1. CSS Emerging Trends in
Planning, NEPA, Design,
Construction &
Maintenance
2006 Paving Conference
2. Presented by
• Joe J. Sanchez, PE. CSS Bureau Chief
• Kathryn Kretz, PG. Environmental Design
Bureau Chief
• Bruce Bender, AICP, Planning Bureau Chief
• Kevin Swaving, Twin Mountain Construction
4. Transportation Planning
and
Context Sensitive Solutions
What is good planning?
What is good transportation planning?
How does good transportation
planning fit in with context sensitive
approaches?
7. Good Planning
Works With the Site Conditions
Architect – fits building to site
Planner – fits project to community,
natural environment, built environment
8. Good Planning
Is Needs-Based
Consistent with available facts
Carefully identifies the problem before
proceeding to evaluate solutions
Vision is one thing, pipe-dreams are
another
9. Good Planning
Evaluates Alternatives
Clear problem definition
Consensus on desired outcomes
Considers a number of alternatives
Arrives at a carefully tailored solution
10. How is Good Planning
Different From
Good Transportation Planning?
It isn’t!
Considers all users (not just vehicle
drivers)
Considers all modes of transportation
11. How is Good Transportation Planning
Different From
Context Sensitive Approaches?
It isn’t!
Bold Prediction: fairly soon,
mainstream transportation planning
will evolve to what is now called
“context sensitive” planning
13. Context Sensitive Solutions
And The
Environmental Process
The Context Sensitive Solution
approach incorporates established
planning and design concepts with
new strategies that enhance the
environment and preserve community
values.
14. How does NEPA
relate to CSS?
CSS and NEPA Processes are very
similar
The “best” alternative
Effective decision making
Consider positive and negative impacts
15. Stakeholder and Public
Involvement
CSS and NEPA Processes
Collaborative, interdisciplinary team
approach.
Early and continual involvement through
planning, design, and construction.
Involvement methods vary with project size,
complexity, local political situation.
16. Challenges for Effective
Involvement
Identifying All & Appropriate Stakeholders
Balancing Among Competing Objectives
Defining roles and responsibilities
Maintaining involvement
17. Context Sensitive Solutions
And The
Environmental Process
The Context Sensitive Solution
approach incorporates established
planning and design concepts with
new strategies that enhance the
environment and preserve community
values.
18. How does NEPA
relate to CSS?
CSS and NEPA Processes are very
similar
The “best” alternative
Effective decision making
Consider positive and negative impacts
19. Stakeholder and Public
Involvement
CSS and NEPA Processes
Collaborative, interdisciplinary team
approach.
Early and continual involvement through
planning, design, and construction.
Involvement methods vary with project size,
complexity, local political situation.
20. Challenges for Effective
Involvement
Identifying All & Appropriate Stakeholders
Balancing Among Competing Objectives
Defining roles and responsibilities
Maintaining involvement
21. Goals for Improved Practice
Look at potential environmental issues on a
broader scale.
Transition from Plan Level to Corridor Level to
Project Level.
Establish Purpose and Need earlier in process.
Consider long-term effects, secondary impacts, and
self-induced hardships.
22. Environmental Concerns Are Not
Something New
National Historic Preservation Act - 1966
NEPA - 1969
Clean Air Act Amendments – 1970
USEPA created - 1970
NPDES and Section 404 - 1972
23. Need for “Culture Change”
Values still not integrated into
development process as well as they
should be.
Environmental concerns still
sometimes viewed as “external”.
25. Energy Versus Synergy
• Energy-force, power, viewpoints,
concerns - - - - - - -disharmony?
• Synergy- Energy moving, growing,
multiplying in the same direction
……harmony?
28. Project Process Performance
Measures
• Project Team – Collaborative,
multidisciplinary, open
• Public Engagement – Quality of PI Strategy
• Adequacy of resources
• Project Vision & Goals
• Evaluation Criteria & Design Considerations
29. CSS Project Goals - Design &
Construction
• Matching of Vision or goals to problems,
opportunities & needs of the final project
• Did we meet commitments
• Where resources preserved/enhanced
• Stakeholder Satisfaction
• Construction & Maintenance Impacts
• Quality Assurance
30. CSS Project Outcomes
• Address Mobility & Safety
• Environmental Stewardship
• Project Delivery
• Economic values
• Realistic Visioning-Matching Existing Plans
• Rowing in the Same Direction with Planning,
NEPA, Development/Design,
Construction/Maintenance
31. NM 14: A Contractor’s
Perspective
Kevin Swaving, PE
Twin Mountain Construction
52. • Need to manage public interaction process
– Contractor CAC interaction = significant labor
investment
• Constructability impacts are costly
– Establish realistic (worst-case) expectations
• Bobcats, borrow site
• Community changes have financial impact
– Establish guidelines for input post-design
• Construction vs. benefit
Conclusion