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Systems Planning Office
About
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) plays an important role in maintaining mobility for the future on Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) Corridors throughout the state. By defining the corridor’s needs, the corridor plan will help focus planning efforts on the most significant problems and act as catalyst for discussion about how best to invest in the corridor. One key element in the effort is the development of strategic plans for corridors, incorporating a wide range of alternative actions and modal opportunities. A Planning Study is the first step in planning for the future of a transportation facility.
Objective
Planning studies determine the best way to serve existing and future travel demand. The studies identify the transportation issues by closely examining the existing and expected future conditions within each study area; including the design of the existing transportation facilities, transit services available, accommodation of non-motorized modes of transportation, traffic volumes, levels of congestion, and potentially unsafe conditions.
Endorsed planning studies provide the following:
- Guidance for decision makers regarding future projects on state routes
- Direction in determining impact mitigation measures for proposed developments
- Inclusion of improvement solutions in the State Intermodal System Plan
- Guidance for interim projects to ensure the progression towards long range objectives
- Coordination with various stakeholders on the future development of the state route
Partners
Planning Studies bring together the goals and expectations of all groups involved in the project. The planning process includes many diverse community members, such as citizens, governmental officials, community organizations, and other stakeholders who work together to develop a vision for the corridor. Stakeholders are important in shaping the goals, objectives, and strategies for the corridor. Public participation in this process, as with all planning processes, is very important to the success.
Types of Studies
The Systems Planning Office conducts studies that fall within the following categories
- Corridor: A corridor study is the first step in planning for the future of a transportation facility. By defining the corridor’s needs, the corridor plan will help focus planning efforts on the most significant problems and act as catalyst for discussion about how best to invest in the corridor.
- Alternatives: An alternatives study involves studying specific corridors and special study areas and developing recommended strategies or alternatives to implement improvement projects and programs. An alternate route analysis studies are conducted when an existing route may need realignment due to capacity or other constraints where further improvements of the route may be prohibitively expensive or impossible to construct. These studies generally explore the development of new state routes that would bypass urban congested areas.
- Feasibility: A Feasibility Study represents a definition of a problem or opportunity to be studied, an analysis of the current mode of operation, a definition of requirements, an evaluation of alternatives, and an agreed upon course of action. As such, the activities for preparing a Feasibility Study are generic in nature and can be applied to any type of project.
Planning Studies Comparison (Condensed)
| Study | Corridor | Alternative | Feasibility |
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| Problems and Needs Defining the key issues and opportunities | |||
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| Alternative Options Understanding and defining a range of options - including land use solutions |
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| Evaluation Comparing and initial screening of the proposed alternative options |
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| Implementation Identify and itemize an implementation action plan including defining the appropriate phasing |
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| Documentation | |||
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| Coordination and Outreach |
Active and Completed Planning Studies
