FDOT Efficient Transportation Decision Making (ETDM)

The Efficient Transportation Decision Making (ETDM) Process provides FDOT, environmental agencies and the public the opportunity to participate in the early stages of transportation projects to determine potential environmental effects.  This allows us to identify potential issues of concern, address them earlier, refine future studies, and ensure consideration of the human, natural and physical environments.  FDOT works with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 26 metropolitan planning organizations, 23 other federal and state agencies and two tribal governments to review proposed transportation improvements.   

The ETDM Process accomplishes the streamlining objectives identified in Section 1309 of the Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century and Sections 6001 and 6002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).  In December 2005, FHWA grandfathered Florida's ETDM Process as satisfying all of the requirements of Section 6002 of SAFETEA-LU.

The ETDM Process is composed of three steps: Planning Screen, Programming Screen, and Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study. During the Planning phase, agency comments help FDOT and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) determine the feasibility of proposed projects and inclusion in their Long Range Transportation Plans. The Programming screen occurs when those projects are being considered for funding in the FDOT Work Program or MPO Transportation Improvement Program. Information gathered in the Planning and Programming screens gives resource agencies the opportunity to identify project-specific environmental issue information; allows early consideration of avoidance, minimization and mitigation measures; allows elimination of fatally flawed projects from additional study; and informs and supports the PD&E study.

Coordination with environmental resource agencies is facilitated through the Environmental Screening Tool (EST), an Internet-accessible interactive database and mapping application. The EST integrates resource and project data from multiple sources into one standard format and provides quick and standardized analyses of the potential effects of a proposed project on natural, physical, cultural, and community resources.  Project information is made available to the public through the EST's public access website.

The ETDM Process creates linkages between land use, transportation and environmental resource planning initiatives through early, interactive agency involvement to improve transportation decisions and reduce the time, effort and cost to implement transportation improvements.

Features of the ETDM Process

Environmental Screening Tool Overview

Benefits realized through the ETDM Process

For additional discussion please call Peter McGilvray 850-414-5330 or email at peter.mcgilvray@dot.state.fl.us  

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