2009 Awards

AMPO Awards

2009 Award Winners

The Outstanding Professional Achievement Award in Metropolitan Transportation Planning
Recipients: David Wessel and the Flagstaff MPO

The Outstanding Professional Achievement Award in Metropolitan Transportation Planning was presented to David Wessel and the Flagstaff MPO. Although the MPO is small and has limited resources and staff, they are able to set forth a culture of innovation and coordination in their transportation planning. Their first long range plan called for compact development, punctuated by activity centers and the emphasis on walking and bicycling modes. In order to turn these plans into actuality, the MPO played a central role in a tax campaign that yielded dedicated taxes of more that $800,000 annually for pedestrian and bicycle safety and capacity projects. With this money, they were able to increase their bike lane miles from 59 to 117. The Flagstaff MPO is recognized as regional experts in bicycle and pedestrian planning and was honored with Bike Friendly Community status by the League of American Bicyclists. AMPO would also like to honor David and his staff for all their accomplishments.

The National Award for Outstanding Collaboration in Metropolitan Transportation Planning
Recipient: Houston-Galveston Area Council

The National Award for Outstanding Collaboration in Metropolitan Transportation Planning was presented to the Houston-Galveston Area Council for two of their programs. The first is for their innovation and collaboration with their NuRide Program. In June of 2005, the Houston Galveston Area Council contracted with NuRide to begin an online rideshare program throughout their eight county non-attainment area. The program is unique in that it incents participation through a robust rewards program, including things like baseball tickets and store discounts. The data captured through this program is also invaluable - every trip is tracked and information is provided about ridership levels, emissions reductions, miles traveled, and more. The second program worthy of recognition at the Houston Galveston Area Council is their Transportation Safety Program. The program was one of the first implemented by an MPO and began as a GIS exercise to geocode crash data. Since then, it has evolved into a comprehensive effort that includes the formation of a Regional Safety Council. The MPO brought together safety planners, engineers, law enforcement, the medical community, freight transportation, and the legal profession in order to combine knowledge and resources that would help reduce the number of crashes in the region.

The National Award for Outstanding Public Engagement in Metropolitan Transportation Planning
Recipient: San Antonio-Bexar County MPO

The National Award for Outstanding Public Engagement in Metropolitan Transportation Planning was presented to the San Antonio-Bexar County MPO for their Spanish Language Video Project. According to the 2007 American Community Survey, 40% of Bexar County residents speak Spanish at home. Since effective public involvement is vital to the planning process, the MPO needed a way to reach out to the underserved segments of the community. The MPO had used traditional methods of outreach in the past through newsletters and informational brochures, but wanted to do more. They bolstered their outreach with the development of four Spanish language videos. The videos explain: Who the MPO is and what it does; their Walkable Communities Program; Information on Air Quality and Transportation; and Details about the Metropolitan Transportation Plan and TIP. By reaching out to everyone in the community, the MPO has taken the necessary steps to enhance the overall community's quality of life.

The National Award for Outstanding Achievement in Metropolitan Transportation Planning
Recipients: Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO and the Capital Area MPO

The National Award for Outstanding Achievement in Metropolitan Transportation Planning was presented to the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO and the Capital Area MPO. The Research Triangle region in North Carolina covers seven counties and is home to about 1.6 million people. Although this area functions as a single regional economic market, there are 2 MPOs responsible for the long range transportation planning. As finances dwindle, but regions continue to grow, leaders in the research triangle region started recognizing that collaboration is essential to plan, fund, and operate the needed transportation investments. Starting in 2007, the 2 MPOs departed from their past practice of creating two separate planning documents for the one region. Instead they came together to produce a joint 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan that was adopted in June 2009. FHWA has already commended this effort as an example of, "exemplary practice within the planning process," and today AMPO does as well.

