smart Transportation (link to Rene Sigel’s video).

Where can I get technical/design guidance?
The Smart Transportation Guidebook provides technical guidance. PennDOT personnel are also encouraged to review Guide for Achieving Flexibility in Highway Design (AASHTO, 2004) and An ITE Proposed Recommended Practice: Context Sensitive Solutions in Designing Major Urban Thoroughfares for Walkable Communities (ITE, 2006).

Where in the project development process do I apply Smart Transportation?
Beginning with definition of the project problem, and continuing through development of alternatives to address the problem, Smart Transportation principles should be applied at every stage of the project development process, including Scoping Field View, prior to environmental approvals, Design Field View, Final Design Office Meeting/Final Design Field View, and prior to advancement of future funding phases.

What role does Smart Transportation play in the HOP process?
A more collaborative process between PennDOT and the municipalities on arriving at decisions related to transportation infrastructure investments and land use development will lead to a more streamlined HOP process. As the Smart Transportation effort is carried forward, more details related to how this streamlined process would work will be developed, refined and shared with the districts.

Who is the point of contact in my district? In Central Office?
The ADE-Design is the designated Smart Transportation coordinator in the districts and facilitates ST communications internal and external to the district. However, each and every PennDOT employee has a role and an ownership stake when representing PennDOT with our external partners, and engaging our partners to support Smart Transportation. In Central Office, the main point of contact is Brian Hare, Division Chief of the Design Services Division. He can be reached at 717-783-6418 and bhare@state.pa.us.

How does Smart Transportation differ from Context Sensitive Solutions?
Smart Transportation is closely related to Context Sensitive Solutions. It emphasizes the importance of community collaboration and building transportation facilities that fit within the context of the community. However, Smart Transportation also emphasizes themes central to PennDOT’s core mission, such as providing safe and efficient facilities.

Does Smart Transportation apply to 3R projects in addition to new construction?
Yes. For example, project managers can identify whether it would be possible to narrow existing wide travel lanes and stripe bike lanes if the community demonstrates interest in this kind of facility.

Will Smart Transportation increase project delivery time?
If applied early, it can actually decrease the delivery time by reducing re-work. Since Smart Transportation emphasizes collaboration with the community, and the examination of a wide range of alternatives, it may increase delivery time if these techniques were used on certain types of projects. However, for other projects, Smart Transportation will result in a more efficient process; by increasing early community buy-in, and identifying lower cost alternatives, Smart Transportation will better avoid the need to revisit a project if it encounters community opposition or is deemed to be unaffordable.

Do we need to increase our level of public involvement under this approach?
It depends upon the level of public involvement previously exercised. Community involvement is a critical component of Smart Transportation; the Guidebook provides ideas for different ways of engaging the public.

Will this increase the need for design exceptions? Are PennDOT and FHWA making it easier to get design exceptions approved? Can the Guidebook be used to justify design exceptions?
Certain projects may need additional design exceptions. Smart Transportation does not change the design exception process or the responsibility to justify each design exception, but PennDOT will consider consistency with Smart Transportation principles as one reason to consider such exceptions. Many of the concepts in the Guidebook, such as desired operating speed, are intended to enhance safety. Safety must still be evaluated through the design exception review and approval process.

The design manuals are currently being revised to be more aligned with Smart Transportation principles. This revision will result in fewer design exceptions required for Smart Transportation projects. In the interim, prior to the finalization of the design manuals, the Smart Transportation Guidebook can provide technical guidance on ongoing projects.

Does Smart Transportation apply to projects in suburban and rural areas as well as urban areas?
Yes. All transportation facilities are expected to be efficient, and to enhance the surrounding community, whatever its character. PennDOT’s goal is to use the Smart Transportation Principles for all projects.