Federal Agencies Name Nevada National Transportation Planning Excellence Award Winner |
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Federal Highway Administration
14 July 2015
FHWA 50-15
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Contact: Nicole Jones / Doug Hecox
Tel: 202-366-0660
Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration Announce Year's Best
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today jointly announced the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County, Nev., one of this year’s eight Transportation Planning Excellence Award (TPEA) recipients.
“Building a world-class transportation system doesn’t happen overnight, and never by accident,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “These awards recognize the critical role planning plays in meeting America’s future transportation challenges.”
The Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, Nev., won for its 4th Street/Prater Way Bus RAPID Transit project, which creates a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly community, featuring bike lanes and wider sidewalks.
This $52.6 million project, which also received a $16 million TIGER grant in 2014, will extend transit service to the 4th Street/Prater Way corridor using zero-emission electric buses, connecting downtown Reno and Sparks. Local officials will also build accessible sideways and install bike lanes. Construction is expected to begin next year, and local officials estimate it will help connect people to 39,000 area jobs.
“Helping people more easily get to and from work is one of the hallmarks of a community’s quality of life,” said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau. “Less congestion and more jobs equal a healthy economy and opportunities for continued transportation investment.”
Selected by an independent panel, the awards are a biennial recognition by the FHWA and FTA of outstanding transportation planning practices performed by planners and decision makers in communities across the country.
This year, eight winners were selected of 35 TPEA submissions from around the nation. Criteria for selection included: community, public involvement and partnerships; context sensitive solutions; innovation and effectiveness; equity; implementation and strategy; multi-modalism; and potential for long-term benefits.
“It’s important to recognize the creative efforts of the nation’s transportation planners,” said Acting Federal Transit Administrator Therese W. McMillan. “RTC project leaders expect the BRT line will spur economic development and improve quality of life in an area where more than half of residents are low income by connecting them to jobs and educational opportunities.”
This year’s other winners include:
Bus Stop Accessibility Study
Awardee: Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional Commission
Category: Modeling and Technology Applications
Asset Management
Transportation, Land-Use, Freight and Operations Planning Linkages
CHCNGA-TPO Community-Sensitive Performance-Based Planning
Awardee: Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency
Category: Planning and Environmental Linkages for Livability, Sustainability and Public Health
Humanizing Infrastructure: Design for the Replacement of I-95
Awardee: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 6
Categories: Public and Educational Planning, Training, and Outreach
Planning and Environmental Linkages for Livability, Sustainability and Public Health
Minnesota 20-Year State Highway Investment Plan
Awardee: Minnesota Department of Transportation
Categories: Public and Educational Planning, Training and Outreach
Asset Management
Mt. Hood Multimodal Transportation Plan
Awardee: Oregon Department of Transportation
Category: Emergency and Safety Planning
Public and Educational Planning, Training and Outreach
Rural, Small, Regional and Tribal Community Planning
Moving Forward Updated 2035 Regional Transportation Plan
Awardee: Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments
Categories: Planning and Environmental Linkages for Livability, Sustainability and Public Health
Asset Management
Project Connect North Corridor: Taking Transit Where No Transit Has Gone Before!
Awardee: Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Texas
Category: Public and Educational Planning, Training, and Outreach
Additional information about the 2015 TPEA recipients can be found at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/tpea/2015/