Research Project
Regional Rural Transportation Planning and the Role of the Rural Planning Organizations
- Principal Investigator
- Sriraj, P.S.
- Start Date
- 2022-03-04
- End Date
- 2024-03-11
- Research Area(s)
- Data Development
- Funding and Financing
- Policy Analysis
- Funding Source
- Illinois Department of Transportation
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to identify Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs) in the State of Illinois and current practices in rural transportation planning. The research will inform IDOT on the functioning of these organizations, their sources of funding and identify gaps and redundancies in the state. The objective of this research is twofold: First, it investigated current practices in Illinois, with an in-depth analysis of roles, activities, funding, and coordination mechanisms between RPOs and IDOT within the state. It focused on methods used to facilitate RPO inclusion in the planning process, especially for areas without representation, and methods to foster the rural programs development process. Second, the research explored existing coordination methods and rural planning organization practices in other states, to propose recommendations from case studies where rural planning process has been consistently incorporated into transportation planning at the DOT level. For this second aspect the study included a survey with rural planning managers from state DOTs. Key recommendations to IDOT include: 1) Set up a consultation process to identify the needs of RPOs. 2) Promote a forum of coordination among RPOs to facilitate the interaction of these organizations, the sharing of information on funding opportunities and common challenges or needs. 3) Promote the establishment of RPOs, or other complementing organizations, in areas where there are gaps in representation. 4) Ensure the development of a project-specific long-range plan that actively engages RPOs and encourages the consultation of local stakeholders with their respective RPO. Download the complete "Regional Rural Transportation Planning and the Role of the Rural Planning Organizations" study.