Transportation

Resolving transportation issues is one of the most critical concerns facing state and local governments. Increasingly, state departments of transportation (DOTs) are partnering with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), conflict resolution organizations and transportation consultants, to improve transportation planning. Such processes are helping DOTs complete National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, site new facilities, and expand the capacity of states’ existing transportation infrastructure.

In April 2003, the National Policy Consensus Center hosted a colloquium for people involved in transportation collaborations—federal and state agency representatives, consultants, dispute resolution professionals and representatives from professional associations and local planning organizations.

The colloquium was co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the Florida, Oregon, and California Departments of Transportation.

Colloquium participants identified a number of lessons learned from successful transportation initiatives, and developed recommendations for governors and other state officials on ways to enhance the use and effectiveness of transportation collaboration.

The colloquium was organized by NPCC Fellow Susan Brody, former Director of the Oregon Dispute Resolution Commission. Brody served for eight years as Vice Chair of the Oregon Transportation Commission, and has held a number of other positions in state and local government. She currently works as a private consultant working in the areas of transportation, land use, and collaborative problem solving. David Ewing, NPCC Transportation Fellow located in Washington D.C., also assisted with the April colloquium.

Transportation Solutions: Collaborative Problem Solving for States and Communities (2003) is the published report of the transportation colloquium. Written by and NPCC Intern Jeremy Hays and Susan Brody, the booklet contains examples from collaborative transportation projects in a number of states, and a concise list of recommendations for state leaders who are considering such a process.

Transportation Case Studies

In conjunction with the Transportation Solutions report, NPCC also produced Transportation Collaboration Case Studies, which includes 11 examples of successful collaborative processes in transportation.

The featured cases include collaborative transportation planning and construction processes in California, Colorado, Florida, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, and Virginia. Each case includes an overview of the situation, detailed information about the stakeholders and collaborative process, and descriptions of the outcomes and lessons learned.

Transportation Collaboration Case Studies

Transportation Colloquium Participants

Kome Ajise

California Department of Transportation
N. Region Environmental Management

Dale Blanton

Oregon Dispute Resolution Commission
Manager, Public Policy Dispute Resolution

Chris Carlson

Policy Consensus Initiative
Co-Executive Director

John Carr

Kentucky Cabinet of Transportation
Deputy State Highway Engineer — Intermodal Programs

Arnold Cogan

Cogan, Owens & Cogan, LLC
FAICP, Managing Principal

Lou Gieszl

Deputy Executive Director
Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution

Debra Greenfield

San Diego Regional Planning Agency
General Counsel

Craig Greenleaf

Oregon Department of Transportation
Deputy Director, Transportation Development Division

Tim Hill

Ohio Department of Transportation
Administrator, Office of Environmental Services

Kris Hoellen

AASHTO
Director of Environmental Programs

Bob Jones

Director, Florida Conflict Resolution Consortium

Dale Keyes

USIECR
Senior Program Manager

Connie Ozawa

Associate Professor, Urban and Public Affairs
Portland State University

Angelo Papastamos

Utah Department of Transportation
Context Sensitive Solutions Director

Fred P. Patron

FHWA
Senior Transportation Planning Engineer

Ruth Rentch

FHWA
Office of NEPA Facilitation
Project Development Specialist

Robert Romig

Florida Department of Transportation
Director, Office of Policy Planning

Shari Schaftlein

Washington Department of Transportation
Assistant Director of Environmental Services

Marcy Schwartz

CH2M Hill
Senior VP and Director of Technology

Jim Souby

Western Governor’s Association
Executive Director

Lori Sundstrom

Oregon Department of Transportation
Section Manager, Environmental Services

Facilitator

Debra L. Nudelman

Senior Mediator
RESOLVE