Description
The purpose of PPPP is to support data-driven approaches to planning that, upon completion, can be evaluated for public benefit. The program provides funding to develop and implement a publicly accessible, transparent prioritization process for the ranking and selection of projects for inclusion in short-range and long-range transportation plans. FHWA will award no more than $10 million in total ($2 million maximum per award) in each fiscal year for eligible prioritization process pilots that meet the eligibility requirements found in Section C.3 and the selection criteria described in Section E. The vision of PPPP is to fund the development and implementation of pilot prioritization processes (also referred to herein as PPPP pilot(s) or Project(s)) that address and integrate the components of existing transportation programs and support projects that improve safety, climate change and sustainability, equity, and economic strength and global competitiveness consistent with DOT’s strategic goals.[1] FHWA also seeks to award Projects that address environmental justice, barriers to opportunity, coordination and integration of transportation and land use, vulnerable users, transparent public involvement, complete streets, freight, and system condition and reliability. FHWA seeks to award prioritization process pilots under PPPP that include a public involvement plan that ensures transparency, accessibility, and accountability to the public throughout the development of the prioritization process throughout its implementation and throughout its use. Public participation is an integral part of the transportation process which ensures that decisions are made in consideration of, and to benefit public needs and preferences. A continuous, transparent, and accountable process, bringing diverse viewpoints and values into the decision-making process, enables agencies to make better informed decisions throughout and builds mutual understanding and trust between the agencies and the public they serve. USDOT recently published a technical resource document titled Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making[2] to provide transportation practitioners with examples of practices that can promote public involvement into transportation decision-making and how to effectively engage a broad representation of community members. Successful public participation is a continuous process, consisting of a series of activities and actions to inform the public and stakeholders of potential policies and projects, to obtain input from them on the choices surrounding those policies and projects, and inform them on the selections and reasoning behind those decisions. Federal-aid recipients, including recipients of PPPP funds, are responsible for involving the public, including traditionally underserved and underrepresented populations in transportation planning, and complying with participation and consultation requirements in Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 450.210 and 450.316 and the statutory requirements of the PPPP, as applicable. To assist with these public engagement efforts, FHWA expects PPPP applications to demonstrate an applicant’s commitment to engage with all impacted communities and community leaders to determine which forms of communication are most effective, including gaining insight on the unique circumstances impacting various disadvantaged and underrepresented groups so that effective communication channels are developed, and to use this information to inform decisions across all aspects of PPPP Project development and implementation and project delivery.