The National Award for Outstanding Technical Merit in Metropolitan Transportation Planning
Recipient: Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission

The National Award for Outstanding Technical Merit in Metropolitan Transportation Planning was presented to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission for their freight solutions through public/private partnerships. Central Ohio is strategically located within a one day truck drive of 58 percent of the US population and 61 percent of its manufacturing. This proximity makes the Columbus region a hub for the freight industry. The Norfolk Southern railroad partnered with the Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission on a project that links the Port of Virginia to Columbus and then Chicago. This partnership helped the MPO not only with new funding but also with the development of critical infrastructure along the corridor and in Columbus. The MPO has been at the forefront of developing partnerships like these that help spur economic development, reduce future congestion, and encourage sound investments that best serve the region.

The National Award for Innovative Practice in Metropolitan Transportation Planning
Recipient: Richmond Area MPO

The National Award for Innovative Practice in Metropolitan Transportation Planning was presented to the Richmond Area MPO. The Richmond region is fortunate to have intermodal system components including two Class 1 railroads, an international airport, and three interstates, but wanted to do more when it came to enhancing the system and meeting future needs. In April 2008, the MPO allocated 2.7 million of regional CMAQ funds over three fiscal years in support of a demonstration project for a container barge service called the "64 express." The "express" is a marine highway that runs parallel to the congested I-64 asphalt highway. The goal of the project was to provide a sustainable service at the lowest cost possible, reduce congestion and energy use, improve air quality, and provide relief to highway maintenance costs associated with overweight vehicles on the highway corridor. In the first year of service, it is anticipated that over 5,000 trucks will be taken off the road and by the third year, it is projected to remove between 50,000 and 75,000 truck trips.

The National Award for Innovative Practice in Metropolitan Transportation Planning
Recipient: North Florida TPO

The National Award for Innovative Practice in Metropolitan Transportation Planning was presented to the North Florida TPO for their Traffic Incident Management Handbook and Safety Video Series, which focused on incident management training for responders. In 2003, the North Florida TPO was instrumental in the launch of the North Florida ITS Coalition, which has more than 60 members. Members include counties, municipalities, highway patrol, local police departments, fire and rescue personnel, and more. Prior to the formation of this Coalition, each agency performed under it's own standard operating procedures when responding to an accident. The North Florida TPO saw that this was an issue and was tasked with creating common guidelines, training, and reference materials for all of the responder agencies. Out of this came the Handbook and then the safety video series. The key training points are based on national traffic incident management standards, so these products are useful to other MPOs and other responder agencies across the United States.

The National Award for Outstanding Achievement in Metropolitan Transportation Planning
Recipient: Missoula Office of Planning and Grants

The National Award for Outstanding Achievement in Metropolitan Transportation Planning was presented to the Missoula Office of Planning and Grants for Envision Missoula, the public involvement process for their 2008 Long Range Transportation Plan. Through visioning workshops using creative map techniques, electronic polling, and a telephone survey, this process enabled citizens with varying mobility preferences to reach consensus. The result was a scenario that graphically reflected the public's views of how Missoula should grow and how it's citizens might best move around, both safely and efficiently. The reason that this was so successful was because it marked a departure from the former practice of planning transportation investments in reaction to perceived growth patterns. Instead, Envision Missoula guided the decision-making process for making sound transportation investments in the region.

The Honorable Mention Award for Excellence in Metropolitan Transportation Planning
Recipient: Northwest Arkansas RPC

The Honorable Mention Award for Excellence in Metropolitan Transportation Planning was presented to the Northwest Arkansas RPC. Back in 2002, the Heritage Trail became a part of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Transportation Plan. The trail in itself is significant in that it's a connector for bicycle and pedestrian facilities throughout the region. However, in 2006, the MPO formed a partnership with local jurisdictions, and the non-profit group called the Heritage Trail Partners in order to create a signage program for the entire Heritage Trail. This sign initiative brought a large amount of public awareness to the Trail and has resulted in positive public support, even when difficult funding issues arise. In addition to this signage effort, the on-the-ground infrastructure of the actual bicycle and pedestrian system is continuing to make steady progress.