IMPACT OF RECENT FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION POLICIES AND REGULATIONS ON LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

A description of how the policies of transportation systems management (TSM) evolved, the role of traffic engineers in TSM, and the relationship of these policies to the TOPICS program are examined. A Federal Highway Administration and Urban Mass Transportation Administration task force developed a concept in which capital and non capital policy actions designed to improve the Management and operations of highway and transit systems were unified to form a single major element of the planning process. TSM provides the opportunity for various participants to work together in a coordinated process of planning and programming. The planning process consists of two major elements. The first is a set of major long-range highway and transit facilities which can expect to be implemented during the planning period. The second element is the TSM element which identifies policies and programs relating to traffic engineering, public transportation, regulations and pricing. In order to have an effective planning process, there must be a drastic shift from the traditional long-range, 20-year forecasts to planning for short-term issues in order to imcompass more traffic engineering and transit development. With the elimination of separate categorical funding by TOPICS, most TOPICS projects will be funded under the urban system where there is competition from major new facilities and public transportation projects also eligible under the system, as well as competition for urban system funds between jurisdictions.