TRAVEL ANALYSIS METHODS FOR THE 1980S. OPENING SESSION. KEYNOTE ADDRESS

At a time when there has been significant change in national priorities and federal involvement, good planning practice must be based on sound methods and continuing attention to improvement of these methods. At the federal level two studies reflect changing priorities: (1) Comprehensive review of the urban transportation planning process undertaken jointly by FHWA and UMTA and (2) review of FHWA role in providing technical assistance to state and local planning agencies. The comprehensive review that looks at all requirements established by the 1962 Highway Act has to be accompanied by determination of the appropriate federal, state and local roles in urban transportation planning. New federal regulations do substantially reduce the heavy federal hand in planning activities that are essentially state and local concerns. Such groups conducting transportation planning are now allowed to recognize that distinct differences exist among urban areas and that there can be flexibility in meeting these needs. A unified planning work program endorsed by the Metropolitan Planning Organization will still be required to support requests for federal planning funds for communities of 200,000 population or more, but there is a significant change in provision for federal and local self-certification. The increased flexibility for state and local decisions on how to conduct the planning process is likely to result in a call for more technical assistance and sharing of procedural information. The FHWA role should be that of a central clearinghouse for dissemination of information and technology with the goal of cost effectiveness. Computer planning technology Microcomputers) supporting urban transportation planning methodology will expand at an enormous rate over the next few years.