plan process
 

Transportation Plan History for Central Oklahoma

The local governments in Central Oklahoma have been engaged in regional transportation planning over the past five decades. The transportation planning process initiated by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in 1965 resulted in adoption of the first long-range transportation plan for Central Oklahoma in 1968, known as the 1985 OCARTS Plan. This plan was updated in 1976 and 1988 to reflect regional changes in land use and socioeconomic forecasts.

Under the requirements of federal surface transportation law - ISTEA, TEA-21, and now SAFETEA-LU, metropolitan transportation plans are to be updated every five years in Central Oklahoma. With each new plan update, base year socioeconomic data and forecast year projections are developed to reflect changes in the growth and composition of the region’s population, land use and travel characteristics for input into the regional travel demand model.

The 2020 OCARTS Plan, adopted in March 1995, was replaced by the 2025 OCARTS Plan (adopted September 2000), and the 2030 OCARTS Plan was adopted by the MPO on August 18, 2005. The MPO recently finalized the 2035 long-range plan, known as Encompass 2035.

The Plan

Why is this plan developed?
Not only is it a federal requirement, but it also makes good sense to plan for future regional transportation needs, rather than waiting for a lack of maintenance and gridlock to set in before any action is taken. For that reason, local governments in the OCARTS area have been continuously engaged in regional transportation planning since 1965, in compliance with the requirements laid out in the Federal Highway Act of 1962.

In general, OCARTS area Long-Range Transportation Plans are developed using current and forecasted land use, socioeconomic, and other data to model present and future transportation needs. Periodic evaluation and updating is essential and is also specifically called for in the various transportation laws that have governed the development of the six transportation plans throughout the past four decades.

The most recent long-range plan, the 2030 OCARTS Plan, adopted in August 2005, was created in compliance with the 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The transportation law placed emphasis on the preservation and improvement of the multimodal transportation system and included seven planning factors addressing (1) economic vitality, (2) increased safety and security, (3) increased accessibility and mobility options, (4) environmental protection and conservation, (5) enhanced integration and modal connectivity, (6) efficient system management, and (7) preservation of the existing system. As new transportation rules were signed into law the same month the 2030 OCARTS Plan was adopted, several adjustments were made to bring it fully into compliance with the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

Since then, the development of the next long-range transportation plan had continuously built steam, and ultimately culminated in the completion of the Encompass 2035 - the 2035 OCARTS Plan – which is governed by the provisions of SAFETEA-LU. Adoption of the Encompass 2035 was adopted in April 2011.

The Process

Approximately every six years, the U.S. Congress develops a surface transportation act to authorize transportation funding programs, funding levels and planning requirements for states and metropolitan areas throughout the country. The current legislation is the Safe Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

As part of SAFETEA-LU, the Federal Highway and Federal Transit Administrations require that all metropolitan areas conduct a comprehensive, coordinated and continuing transportation planning process that includes development of long- and short-range plans and programs. The long-range plan must include a forecast period of at least 20 years and is to be updated every five years. In areas designated as nonattainment for national air quality standards, the plan must be updated every four years and demonstrate that planned improvements will not worsen air quality conditions.

Metropolitan transportation planning is a continuous process. It involves a number of steps that begin with the monitoring of current, base year conditions including population, employment and travel patterns. Future population and employment growth are then forecasted to identify projected land uses and major growth corridors in the region that will influence future travel. This information is used by planners to identify transportation problems and needs, and to establish goals and strategies to mitigate anticipated problems. By analyzing a number of scenarios or alternatives and their costs, a long-range plan is developed that includes capital and operational improvements for moving people and goods that can be paid for with transportation revenues expected to be available through the plan’s forecast year. The plan is also evaluated in relation to its potential environmental and social impacts upon the region. Once the plan is adopted, it is implemented by state and local government entities using the federal funds provided through federal surface transportation legislation (SAFETEA-LU) and state and local funds. Short-range transportation improvement programs establish local priorities for funding specific improvements called for by the long-range plan.

Financial Constraint

Federal transportation law requires all long-range transportation plans for metropolitan areas to be financially constrained.


The financial strategy must ensure that total expected costs for planned projects do not exceed reasonably projected revenues and must, therefore, accomplish the following:

The financial strategy must also reflect the fundamental importance of the maintenance and preservation of the existing system.