FRAMEWORK FOR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

IN ORDER TO PLAN MORE ADEQUATELY FOR FUTURE TRANSPORTATION AND FACILITIES AT THE REGIONAL SCALE (WHERE A REGION MAY BE A STATE OR SOME MULTI-COUNTY SUBDIVISION THEREOF) TRANSPORTATION PLANNING MUST INVOLVE THE COORDINATION OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM EFFORTS IN ORDER TO ASSURE THE MOST LOGICAL AND EFFICIENT INVESTMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES. TECHNIQUES USED FOR PUTTING THE VARIED PERSPECTIVES OF SUCH TEAMS INTO PROPER FOCUS FOR PLANNING HAVE EVOLVED INTO WHAT IS TERMED THE SYSTEMS APPROACH. THROUGH A DISCUSSION OF THE METHODOLOGICAL COMPONENTS AND MORE IMPORTANT SPECIALIZED DISCIPLINES THAT CAN BE UTILIZED IN THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS, THIS ARTICLE OUTLINES A GENERAL FRAME-WORK WHICH MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS PROCESS, AND SUGGESTS A RATIONAL SCHEME FOR ORGANIZING APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINES TO CARRY OUT THE APPROACH TO PLANNING. /AUTHOR/